CITY HALL — Both the pedestrian plazas and topless ladies of Times Square aren't going anywhere.
A
task force appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio has agreed to the idea of
designated areas for the women and costumed characters to solicit tips
from tourists, but the details have yet to be worked out.
On
the John Gambling show on Thursday, the mayor called the idea of
sanctioning off the Times Square area "a very strong recommendation,"
adding the plan was still being finalized.
De
Blasio then added that Times Square performers, such as the costume
characters and the "desnudas", should be considered as businesses and
therefore conform to city regulations and pay taxes.
"The goal is that, if it’s a business, it’s a business, and it should be treated like any other business," he said.
De
Blasio appointed the task force, which examined a series of
recommendations from a panel of elected officials and Times Square area
business leaders, after heavy media coverage of aggressive panhandling
by the topless women and costumed characters.
Police
Commissioner Bill Bratton floated the idea of removing the plazas,
which de Blasio said he was willing to explore. The mayor said he
recognized the right of the topless women to be there but he felt their
nudity and actions were inappropriate for the city's top tourist
destination.
"I think it’s wrong. It’s wrong," de Blasio said about the women in August.
Neither being topless or panhandling is illegal in New York City.
City
Councilman Corey Johnson, who represents a portion of Times Square and
helped to draft the report, said it's unclear whether there will be
zones for the ladies to work or whether there will be a medallion
painted on the ground that designates where performers can stand.
"The
devil is really in the details," said Johnson who said the ruling will
jibe with the rights of the topless women, costumed characters and CD
sellers.
In keeping the plazas, Johnson said he
expects legislative action to allow the Department of Transportation to
impose regulations.
Currently, the plazas are
still designated as city streets. The change would give DOT the power to
make rules governing not just Times Square, but all 70 pedestrian
plazas throughout the city, said Johnson.
In
order to bring some order to the area, there's also discussion of
eliminating vending on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues.
That would also require City Council legislation.
Other
changes include endorsing an increased police presence in the area. The
NYPD is already recruiting 100 officers to be part of a dedicated
"Times Square Unit."
The officers will use the
city's new neighborhood policing model and be assigned solely to Times
Square so they could get to know the vendors, local businesses and
security personnel in the area.
Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, and Robert Kafin, chairman of the Times Square Alliance, praised the plan.
"We
are pleased that the administration has endorsed and supported the key
elements of the community's plan, and we look forward to working with
them and our elected officials to hammer out the specifics of
implementation so that Times Square can continue to be the economic and
job growth engine that it has been in recent years," the pair said in a
statement.
Johnson agreed that there was more work to be done.
"I
feel grateful that City Hall adopted the set of recommendations we put
forward but this is the beginning of the work," said Johnson. "We have
to execute the details of this plan and that's what really matters."
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