Crain's New York Business articles from December 2004

Crain's New York Business archives from December 2004

Available on databases.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Crain's is available on several electronic data-bases for readers wishing to locate published stories. Full text can be found on Nexis and Dialog. Dow Jones also carries full text on Dow Jones Interactive, Newsbank CD-ROM products and Profound....

The Best of Bob Lape.(Cru)(Davidburke & Donatella)(Frank's Waterside )(Restaurant Review)
December 6, 2004... Following are other American restaurants reviewed recently by Bob Lape. Cru (3 stars) 24 Fifth Ave. (between West Ninth and West 10th streets), Manhattan. (212) 529-1700. Sixty-two elegant seats, 3,300 wines-54 by the glass-and the...

City to reduce arts budget; Bloomberg tells groups to stop complaining, raise prices; battle looms.(Cultural Scene)(Mayor Michael Bloomberg)
December 6, 2004... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar The city is planning major cuts in its funding for arts and cultural organizations, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg is warning the institutions not to try to do anything about it. During a surprise visit last...

B'klyn bank explores sale, but in no hurry to close; Independence stock runs up on news; timing is difficult for most suitors.(News)(Brooklyn based Independence Community Bank Corp.)
December 6, 2004... Byline: tom fredrickson Investors looking to make a quick killing on Independence Community Bank Corp. should sell now. The stock shot up 6% last week on reports that the Brooklyn-based bank had hired investment banks Lehman Brothers...

Stock Watch: Underrated Morgan Stanley top buy among brokerages; Commodities boom will give boost.(Stocks)
December 6, 2004... Byline: aaron elstein As wall street closes the books on 2004, Morgan Stanley occupies its customary perch as one of the kingpins of the investment banking hill. This year, it ranks No. 1 in taking companies public, No. 2 in mergers and...

New Executive: Radio dialing for dollars; WBLS's new GM fights power stations to recoup revenues, top spot with blacks.(Profiles)(general manager)(Deon Levingston )
December 6, 2004... Byline: matthew flamm In his last job, as general manager of four Indianapolis radio stations, Deon Levingston had one major complaint: Since the stations had cornered the market on urban music, from gospel to hip-hop, there was no one to...

Sponsors eagerly do time on Trump's 'Apprentice 3'; Sign for multimillions despite ratings drop.(News)
December 6, 2004... Byline: claire atkinson Heedless of declining ratings and higher costs, advertisers have flocked to the third season of Donald Trump vehicle The Apprentice. Sony's PlayStation, Visa International and Verizon Wireless signed on for...

Relaunched title seeks Life preserver; Melange of photos, weekend guides isn't winning ads.(News)
December 6, 2004... Byline: matthew flamm When Time Inc. relaunched Life magazine this fall, the publisher promised that the latest version of the storied title would be something new-a newspaper supplement that was also a quality magazine. Adding to the...

EMI singing blues as sales drop, stars fade; Cutbacks, digital deals improve outlook.(News)(EMI Group PLC)
December 6, 2004... Byline: anita jain Multiplatinum superstar Janet Jackson received more attention this year for her wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl than for the album she released in March, Damita Jo. Hot rock star Courtney Love also made...

Washington Notes: Congressmen back stadium; Crowley ducks issue; do city, state ignore delegation?(Briefs)(Joseph Crowley, Vito Fossella and , W. Gregory Meeks)
December 6, 2004... Congressmen greg meeks, D-Queens, and Vito Fossella, R-Staten Island, say they strongly support building the controversial football stadium/convention facility on the far West Side. Speaking at a special Crain's breakfast forum last week,...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
December 6, 2004... Byline: edited by Valerie Block Spanish station numero dos Nielsen's controversial people meters were supposed to spell the end of sweeps for local television stations, but some old habits die hard. Univision, one of the most vocal...

Small Business: Cutting the cost of e-commerce; PayPal, others offer alternatives to banks for online payments.(Small Business)
December 6, 2004... Byline: jeremy quittner When the price of a company's principal product is only 50 cents, management tends to be very aware of every penny's worth of margin. That's why, long before Juda Engelmayer began selling bialys online several years...

At Deadline.(Late News)
December 6, 2004... Breakup likely for Pathmark chain pathmark stores inc. might have to be sold in pieces given its poor competitive position, analysts say. The supermarket and drugstore retailer hired an investment bank last week to shop the 142-store chain,...

Real estate news online.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... The web site for Crain's, www.NewYork Business.com, offers free breaking-news alerts for commercial and residential real estate. Visit the site to sign up. Also available are Crain's Residential Real Estate Guide, links to real estate-related...

Hotels and their unions gearing up to do battle; Build war chests for possible strike; actions in other cities create ripple effect.(News)
December 6, 2004... Byline: lisa fickenscher New York hotels are awash with guests these days, but behind the beaming faces of doormen and hotel managers an extraordinary arms race is under way ahead of contract negotiations that will not even begin until...

Congestive heart benefits.(Viewpoint)
December 6, 2004... Byline: Alair Townsend suppose the government told you that you had to provide a lifetime pension of 75% of salary to any worker, of any age, who had a serious heart problem. Suppose it decreed that all heart problems and diseases will be...

Time for conductor Kalikow to jump off runaway MTA.(Viewpoint)(Metropolitan Transportation Authority)(Peter Kalikow)
December 6, 2004... Byline: James Brady Isn't it about time for Peter Kalikow do the right thing and submit a resignation of honor, on a matter of principle? You know, the way French generals do when they lose a battle. Or when British cabinet ministers...

Stories can be reprinted, posted online; Crain's articles.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Crain's offers reprints of published articles, which can include black-and-white or color photos that accompany the story. To obtain an estimate, contact Lori Noffz at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 104, or e-mail lnoffz...

Transplant center plan needs deliverance; Rivals' attack on Montefiore puts approval at risk.(News)(Montefiore Medical Center)
December 6, 2004... Byline: gale scott Montefiore Medical Center officials thought they had a done deal to create the city's fourth liver transplant center. State health officials had approved Montefiore's initial application, agreeing that the Bronx would...

Lingerie designer reveals plan to move; Natori showroom heading to Madison; ship owner docking in bigger office.(Real Estate)(Overseas Shipholding Group Inc.)(Linda's Bra Salon)
December 6, 2004... After more than 20 years on East 34th Street, Natori Co. will move its showroom around the corner to 180 Madison Ave., where it already houses its design and merchandising departments. The Manhattan-based lingerie designer has inked a...

Chef's solo eatery captures contemporary cuisine; Citron showcases modern American in small plates; wild mushrooms untamed.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Citron)(Restaurant Review)
December 6, 2004... Byline: bob lape It's not exactly news that Gavin Citron is heading up a New York kitchen. He's done it before to good effect at Aleutia, Celadon, Aja and Onieal's Grand Street. What is different in this latest showcase for a very talented...

Public site becomes personal cause; Developer would forgo city funding to launch Homeport complex; bad timing?(In the Boroughs)(Taylor Development Corp.)
December 6, 2004... Byline: anita jain Last month, mayor michael Bloomberg enthusiastically announced that $66 million in public funds would be allocated to improve the infrastructure of the Homeport site on Staten Island. The city has spent the past few...

Buyers go to extremes to bag office buildings; Plunk down big bucks in tight time frames to win bids; runaway prices a risk.(Real Estate)
December 6, 2004... Byline: christine haughney For 34 years, skyscraper owner Norman Sturner followed an old-school approach to acquiring properties. He never let a seller rush him into making a deal. This year, though, after losing out on four bids to...

Put NY first in spirited debate.(Viewpoint)(New York)(Supreme Court)
December 6, 2004... The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday on whether New Yorkers should be allowed to go online, order wine from whoever wants to sell it to them and have it shipped to their homes. The question before the court is a narrow one...

Host businesses sought; exploring careers.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... The greater new york councils exploring program is seeking businesses to host educational sessions offering high school students the opportunity to explore various industries and make better decisions about possible career choices. The...

Political fax.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... crain's offers free two-week trial subscriptions to The Crain's Insider. The one-page fax on government and political issues arrives Tuesday through Friday by 8:30 a.m. The yearly subscription is $250. For a free trial, fax your request on...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)
December 6, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Drake Beam Morin: Lawrence C. Kleinman, 47, was appointed executive vice president of human performance for the human resources consulting firm. He had been senior vice president and...

Government Alert: Departures sweep key state agency.(Briefs)
December 6, 2004... Gargano says he's staying at ESDC, others doubt it; affordable housing The empire state devel-opment Corp. is losing several top staffers in what one insider says could become a "clean sweep.'' Kevin Corbett, executive deputy...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
December 6, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events December 7. Chemical Marketing & Economics Group, New York Section of the American Chemical Society, holds lunch meeting on the 2005 world economic outlook. 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,...

Workers job-hop as economy pops; Grab chance to move after 3-year drought; poaching firms have recruiters scrambling.(News)
December 6, 2004... Byline: tommy fernandez For two years, Kara Schnabel was haunted by the blunt career advice dispensed by the keynote speaker at her 2002 graduation from the University of Connecticut: "Never be picky. Be grateful for any job you can get.''...

B'klyn arts area seeks 4 groups; Contest based on Ground Zero's.(Cultural Scene)(Brooklyn Academy of Music)
December 6, 2004... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar Taking a page from the rebuilding of Ground Zero, the ambitious effort to create a cultural district near the Brooklyn Academy of Music will launch a competition for four new arts centers. Today, the BAM...

City tries for Verizon hookup; Incentives eyed to lure telecom to 7 WTC, but N.J., Va. in hunt, too.(News)(World Trade Center)(New Jersey)
December 6, 2004... Byline: christine haughney City and state officials working to keep Verizon's headquarters in New York are focusing their efforts on crafting an incentive plan to lure the telecommunications giant to 7 World Trade Center. New...

FAX OFFER: Free two-week trial of daily Health Pulse.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Crain's new york business offers free two-week trial subscriptions to its daily Crain's Health Pulse fax. The Pulse fax covers the business of health care, supplying information on mergers, contracts, executive appointments, regulatory actions...

Reprints from Crain's.(News)
December 13, 2004... Crain's new york business offers reprints of the articles it publishes. For an estimate, please contact Lori Noffz at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 104, or lnoffz@reprintbuyer.com. Readers wishing to make their own...

The Best of Bob Lape.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Citron, Fornino, Cafe Gray, Battery Gardens)(Brief Article)(Restaurant Review)
December 13, 2004... Citron (3 stars) 228 Bleecker St. (between Carmine Street and Sixth Avenue), Manhattan. (212) 924-9717. In his own tasteful, intimate restaurant, Chef Gavin Citron shows how good small-plate, contemporary American cuisine can be. ...

Mission is to act locally.(News)(Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Not every New York hospital is rushing across the pond. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, for example, has declined several requests to open branches in regions such as southern Europe and the Middle East. Its trustees are strongly...

Government Alert: Deadline set for decision on downtown spending; $850 million yet to be allocated; Banking Department levies more charges.(Briefs)
December 13, 2004... Gov. george pataki has set the end of March as the deadline for the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. to decide on a plan on how to spend the approximately $850 million it has yet to allocate. The major contenders for the money are the...

It's pro forma: Firms play profit games; Adjustments lure unwary investors; actual accounting arrives much later.(News)
December 13, 2004... Byline: aaron elstein In the early fall, Lucent Technologies had great news for investors. The company happily noted in a press release that after four years of losses it had bounced solidly back into the black, with a $1.14 billion profit...

An obsession with Javits.(Viewpoint)(Javits Convention Center)
December 13, 2004... Byline: Greg David One of the city's best political reporters likes to tease me when he arrives for the monthly Crain's Breakfast Forums, where I get to grill the city's top political leaders. "Exactly when are you going to ask your...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
December 13, 2004... Byline: edited by Valerie Block In with the new American Foodies enamored with Tom Colicchio's new American menus will have another spot for sampling his fare in the new year. The celebrity restaurateur will open his fourth location in...

Developers home in on far W. Side; Buy up sites before prices take off; plans for mixed uses fit expected rezoning.(News)
December 13, 2004... Byline: christine haughney Developers large and small have begun jockeying for prime plots of land on the far West Side, now that the expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has been approved and rezoning of the area early next...

Breaking news from Crain's Web site; newyorkbusiness.com.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Stay on top of breaking news with free e-mail news alerts from NewYorkBusiness.com, the Web site for Crain's New York Business. NewYorkBusiness.com offers a once-daily e-mail summary of top news stories, including exclusive reports by the...

Reality check: Focus on prevention.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... The best place to stop check fraud is not in the courtroom, but at the teller's window. To accomplish that, some check-cashing firms are spending more than $6,000 per window for check-reading software, video cameras, and devices for reading...

Promise may keep Verizon in NY.(Verizon Communications Inc. in New York)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Verizon's plans to relocate its headquarters outside New York state may be derailed by a seven-year-old promise that the company made during its merger approval process. In March 1997, the state Public Service Commission approved the...

Stay the course on UFT contract.(Viewpoint)(United Federation of Teachers')
December 13, 2004... Earlier this month, teachers union chief Randi Weingarten went back on the attack against Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She claimed that the mayor's efforts to reform the schools had only worsened the education system. She was even more caustic...

At Deadline.(Late News)(CSTV: College Sports Television deals with Charter Communications Inc. and Cox Communications Inc.)(MapCash plans to market Visa-branded debit cards)(Broadway theater)
December 13, 2004... Broadway shows get less applause in a sign of the shifting mix on Broadway, total box office and attendance for the season to date fell below the same figures for the year-ago period. Total grosses for the season as of last week were...

Purchasing a building requires structured plan; Making the move from renting to owning is a multilayered effort.(Special Report: Small Business)
December 13, 2004... Byline: tina traster Squeezed by soaring midtown Manhattan rents and a need to find larger quarters for her growing staffing agency, Penda Aiken made a radical departure. Instead of forking over $6,000 a month in rent, she bought a...

Small business on the Web.(Special Report: Small Business)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... newyorkbusiness.com features free resources to help entrepreneurs. Go to the Small Business section to see the "Growing a Business Guide,'' which lists organizations providing everything from advice to microloans. Also available are a list of...

Bank America draws bead on Rockefeller space; Negotiates while waiting for HQ; dealer on prowl.(Paramount Group Inc.)(Potamkin Auto Group)
December 13, 2004... While bank of america waits to move into its new headquarters on Bryant Park, the Charlotte, N.C.-based financial firm is celebrating the holidays in New York real estate style. The bank is renting another huge block of space at the epicenter...

Restaurant e-biz times growth to readiness; Careful planning boosts out-of-town business prospects for SeamlessWeb.(Special Report: Small Business)(SeamlessWeb Professional Solutions Inc.)
December 13, 2004... Byline: laura koss-feder In business, timing can be everything. When a corporate client came to Jason Finger nearly three years ago and begged him to expand his company's reach to Washington, he had to reluctantly but firmly say no....

Jody Jacobs found calling via romance in NY fashion.(Viewpoint)(Barney Leason)(New York)
December 13, 2004... Byline: James Brady Barney Leason called from their house in California Thanksgiving week. His wife, Jody Jacobs, was dying, he said. And then he broke down and for a time couldn't say more. Jody was a swell newspaperwoman and author...

New Executive: Kitchen confidential; Seasoned chef and TV host tapped to save Guastavino's and add credibility.(Profiles)(Michael lomonaco)(Biography)
December 13, 2004... Byline: lisa fickenscher Michael lomonaco's last-minute decision to repair his reading glasses on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, spared his life. The head chef of Windows on the World would have certainly perished along with 79 of his...

WTC group needs tower of strength; Foundation seeks day-to-day boss.(Workplace)(World Trade Center)(Cablevision Systems Corp.)(Polytechnic University)
December 13, 2004... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar The city's elite have been buzzing over who will become chairman of the newest, most prestigious board in town: the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. But the foundation has an equally important, and...

Fabled ESOP.(Special Report: Small Business)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Last year, when Arthur Aranda created an ESOP at Garden State Mortgage Co.-a New Jersey-based mortgage banking firm that he founded 13 years ago-an outside firm placed a valuation of $2.35 million on the privately held stock. The ESOP financed...

The 401(k) 411.(Special Report: Small Business)(Meyers Research Center)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Meyers Research Center, a market research firm in Manhattan, has had a 401(k) for its staff of 25 since 2000. Next year, however, Meyers will switch to something akin to a Safe Harbor 401(k), which will allow top earners to put away more than...

Center sparks Class A office party; Hutchinson site filling up with local tenants; outsiders weigh new projects.(In the Boroughs)
December 13, 2004... Byline: tommy fernandez There hadn't been a project like it in the Bronx for nearly two decades: the creation of more than 460,000 square feet of prime office space. The $70 million transformation of a former psychiatric hospital into...

CoStar seeks leasing data.(Real Estate)
December 13, 2004... Costar group inc. is compiling information for its list of the largest office leasing deals in Manhattan in 2004, to be published in Crain's New York Business on Feb. 7. Brokers and others with information on transactions that could qualify for...

5 retirement plans to attract, retain staff; Firms rush to take advantage of new tax rules, options catering to small employers.(Special Report: Small Business)
December 13, 2004... Byline: fran hawthorne Barely a year after founding TransactTools Inc., the owners of the Manhattan-based financial software company began planning ahead-far, far ahead. Although their firm was still in its infancy, the seasoned...

How to take advantage of the rebound.(Special Report: Small Business)
December 13, 2004... This is the final article in a series designed to help small business owners seize the opportunities created by the economic recovery. Next month, Crain's will begin a series about getting ahead, with tips for owners and managers on how to...

Tattered apparel industry faces more wear, tear; Firms brace for end of trade quotas.(Briefs)
December 13, 2004... Byline: elisabeth butler Ask Marisa South about the coming end of apparel trade quotas, and she'll ask you to hang on while she pulls out her soapbox. "Overall, outsourcing has devastated the apparel industry. Ten or 15 years ago in...

Telling Tales.(Special Report: Small Business)(wedding business)
December 13, 2004... Byline: Lisa Goff Caterer joins wedding march It pays to crunch the numbers. Shortly after Loren Michelle launched her catering business, she made an important discovery. There was no business quite like the wedding business, where...

Stock Watch: Jefferies Group's rise hits a snag; Brokerage house under investigation.(Stocks)(Securities and Exchange Commission and National Association of Securities Dealers)
December 13, 2004... Byline: aaron elstein After five years of stellar earnings growth and a near-quadrupling in its stock price, investment bank Jefferies Group Inc. may have run out of good luck. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the National...

Local leaders unite to block NYC Wal-Mart; Plan rallies, laws to kill Queens deal.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
December 13, 2004... Byline: anne michaud Labor leaders and small business advocates are mobilizing for an all-out fight to block the first Wal-Mart proposed for New York City, at a busy shopping corner in Queens. The retailer said last week that it is in...

Greek updated for a modern arena; Onera's American twists shed new light on Hellenic tradition; tables remain in dark.(Onera)(Restaurant Review)
December 13, 2004... Byline: bob lape Michael psilakis, the young man turning Greek cuisine on its ear at the new restaurant Onera, says the reaction has been spectacular. That's appropriate, since his food is just that. Onera, the Greek translation for...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
December 13, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events december 14. BizBuilding Inc. holds networking dinner. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., SoHo Dance Studio, 598 Broadway. Fee: free for members, $50 nonmembers. (917) 678-8937 or...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)
December 13, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Adelman Katz & Mond: Warren M. Bergstein, 58, joined as principal. He was formerly a partner at Strauss Comas and Modansky. FTI Consulting: Connor P. Tully, 32, joined as...

Watercooler talk heats up with the language of love; Fewer feel that office romance is flirting with disaster; wedding bells ring.(Workplace)
December 13, 2004... Byline: samantha marshall Each time the attractive young blonde passed him in the office hallway, Andy Lutz tried his best to catch her attention. But Karen Lucas was too focused on her work to notice. He found his opportunity one happy...

Foreign hospitality; Medical institutions export expertise for big bucks.(News)(Hospital for Special Surgery)
December 13, 2004... Byline: samantha marshall A soggy English morning in March marked a crowning moment in John Reynolds' career as chief executive of the Hospital for Special Surgery. As he stood outside a new orthopedic hospital in southwest London that HSS...

Phony checks flooding the city; Corporate payroll fakes abound as technology makes scams easy; cashers, DAs fight back.(News)(Column)
December 13, 2004... Byline: tom fredrickson A flood of fake corporate payroll and benefits checks is inundating check-cashing stores and banks across the city. Scam artists are bilking those institutions out of thousands of dollars every week by assuming...

Foreign tourist influx boosts holiday sales; NY becomes bargain capital of world.(Christmas in New York 2004)
December 20, 2004... Byline: samantha marshall Santa is delivering an early Christmas present to New York City's retailers-a massive influx of foreign shoppers. The surging euro, pound and yen are bringing thousands of cash-rich visitors from overseas and...

Free trials of Crain's daily health care fax; CRAIN'S health PULSE.(News)
December 20, 2004... Crain's new york business offers readers free two-week trial subscriptions to its daily Crain's Health Pulse fax. The Pulse fax covers the business of health care, supplying information on mergers and affiliations, contracts, executive...

The best of bob lape.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 20, 2004... Onera * * 1/2 222 W. 79th St. (between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway), Manhattan. (212) 873-0200. A fascinating, innovative modern American restaurant inspired by Greek ingredients and flavors. Owner/chef Michael Psilakis prepares exciting...

Retailers see fortune in the cards; Plastic gifts catch on with hurried holiday shoppers.(Christmas in New York 2004)
December 20, 2004... Byline: elisabeth butler Commercially speaking, Ricky Kenig has never had much use for Christmas. "We're just not a big holiday store,'' says Mr. Kenig, the founder of Ricky's, the trendy, 13-store beauty supply chain. "We tried...

CoStar seeks leasing data.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Costar group inc. is compiling information for its list of the largest office leasing deals in Manhattan in 2004, to be published in Crain's New York Business on Feb. 7. Brokers and others with information on transactions that could qualify for...

Rising rates rescue money fund firm; Reserve profits by picking niches.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: tom fredrickson The efforts by the Federal Reserve to cool the nation's economy by pumping up interest rates-the Fed hiked rates for the fifth time in as many months last week-are great news for the money market mutual fund...

Executive Moves.(Profiles)
December 20, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Kroll Inc.: Frank Holder, 36, was promoted to president of the consulting services group. He was vice president and head of operations for the group. Rosen Seymour Shapss Martin...

Reaping holiday fairs' market value; Exposure brings vendors sales, feedback; pricey but profitable.(Small Business)
December 20, 2004... Byline: shira boss-bicak When frank giugliano decided last year to try to make a career out of his passion for baking cookies, he thought of the perfect place to test-launch a business without taking on a lot of overhead or long-term...

Usual Albany wrangling holds up HIP conversion; City, teachers looking to grab proceeds; Suozzi switches to Plan B.(Briefs: Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York Inc.)
December 20, 2004... Sparring over money continues to delay action in Albany on legislation to allow HIP to convert to a public company. New York City had been arguing in favor of using part of the proceeds to pay for health care benefits for its workers, since...

Reprints of Crain stories; reprint, post published articles.(News)
December 20, 2004... Crain's new york business offers reprints of the articles it publishes. To obtain an estimate of the price and the turnaround time for a reprint, please contact Lori Noffz at Reprint Management Services, (717) 399-1900, ext. 104, or...

Mom-and-pops fight fines; City's backroom fee hikes inspire coalition.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: lisa fickenscher For more than a year, the city has been quietly ratcheting up the fines that small business owners pay for everything from litter in front of their storefronts to noise. A ticket for garbage on the sidewalk...

New chef updates cafe, island of 5th Ave. serenity; A younger touch happy contrast to sumptuous setting; savory flavor layers.(Dining/Restaurant Review: Cafe Pierre )(Restaurant Review)
December 20, 2004... Byline: bob lape If the stress of holiday hurly-burly has your nerves in tinsel-like tatters, book a table at Cafe Pierre in the stately, handsome Pierre Hotel for some precious R&R. The Pierre is in the epicenter of the city's prime...

Taming wild compensation.(Viewpoint: Executive compensation)
December 20, 2004... Byline: Mike Clowes Executive compensation remains a hot topic. The $170 billion California Public Employees' Retirement System and the $117 billion California State Teachers' Retirement System have said they are targeting four companies...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
December 20, 2004... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events DECEMBER 21. SalemGlobal Internet holds breakfast seminar on Internet and search engine optimization. 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., 1501 Broadway, fifth floor, suite 501. Free. (212) 736-9636....

Bigger charities benefit as giving mood returns; Donations rise to pre-Sept. 11 levels; small organizations still struggling.(Nonprofits)
December 20, 2004... Byline: miriam kreinin souccar At the new york City Opera, donations are pouring in. The United States Fund for Unicef says it's already raised $1 million more this year than last-and the charity is still opening its mail. Even the...