Crain's New York Business articles from February 2008

Crain's New York Business archives from February 2008

Fashion perfecter.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Audrey Smaltz, 70, will spend Fashion Week, Feb. 1 to Feb. 8, ensuring that the couture is runway-ready. She is founder of Ground Crew, a firm that provides backstage assistance at fashion shows. She has more...

Best of Bob Lape.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Here are other contemporary American spots for neighborhood dining. Monteverde at Oldstone Manor (4 stars) www.monteverderestaurant.com 28 Bear Mountain Bridge Road (Route 6), Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. (914) 739-5000. Chef Neil...

New lives for laid-off bankers; Workers reinvent themselves in hard market; back to school?(Wall Street Report)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Cara S. Trager In less than a year, Matt Swift and his domestic partner, Matt Wallis, have seen their fortunes tumble--with no end in sight. They were laid off from bankrupt American Home Mortgage. Since then, now-defunct...

NO HIDING ON THE WEB.(Small Business)
February 4, 2008... Becoming a retailing success is cheaper to achieve online than on Main Street, but e-tailing still has its hardships. On eBay, businesses live and die by customer ratings, which are available for all to see. To receive positive feedback,...

Venturing to New York; Out-of-state money flowing to area online ad firms.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Amanda Fung When are traasdahl needed seed money for his mobile entertainment startup, Thumbplay, in 2004, out-of-state venture capitalists weren't interested in the Manhattan firm. "They didn't have to go outside their region...

Special appearances; Salons pay visits to execs short on time, long on cash.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Alix Strauss Once a month, a woman toting a large briefcase slips into Barry Mowszowski's downtown advertising firm, looking like a spy delivering secret documents. She exits an hour later, and Mr. Mowszowski emerges from his...

New Westwood One CEO beamed straight to radio; CEO of network now free of CBS is expected to stress new platforms.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Matthew Flamm Talk about starting at the top: Before stepping into the job of chief executive of radio network Westwood One earlier this month, Thomas Beusse had never worked in radio. He does know plenty about the challenges...

The Insider.(Briefs)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Erik Engquist City wants piece of conversion pie The conversion of EmblemHealth, the merged entity that controls health insurers HIP and GHI, into a publicly held company is supposed to start this month, but a longtime opponent...

Presidential Bloom-o-meter.(Briefs)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... A weekly look at Mayor Michael Bloomberg's progression toward the March deadline to run for president. The odds of a presidential bid have plunged as the Democratic and Republican fields have narrowed to relatively popular candidates....

eBay moonlighters go mainstream; Success leads sellers to think of making their careers online.(Small Business)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Steve Garmhausen Necessity is the mother of most small businesses. For Jason Fox, entrepreneurship reared its head when he realized that his wife's pregnancy meant that one of the couple's income streams was about to dry up. ...

Edwards' donors move to Obama; Many like both Democrats; Rudy's donors edge to McCain.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Erik Engquist and Daniel Massey They are new yorkers with the time, money and inspiration to help a Democrat win the White House. And since their candidate quit the race last week, John Edwards' supporters here have started moving...

Investment firm moving to Citi Center; Miller Buckfire will take over floor of midtown tower.(Real Estate)
February 4, 2008... Boutique investment banking firm Miller Buckfire signed a 10-year lease for almost 30,000 square feet at the Citigroup Center, at 153 E. 53rd St. Miller Buckfire will take over the entire 22nd floor of the office tower, between Lexington...

City's Subprime Crisis.(By the Numbers)
February 4, 2008... A new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York details the 10 ZIP codes with the largest number of subprime mortgages and the percentage that are past due. Brooklyn and Queens have been hit hardest, followed by part of the Bronx.

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)(Duane Reade Holding Corp. wants chief executive )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Byline: elisabeth butler cordova WANTED: chief executive COMPANY Duane Reade Holdings Inc. JOB DESCRIPTION Run a 241-unit drugstore chain; follow turnaround strategy put in place by parent Oak Hill Capital Partners MOST...

Private groups fight for vets; NGOs spring up to fill gaps in services on home front.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Samantha Marshall When national guard veteran Ronald Sykes came home to Brooklyn from Iraq in August 2006, he was in desperate straits. Suffering from a debilitating spinal injury from the impact of a suicide bomb, the former Army...

IPO market dries up in latest blow; Issues provide Wall Street with big profits; key at Goldman, Morgan.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Aaron Elstein The business of taking companies public, one of Wall Street's most important, profitable and--until recently--resilient activities is drying up. Seventeen initial public offerings were either postponed or...

WHAT'S BEEN DONE; Recommendations in the Bloomberg/Schumer report and their status, one year later.(Wall Street Report)(Michael Bloomberg )
February 4, 2008... Byline: Sources: Partnership for New York City, New York City Economic Development Corp. ACCOMPLISHED Establish a public/private partnership to promote New York's local agenda by acting as the high-level liaison between individual...

Murdoch's gamble; Making the Journal more mass-market to compete with the Times could backfire.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Matthew Flamm In his pursuit of the Wall Street Journal, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch pledged to broaden news coverage in the Dow Jones & Co. paper and go head-to-head with The New York Times in the battle for national...

At Deadline.(Late News)
February 4, 2008... Microsoft Corp.'s unsolicited offer to buy Yahoo Inc. for $44.6 billion could spell trouble for Manhattan-based AOL, but some believe it could also lead to an offer for AOL from search giant Google. If the deal is approved, Microsoft-Yahoo...

MTA seeks lease deal; Wants cut of Hudson Yards profit; could raise developer costs.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Theresa Agovino The metropolitan Transportation Authority would rather lease the Hudson Rail Yards for 99 years than sell the 26-acre site--a choice that experts think could increase financing costs for developers. In sending...

Bulgarian nuts, Naked drinks & more bring new fizz to PepsiCo's profits.(In the Markets)(Financial report)
February 4, 2008... In the past year, PepsiCo has swallowed up everything from trendy beverage maker Naked Juice to one of Bulgaria's largest nut firms. During Sunday's Super Bowl, Pepsi launched its low-calorie "lifestyle beverage,'' G2. An unceasing ability to...

Marvel as moviemaker bodes well for its shares; Comic-book kingpin's first two films debut in spring; downside risk.(In the Markets)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Hilary Potkewitz Someday, there may be a superhero capable of rescuing even falling markets. And when that day comes, Marvel Entertainment Inc. will probably be the one to draw it, license it and most likely produce a movie about...

The Weeks Ahead.(Business Lives)(Calendar)
February 4, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events February 5 New York County Lawyers' Association holds course on construction law: post-project disputes. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., 14 Vesey St. Fee: $125 members, $165 nonmembers. (212)...

Taking over legal pad; Chief of Jones Day's NY office aims to grow in tight times, readies Supreme Court debut.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Hilary Potkewitz As an eager associate at his first law firm job in Washington, D.C., Willis Goldsmith was entrusted with preparing an injunction for an important case. Time was of the essence, and he raced over to the courthouse...

NY politicians walking a fine line; Drumbeat for more regulation, but they need industry's cash.(Wall Street Report)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Judith Messina In a december campaign speech, Sen. Hillary Clinton gave Wall Street a scolding, chiding the securities industry for its role in the subprime mess and threatening new regulation if it didn't step up to help fix the...

A year on: little progress on key reforms; Energy surrounding Bloomberg-Schumer report fading fast.(Wall Street Report)(Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Charles Schumer)
February 4, 2008... Byline: Joyce Hanson A year ago, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Charles Schumer released a ballyhooed report saying that New York's position as the world's financial center was in doubt. It made a host of recommendations that the two...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
February 4, 2008... Kiho Park is budget director at Elmhurst Hospital. His title was misstated in Bob Lape's Jan. 28 restaurant review on Moim.

Dovetail offers a perfect fit; Upper West Side brownstone spot distinguishes itself with cuisine, service.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Setting his personal compass on ownership, ex-Compass chef John Fraser is giving the Upper West Side an infusion of excitement at his polished new restaurant, Dovetail. It's enough for Cafe des Artistes, Picholine, Telepan and Terrace in the...

New York to confront its economic fate; Despite diversity in jobs, Wall St. will bring on a recession.(News)
February 4, 2008... Byline: greg david In washington, the Federal Reserve Board, President George W. Bush and Congress are using every Keynesian maneuver to ward off a recession. In New York, government officials and business leaders don't have such...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
February 4, 2008... Byline: edited by Lisa Fickenscher Cranking up the Plaza parties Though the plaza hotel isn't slated to reopen for another two months, partying in its venerable ballrooms has already begun. Events at the 100-year-old hotel, which...

Congestion pricing basics.(Viewpoint)
February 4, 2008... The commission examining Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing initiative has now given the concept its approval. In doing so, it sets the stage for a contentious tug-of-war in both the City Council and the state Legislature. Both must...

LOBBYING Bigger Javits is better.(Briefs)(Jacob K. Javits Convention Center )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Friends of Javits, who are opposed to the Spitzer administration's minimalist expansion plan for the center, have hired lobbyists to take their campaign to the Legislature. The lobbyists, led by Jeff Lane of the Vandervort Group, met last...

UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY.(Wall Street Report)(Toni Perez)(Occupation overview)
February 4, 2008... For Toni Perez, the mortgage crisis brought opportunity. An information technology worker who lost her job when the mortgage company where she worked closed last August, Ms. Perez decided to stop postponing what she really wanted to do with...

RIVALS FOR INVESTORS' AFFECTIONS.(Wall Street Report)
February 4, 2008... Byline: steve garmhausen LONDON The reunification of Germany in 1990 led capital-market players to wonder whether the strength of that country's economy would help shift Europe's financial center to Frankfurt from London. Denizens...

WILL YOU SPEND OR SAVE YOUR TAX REBATE? CRAIN'S ONLINE POLL.(Viewpoint)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Nearly a third of the 336 respondents say their rebates will be put toward reducing their debt. Another 20% intend to save the money, and 13% say they will spend it to help support the lagging economy. A little more than a third of respondents...

Lord & Taylor eyes Fortunoff.(Briefs)
February 4, 2008... Byline: from staff reports and bloomberg news reports The private equity owner of Lord & Taylor department stores is reportedly close to completing a $100 million acquisition of beleaguered jewelry retailer Fortunoff. NRDC Equity Partners...

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Byline: sarah studley Accounting & Consulting Marks Paneth & Shron: Arthur E. Cannata, 58, was promoted to co-managing partner from partner. Mark Levenfus, 57, was promoted to co-managing partner from partner. Weiser: Howard...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)
February 4, 2008... Byline: elisabeth butler cordova ***** Correction: Richard Dreiling left his position as CEO of Duane Reade Holdings Inc. for a job at Dollar General. The name of his new employer was misstated in the Feb. 4 "Hot Jobs'' profile. ...

Hits & Misses; Strategies that worked and didn't for 3 very different restaurants.(Small Business Report)(Live Bait Restaurant)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Lisa Goff Consistency proves key for Gotham As models in the 1980s, Charles Milite, Eric Petterson and Carolyn Benitez made a living by showing off changing fashion trends. But as restaurateurs, the trio found success by...

Best of Bob Lape.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)
February 11, 2008... Following are other Mediterranean restaurants. Anthos 3 stars 36 W. 52nd St. (between Fifth and Sixth avenues), Manhattan. (212) 582-6900. It's Donatella Arpaia and chef Michael Psilakis (Dona) again, as the youthful chef makes a...

Valentine no more? Time to sell off the old ring and unused bridal gown.(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli This thursday, couples around the city will celebrate Valentine's Day with flowers, chocolate, champagne and pricey gifts. But not everyone will be cuddling with that special someone. The period between...

Film producers roll out of the city; Bigger incentives boost Connecticut, other NE states.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Miriam Kreinin Souccar The strike by the Writers Guild of America that has shut down production for more than three months is expected to end this week, but New York's film industry has even bigger problems on its horizon. ...

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting AlixPartners: Mahesh Mansukhani, 37, joined as director, performance improvement. He was formerly a global business director at DuPont. Alvarez & Marsal: Dan Powell, 50, joined...

Law firms follow money in credit mess; With millions at stake, hundreds assigned to bolster subprime practices.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Hilary Potkewitz First came the $211 billion in write-downs of subprime debt, now comes the legal bonanza. In the past four months, nearly 20 law firms have set up subprime practices comprising more than 500 attorneys, many of...

Tech incubator closing; Software group cites lack of state grants; will probably have to restructure itself.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Amanda Fung The new york Software Industry Association will close its lower Manhattan incubator for local tech startups at the end of February because funding for it has dried up. Additionally, the 500-member trade group, faced...

Love machines rev up; Matchmakers, souped-up Web sites make play for lonely hearts.(Small Business Report)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Tina Traster Love may be blind, but those with enough money to spend can find some useful guideposts. Newly single Tom Morgan found that out after he dabbled in Internet dating, only to discover that people will say anything online...

SUPER TUESDAY The shakeout.(Briefs)
February 11, 2008... Winners Rep. Charles Rangel He championed Sen. Hillary Clinton's candidacy, and she edged Sen. Barack Obama in Mr. Rangel's backyard. Critics note that the district is less than 50% black, that Latinos actually provided Mrs. Clinton's...

Fashion goes faux; Costume jewelry hit of season with earthy designs; recession could help lift sales.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Cordova Leggy models strutting the runway for Elie Tahari, Oscar de la Renta and others during last week's fashion shows were invariably strung with chunky necklaces made of glass and wood. Message to...

Two crystal balls for a recession.(Viewpoint essay)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Alair Townsend The budget plans recently proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Eliot Spitzer speak volumes about how they perceive their political strength. At a time when the economy is fraying, the mayor lets the chips...

6 steps for forging links to chains; Careful research, good buzz, cold calls yield results.(Small Business Report)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Tina Traster When gigi lee Chang started whipping up healthy baby food combinations for her son, she knew she had a viable product for Whole Foods Market and other natural food chains. That conviction led Ms. Chang to quit her...

valentine's day gift guide.(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... This year, we're loving anything that expresses feeling. Jeanine Payer has earrings with inspirational messages for $220 and up, and Mary Green makes fun boy undies that say "I love you'' in seven languages, $40 for a week's worth. If you're...

Shoe seller steps up its act; After reversal, Eneslow marches toward fashion; opens institute.(Small Business Report)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Victoria Rivkin Finding and exploiting a lucrative niche has been the making of many small businesses, but nothing lasts forever. Twenty years ago, the owner of Eneslow, The Foot Comfort Center, found that out. For decades,...

FOR THE RECORD.(Briefs)
February 11, 2008... Byline: from staff reports and bloomberg news reports Macy's cuts 2,550 jobs Macy's Inc. said it will cut 2,550 jobs as part of a consolidation aimed at saving $100 million annually. Manhattan-based Macy's East will absorb...

Eco-friendly flowers.(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Hannah Ling, 31, New York's first "eco-florist,'' is gearing up for the Valentine's Day rush of environmentally aware lovers. her inspiration The idea for her business blossomed at the end of 2006. Ms....

Investment in research; New York pours big bucks into stem cell science.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: GALE SCOTT In doling out nearly $55 million this year for stem cell research, Gov. Eliot Spitzer is establishing New York as one of the leading states seeking to cash in on this emerging field. The grants are the first...

Calorie rules hit fine-dining spots; Steakhouses, other chains fear putting info on their menus.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Lisa Fickenscher A year ago, when the city's Board of Health took aim at obesity, fast-food restaurants were on the hot seat. But now the McDonald's of the city are in highfalutin company. A new, broader version of the rule,...

Software firm moving to midtown mega space.(Real Estate)
February 11, 2008... SunGard leasing 120,000 square feet on Madison Ave.; combining 7 offices Sungard, a software and processing solutions firm, has signed an 11-year lease for about 120,000 square feet at 340 Madison Ave., between East 43rd and East 44th...

Small wonders at tapas mecca; Peniche specializes in Portuguese dishes; desserts aren't strong suit.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)
February 11, 2008... It takes only a nibble of gambas piri-piri, firm prawns bathed in hot chili sauce, or tangy cold octopus salad redolent of aged sherry vinegar and red onion to know that Peniche is a true tapas star. It also brings a Portuguese twist to the...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
February 11, 2008... Richard Dreiling left his position as CEO of Duane Reade Holdings Inc. for a job at Dollar General. The name of his new employer was misstated in the Feb. 4 "Hot Jobs'' profile. Because the Small Business Administration supplied incorrect...

Black's buyouts fizzling out; After early success, recent leveraged deals go bad; no payoff in sight.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Aaron Elstein When leon black took retailer Linens 'n Things Inc. private in a $1.3 billion leveraged buyout two years ago, Wall Street cheered, figuring he and his team at buyout firm Apollo Management would find a way to revive...

New head shakes up Queens chamber; Changes include enhanced programs, community outreach; aiming for diversity.(Neighborhood Journal)
February 11, 2008... Barely a month into the job, the new head of the Queens Chamber of Commerce is moving to inject fresh life into the 97-year-old organization. In a first, Executive Vice President Jack Friedman has taken out a full-page weekly ad in the...

EASING THE PAIN.(Business Lives)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... In the nine years since obtaining her marriage ordination, the Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway has wed hundreds of couples in New York City. She's seen her share of prenuptial breakups, too, and suggests the following steps to save some dough and...

Apartment redos let folks make do in pricey market; Even renters are opting to build out rather than buy digs to meet needs; money down the drain?(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Judith Messina When actress Ali Marsh got pregnant, she and her husband, actor Fred Weller, wanted to buy an apartment to accommodate their growing family. One year and a baby girl later, however, they are still in their old...

New York, New York.(Briefs)(writers' strike put Rob Lowe acting on hold, starts writing )
February 11, 2008... Byline: edited by Matthew Flamm High hopes for Lowe book Star of the big and small screen Rob Lowe (right) found a way to keep busy while the writers' strike put his acting on hold: He started a memoir. The actor, whose career...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)
February 11, 2008... Byline: andrew buck WANTED: Director ORGANIZATION The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts JOB DESCRIPTION Act as the head of an established museum and art school MOST IMPORTANT TASKS Manage a complex art...

MTA driving hard bargain on rail yards; Spurring bidders to take on risk; funds won't be reimbursed.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Theresa Agovino Shea stadium is nowhere near the Hudson Rail Yards, which is on the West Side of Manhattan. But the group that is selected to develop the 26-acre yards site will have to establish a $9.2 million fund to improve a...

Best choices for Hudson Yards.(Viewpoint)
February 11, 2008... The metropolitan Transportation Authority is turning out to be a tough negotiator as it seeks to choose a developer for the 26-acre Hudson Rail Yards site. Although the MTA is well within its rights to seek the best deal it can, it needs to...

The Insider.(Briefs)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Erik Engquist and Anne Michaud Spitzer puts off gas plant decision Gov. eliot spitzer has given himself 60 days to sample the political climate by delaying a decision on whether to support or block a liquefied natural gas...

Ebbing demand for cars means Avis must try harder, or else.(In the Markets)
February 11, 2008... Mounting signs that consumers are hitting the brakes on car rentals have put the industry into a skid. Shares of Avis have tumbled 13% in the past year, 55% in the last month alone. Intense competition has helped set the stage for the news next...

Marsh & McLennan set to rise above scandals; CEO, an insurance vet, renews analysts' faith; boosting margins a must.(In the Markets)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Aaron Elstein Of all the firms targeted by Eliot Spitzer when he was cleaning up abuses on Wall Street, none suffered more than Marsh & McLennan Cos. In 2004, Mr. Spitzer--then New York's attorney general--forced the world's...

At Deadline.(Late News)
February 11, 2008... New York's three major airports could see reductions in flights if merger talks now under way lead to a combination of Continental Airlines with United Airlines and Northwest Airlines with Delta Air Lines. The two merged entities would control...

Tbilisi has Georgia on the mind.(Small Business Report)(Khatuna Baghaturia of Tbilisi )(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... As the city's first restaurant featuring the cuisine of the East European nation of Georgia, Tbilisi built a reputation for authentic food and ambiance after it opened in Brooklyn's Gravesend neighborhood in 1999. But by the time Khatuna...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)
February 11, 2008... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events February 12 Arts & Business Council of New York and American Express Co. hold workshop on destination marketing and cultural tourism. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 200 Vesey St.,...

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL ULTIMATELY WIN THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION? CRAIN'S ONLINE POLL.(Viewpoint)
February 11, 2008... Fully 56% of the 451 respondents to a crainsnewyork.com poll say Sen. Hillary Clinton will ultimately win the Democratic nomination. But a significant 44% believe Sen. Barack Obama will get the nod.

Campus recruits wary; Graduates-to-be sense uneasiness as downturn looms.(News)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Samantha Marshall Baruch college graduate Jason Yarbrough is pursuing every possible avenue to get his resume into the right hands. The human resource management major, who finished his four-year degree in December, is schmoozing...

Arts manager leaps; Will oversee operating budget, agenda for Baryshnikov center; theater planned.(Business Lives)(Stanford Makishi of Baryshnikov Arts Center)
February 11, 2008... Byline: Miriam Kreinin Souccar When stanford Makishi started dancing at age 11, he never imagined he would meet a dancer of Mikhail Baryshnikov's stature, let alone work for him. But last month, Mr. Makishi took over as executive...

LANDLORDS LOBBY TO CREATE MORE RETAIL SPACE.(Real Estate Report)
February 18, 2008... Retailers aren't the only ones getting creative. With rents reaching unprecedented heights, Manhattan landlords are devising unusual ways to carve out more space. The latest trend: putting stores in office buildings' commodious lobbies....

Offshore investors hit $10B mark; Boom in building sales could slow if recession takes hold.(Real Estate Report)
February 18, 2008... Byline: Cara S. Trager Renta corp. of barcelona, spain, is shopping for New York real estate--and it's not just kicking the tires. After looking at more than 500 deals over the past 10 months, it is buying five residential and commercial...

A welcome Italian quartet; Restaurant veterans' new spots offer classical favorites and a few twists.(Business Lives)(Directory)
February 18, 2008... From the italian enclave of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx to Manhattan's theater district, Carnegie Hall area and East Side, established restaurateurs are expanding their empires--and the results are impressive. Here are four newbies to...

The Insider.(Briefs)
February 18, 2008... Byline: Erik Engquist and Matthew Sollars State mulls no-fault birth injury fund A medical malpractice-reform task force convened by Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo (left) is expected to recommend that New York establish a...

CONGRESS Residency requirement.(Briefs)(Brief article)
February 18, 2008... Democrats believe that they can oust five of the six state Republican House members, but they must first settle a dispute over who should challenge Rep. Vito Fossella (below) for the seat that represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. ...

Developers have rights, too.(Viewpoint)
February 18, 2008... The big bad real estate landlords and developers are at it again. This time, they're filing a lawsuit against the new campaign finance law to make sure they can buy influence at City Hall. But before anyone becomes too outraged over the efforts...

Celebrity magazines' star is setting; Newsstand sales drop for several titles; one publisher cuts rate bases.(News)
February 18, 2008... Byline: Matthew Flamm After wobbling in their orbits for the last year, the once-soaring celebrity magazines have plummeted to earth. Following a 50-cent cover price hike in October to $3.99, People magazine saw single-copy sales slide...

CRAIN TO STAY ON THIRD AVENUE; LEASE EXTENSION.(News)
February 18, 2008... Crain Communications Inc., parent of Crain's New York Business, has extended its lease for about 100,000 square feet at 711 Third Ave. for five years. The asking rent for the second and third floors at the building, between East 44th and...