i always tell people, "our greatest blessing and our greatest curse as latinos in theater is west side story and really, it swings both ways in terms of i don't know a latino who hasn't been in that production. it's our foot in the door; it's also a... it happens to be a masterpiece of storytelling. however, it did its job so well that the iconic... you know, if you had never heard of puerto rico or puerto ricans, you'd probably heard of west side story and your image is of a guy with a makeup of a color not found in nature with a knife in his hand. and it's so... it's become so iconic that that's what they think of when they think of us. and so what has been gratifying about the success of heights is that it's allowed for an alternative image to flourish, particularly in theater, of who we are. >> hinojosa: so i was telling you the story about my husband who is a dominican immigrant, and when i told him that we were going to go see in the heights off broadway, and he was like, "you know what? i've done the musicals on broadway, i don't need to see another one; they're all the same." and i w

west is totally obliterated by the developers for story scenarios. this is by a various that is sensible. you don't block the light on the west side of the project. we want this over. we don't want to continue this process. the neighbors are willing to have a three story building and work with the developer we are pleading with you to establish the context and the envelops. this fits into the neighborhood. this is the context. this is a very narrow street. we are asking you to say to the developer, here is the envelope, stay within the envelope, but the staff work with the developer and see what comes out of the process. we don't want you to deny the project. we are asking you to accept dr. >> we have shown a lot of our own pictures. i want to show you the pictures of the developers. this is not choosing an ankle. even from the wall of glass, this would block all of our light. i agree with the vast majority of what the supporters of the sponsors have told you. energy efficiency is important and local employment is very important. family housing, also important. i agree that the neighbors should not be the ones that designed buildings and i want to

side property lines. additionally, the new third floor will be set back 15 feet from the front building wall of the existing home to preserve the two-story character of the west side of pennsylvania avenue in this block. it is important to note that the uniqueness of this property and the slope at the rear of the site which you can see in some of the material in your packet. i will also let you know that the project sponsor has provided some additional renderings which they will distribute to you when they start their presentation by request of commissioner moore who asked for some additional drawings. it is a little difficult to understand the nature of the rear yard area of this part of the block. i would like to mention that this project went through the residential design team review several times, twice prior to the d.r. being filed. the residential design team did take note of the uniqueness of the site and ask for the sculpting that i just described in the addition at the rear and subsequent to the d.r. being filed and taking a closer look based on the d.r. filer's concerns, there was an additional setback required or asked for and responded to that we

own decision or what we are asking >> the only plans you have are for a four story building that blocks the light on the west side of the site. eight variants -- a variance has to be granted based on criteria in the planning code. this cannot possibly meet the criteria because there is an effect of harm on the neighbor to the west. by refusing to flip the site, to flip the building, so it is at a location where the neighbor to the east has no harm and supports it and the neighbor to the west really needs the sunlight, it is an impossible situation on a variance. you asked the developer to come back with a three story building. this is a very narrow street on the side of a hill. it goes up the slope of and one of vista -- of buena vista. you have a context that was developed in the 1800's. this is an important vacant lot. what you need to do is to give instructions on an envelope. my clients do not care how they arrange their space inside it. they can do anything they want. we support two 3-bedroom units in a three-story envelope. if you flip the building so that the masked is to the east, and reduce the height to

[laughter] >> this i will remind you, the volcano on the west side of the canary islands, and it is -- this is an extraordinary story. i go into it some detail in the book. there was a bbc, all of the dignity and accuracy, there was a documentary that said when the volcano erupts, an enormous slab of rock is going to fall off the western side and create a tsunami which will inundate new york. no geologist in his right mind thinks it will happen in tens of thousands of years. if it does happen, the big chunk of rock almost certainly isn't going to fall off and the way it's going to create isn't going to be nearly as large as that. but the interesting thing is that the sponsor, the financial backing for that bbc film was given by a chicago-based reinsurance company. [laughter] [applause] [applause] >> okay. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. >> thank you. >> simon winchester is the author of several books, including "the professor and the madman" and "cracatoa." for more information, visit simonwinchester.com. >> book tv. follow us for news. twitter.com/booktv. >> we are here at the national press club with diane reh

story house on the property. the house was abandoned in the subsequently became a nuisance. not long after i witnessed a couple of men undermine the foundation on the west side and subsequently began to have the building inspector called for the house -- it was in imminent danger of falling over and it was demolished without any notice to the neighborhood. we believe the house was intentionally damaged to acquire a permit. we believe the owners were involved. the demolition permit -- they were subsequently asked to resign. i realize it is very old news, but this property is the foundation of this project. we have received several sets of plans dating back to 2007. the initial proposal to -- [unintelligible] in the subsequent iteration, and has grown larger and color. -- and taller. president miguel: the third d.r. requestor? >> good evening, commissioners. i am as to how the war, -- i was asked to mediate. here is the 3-bedroom family unit, the project sponsor has cooperated to a certain extent and made changes that have benefited. the further change where that ruth was lowered -- roof was lowered, the modification is circled there. it involves a slight notc

story. there is still continued fear that character of the neighborhood be maintain which is çsingle family homes. >> there are lots on the west sidepeople support development. 187 units that were for synagogue uses is not appropriate. to put in equation that we can solve the rest of the city's problems is unfair. >> i want more housing built on 800 (inaudible) way. it's one of the main streets on the southern part. i have heard of discussion between some people (inaudible) they want things to stay the way they are. i want them to build housing, frankly i don't give a damn, as long as they build it. >> there are so many people that have lived here and raised children and up and gone and moved in other houses in other states and they have 2000 homes that they can't maintain. and can't leave the neighborhood. we are trying to find senior assisting in the neighborhood. >> a lot of people can move in the facilities and their homes can be available for the families to better use 3000 square feet. >> i don't like high density housing. i don't want monterey blvd to be like. that >> i think one of the most charming parks of the sunny side

story house on the property. the house was abandoned in the subsequently became a nuisance. not long after i witnessed a couple of men undermine the foundation on the west side and subsequently began to have the building inspector called for the house -- it was in imminent danger of falling over and it was demolished without any notice to the neighborhood. we believe the house was intentionally damaged to acquire a permit. we believe the owners were involved. the demolition permit -- they were subsequently asked to resign. i realize it is very old news, but this property is the foundation of this project. we have received several sets of plans dating back to 2007. the initial proposal to

story house on the property. the house was abandoned in the subsequently became a nuisance. not long after i witnessed a couple of men undermine the foundation on the west side and subsequently began to have the building inspector called for the house -- it was in imminent danger of falling over and it was demolished without any notice to the neighborhood. we believe the house was intentionally damaged to acquire a permit. we believe the owners were involved.

our developing story of 5:00 the dumbarton bridge you could see the right side of your screen there, the bridge was shot down in both directions east and westheight of rush hour. we're just hearing the westbound direction it is beginning to open. could see on the live picture traffic beginning to come across the bridge now. the true view map on the left side of your screen shows you though, the red areas are the back out of major congestion in the area areas are the back out of major congestion in the area caused by the bridge shut