Chelsea

If you've hung around with artists recently -- or at all -- then you've heard someone say, "this is a tough time for the arts." And while it's pretty much always a tough time for the arts -- that's why they're the arts and not, say, arbitrage -- this is New York, which means that there's still plenty of great places to see performances. One of the better-known and generally one of the better of these is the Baryshnikov Arts Center, housed in the John W. Averitt-designed 37 ARTS building in Chelsea. Having living dance legend Mikhail Baryshnikov as part of the brand obviously helps, but BAC also presents very good, very ambitious work. With the news that the BAC's new Jerome Robbins Theater has received unspecified LEED certification, that ambition has crossed over from something my wife (a dancer who works at another awesome modern dance presenter) cares a lot about to something I care a lot about.

Democracy Now! is an independent daily TV/radio news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The nationally-broadcast program is currently building a new studio at 207 West 25th Street that is aiming for LEED Platinum certification under USGBC's Commercial Interiors rating system. The 8500-square-foot space was initially slated for only LEED Silver, but is now on track for Platinum in the range of 43 to 49 total credits, with particular emphasis on recycled-content and reused materials. Dennis Darcy, owner of Brooklyn Interiors, which is serving as the project's construction manager, created a customized materials tracking system for the project along with systems architect Justin Laman. (The duo now offer their services through a new firm called Green Logic NY). According to Laman, "every -CI or -NC project can use this system to ensure they get all the points they deserve but, most importantly, it will help achieve many points they might have thought were out of reach.