Leo Catapano

A View of The Bridge

August 12, 2015 by Leo Catapano

Each year, tourists come by the multitudes to see the iconic view of the New York skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. However, the world famous Promenade’s view of the Brooklyn Bridge is now at risk of being obstructed.

The real estate company Toll Brothers is building a large condominium and hotel project called the Pierhouse on the Brooklyn waterfront. Many feel that the building, which has been under construction for two years, has obstructed the Promenade’s view for almost a year. A group of Brooklyn Heights residents, called Save The View Now (STVN), claims that the Toll Brothers have broken their agreement, made nearly a decade ago, not to block the view.

For many, the view from the Promenade is priceless. One Brooklyn Heights resident describes the view as “breathtaking.” Another resident said, “It’s iconographic. It’s world famous. It’s very special.”

In 2006, the Brooklyn Heights Community Board approved the Toll Brothers’ plans. According to the Brooklyn Paper, the two parties agreed that the building would not exceed a height of one hundred feet, in order to maintain the Promenades view of the world famous bridge. However, since September of 2014 disputes have been made as to the exact height of the building.

On their website, STVN states, “The Pierhouse is obstructing the iconic views of the historic Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Skyline and is inconsistent with the plans presented to the community in 2006 – 2006. Working together is the only way to stop the Pierhouse from completely obstructing these scenic vistas.”

Toll Brothers and their supporters claim that the Pierhouse’s construction meets the 2006 agreement. According to the Brooklyn Heights Blog, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, which has overall control of the project, said, “[T]he buildings on Parcels A and B [the Pierhouse buildings] will fully comply with the height limits in the 2006 General Project Plan (GPP). “

In the meantime Brooklyn Heights remains divided over the issue. While many residents vehemently oppose construction of the Pierhouse project, some approve. Some residents support the Pierhouse because it has in part financed the popular Brooklyn Bridge Park. One resident on the Brooklyn Heights Blog commented, “(T)here is no park without this development. Remember, the park has to be self sustaining. Thank goodness that the BBP was able to attract multiple bidders for this space enabling them to select superstar companies like Starwood and Toll Brothers to develop the space.”

In April, the STVN filed a lawsuit over the Pierhouse’s obstruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Last June, Judge Lawrence Knipel of the Brooklyn Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, despite having sympathy for the STVN argument. According to the New York Law Journal, Judge Knipel said, “The casual passerby walking along Brooklyn’s majestic Promenade is struck with an indelible impression that these buildings, now nearing completion, are simply too large.”

However, he later asserted that it was “undeniable” that the buildings had remained at the height agreed upon in 2006. The 2006 height limit of one hundred feet only pertained up to the roof, not to the roof top structures. On their website, Brooklyn Bridge Park affirmed their claim by saying that the Empire State Development Corporation, New York’s chief economic department agency, had approved the plan for rooftop structures.

After the ruling, the STVN pledged to continue their fight against the Pierhouse project by appealing. However, given the Judge Knipel’s conclusive ruling, chances seem slim for a successful lawsuit. It seems likely that the Pierhouse Project will be a new part of the view from the Promenade.

Should Baruch Become a Testing Optional School?

August 6, 2015 by Leo Catapano

For high school students across America the thought of taking the SAT exam is terrifying. Many feel that the score they receive on the SAT will decide the college that they will enroll in, and subsequently will determine the course of the rest of their lives. One high school student said, “The fact that the exam dictates my entire academic future is overwhelming.”

However, colleges across the country are starting to waive SAT requirements for their schools. Recently, George Washington University, a prestigious school in Washington D.C., became the newest member of a growing list of colleges and universities that are “testing optional schools.” Karen Stroud Felton, dean of Admissions at GWU, told the Washington Post “We want outstanding students from all over the world and from all different backgrounds – regardless of their standardized scores – to recognize GW as a place where they can thrive.”

The fact that such a prestigious school has become testing optional begs the question: should Baruch follow the growing trend and waive its testing requirements?

Currently, tests scores play a crucial part in the admissions process at Baruch. Baruch’s undergrad admissions webpage proudly displays the college’s high SAT scores. Half of all undergrad students at Baruch have scores between 1140 and 1300 in a country in which the average SAT score is around 1000.

Many believe that students’ high school GPA (grade point average) should be considered equally with their SAT scores. Testing optional colleges argue that a student’s high school GPA is a better indication of how a student will do in college than test scores. One dean of admissions told the Washington Post, “We find much more value in a student’s accomplishments in four years of high school than in four hours of Saturday testing.”

Along with the college’s high test scores, Baruch also boasts a solid high school GPA. Next to its SAT scores the Baruch’s undergrad admission webpage displays an average 3.3 High School GPA (roughly a B+). One Baruch student said, “I guess my SAT scores have reflected my success at college. But I also think that my GPA has played a role.”

Despite testing’s numerous critics, many still feel that exams are the most accurate indication of a how well a student will do in college. Exams, like IQ tests, are designed to measure a students intelligence based off content that they should have learned in high school. On its website the College Board, the company that administers the SAT, says, “The SAT and SAT Subject Tests are designed to assess your academic readiness for college. These exams provide a path to opportunities, financial support, and scholarships, in a way that’s fair to all students. The SAT and SAT Subject Tests keep pace with what colleges are looking for today, measuring the skills required for success in the 21st century.”

Unlike GPA, which can change depending on a high school’s competitiveness, exams are nationally standardized, which allows colleges to accurately pit students against each other. For many, the fact that exams are nationally standardized demonstrates the importance of them for college applicants. One Baruch student said, “I think that the SAT is a basic requirement to test an applying student’s abilities. Baruch should continue to require SAT.”

Despite the number of testing optional schools, most colleges and universities still require test scores for admission. At Baruch the class of 2020 will be required to give either SAT or ACT scores on their application. However, as the doubts over the success of test scores build up, schools across the country waive their testing requirements. Despite the Baruch admission office’s current reliance on test scores, by the end of the decade Baruch could find itself among the group of testing optional schools.

Maradona: The Greatest Soccer Player

July 29, 2015 by Leo Catapano

In June, Lionel Messi and his Barcelona team won their fourth Champions League (European Soccer Club Cup) final together. Messi was the deciding factor in the game against the Italian side, Juventus and immediately comparisons were made to the all time greats, Pele and Maradona. Many fans and pundits alike began to ask, is Messi the best of all time? Despite Messi’s unquestionable ability that title can go to only one player, Diego Armado Maradona.

The usual candidates for the best player all time are the Brazilian Pele, the Argentine Maradona and his compatriot Messi. All three players were dominant in their respective leagues and time periods. All of them have an uncountable amount of trophies and goals. However, at the end of the day Maradona wins out for the best ever.

In terms of goals scored, Maradona lags behind Messi and Pele. Pele scored an incomprehensible one thousand goals in his career. Likewise, Messi has scored an astonishing four hundred goals so far. When compared to these two legends, Maradona’s mere hundred goals seems poor.

However, one must take into account the players’ different positions. Pele was a striker and his chief objective was to score goals. Likewise, Messi plays as a false nine, a form of striker, and is also expected to score goals. In contrast, Maradona played as an attacking midfielder and as such had other responsibilities than scoring goals. His main role was to set up his teammates and apply pressure on the opposition’s defenders with his speed and dribbling.

One must also take into account the league and era in which each player played. In his prime in the 1960s, Pele played in the Brazilian league for Santos. At that time, and still today, the Brazilian managers put a greater emphasis on attacking than defending. As a result games were often high scoring, which inflates Pele’s stats. Messi plays in the Spanish league in which the games are balanced between attack and defense, as managers often put their emphasis on the midfield. In contrast, Maradona played for the Italian team Napoli during his prime in the mid to late 1980s. At that time the Italian league was considered to be the most competitive league in the world, and managers put their priority in defense. This lead to low scoring games and deflates Maradona’s stats.

Finally, one must look at the trophies that the players have won. The most important trophy is the World Cup, of which Pele won two, Maradona one, and Messi none. By this logic Pele would be considered the best player, but further analysis is required. Pele won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958 and 1970. Both teams are widely considered among the best teams ever, and included many other legends. For example, Brazil’s second striker Rivelino scored more goals than Pele in the 1970 World Cup. By contrast, Maradona almost singlehandedly won the World Cup for Argentina in 1986. There were no other household names on his team and he was the sole driving force behind their victory, scoring five goals and winning the player of the tournament award. Steven Pye of the Guardian said, “ It may be a little simplistic to state that the man single-handedly won the World Cup for his country, but that is what it felt like at the time. Think of Mexico 86 and Maradona always springs to mind.”

While Messi and Pele are both wildly good players, Maradona takes the title of the best player of all time. In the 1986 World Cup he was unstoppable for Argentina and he dominated the Italian league throughout the 1980s. Despite being a cocaine addict, cheat, and tax evader Maradona has survived to the age of fifty. Even today his name evokes emotions in soccer fans all over the world. Steven Pye said, “I may have detested the little genius at the time and wasted Blu-Tack on him, but if I’m ever asked who I think is the greatest footballer ever I always answer Diego Maradona.”