Sandy surely was an exceptionally powerful storm. But who would claim that it simply was a freak of nature? Who would contend that New York and New Jersey need only to clean up and move on?

Sandy must become a call to action. New York harbor, it is clear, will no longer serve as protection against 21st-century weather patterns. New York’s infrastructure has been exposed for what it is—one of the great wonders of the 20th century. 

The immediate tasks of burying the dead, caring for survivors, housing up to 40,000 homeless people and making necessary repairs surely take top priority. But after we have done our best to make the region whole again, after the trains are running on schedule and schools are places of learning again rather than places of shelter, after every immediate crisis has been addressed and resolved—after all of that, New York must come to terms with the new reality of 21st-century weather patterns.

It will not be easy. It will be costly. And it will require leadership, vision and determination.

The man who takes the oath of office in January will have something to say about the task of reconstruction. Federal funding will help address immediate priorities. But a bold vision for recreating and reimagining New York harbor will have to start closer to home—in City Hall, to be sure, but even more so in Albany, where an ambitious, hands-on governor finds himself in the unique position of rebuilding not for tomorrow, but for the next century.

Andrew Cuomo exhibited sterling qualities of leadership during the crisis. And he sounded the exact right note when he reminded New Yorkers that Sandy is only the latest “storm of the century” to cause havoc and devastation in the area. In fact, Mr. Cuomo noted that in his two years in office, he very likely has confronted more natural disasters than his father, Mario Cuomo, did during his 12 years in office from 1983 to 1994.

The governor self-consciously declined to attribute the rash of storms to global warming because, he said, the phrase has become far too politicized. But he rightly asserted a simple, undeniable truth: our weather patterns are changing. We now face forces of nature that New Yorkers in the past associated with the wider world beyond the Hudson River.

In the 21st century, New Yorkers must figure out how to defend themselves against nature’s ferocity and cruel whims. These are not phenomena that happen to other people—to those unfortunate enough to live in the path of tornadoes or on geological fault lines. Because we paved over hills and filled in marshes and bridged our rivers, we have presumed victory over nature. We forgot one very significant fact—millions of us live on islands, slender islands, close to a great ocean.

Now we will have to defend those islands as never before. It is not enough to rebuild. It is not enough to restore. It is not enough to get back to normal, because there is a new normal. And we’re simply not prepared for it.

Mr. Cuomo’s father was fond of stating that challenges were better viewed as opportunities. The present Gov. Cuomo now faces a truly exceptional opportunity: the opportunity to reshape the city’s waterfront and rebuild the city’s infrastructure for the new weather patterns of the 21st century.

Nearly a century ago, Andrew Cuomo’s favorite governor (other than that other governor named Cuomo), Al Smith, saw an opportunity to modernize state government—and he took it. His reconstruction of the governor’s office in the 1920s brought Albany into the 20th century and paved the way for a succession of powerful chief executives in New York.

The circumstances today are vastly different, but the opportunity facing Mr. Cuomo is not unlike the one Mr. Smith faced. Mr. Cuomo has the opportunity to transform New York’s physical infrastructure so that when the next superstorm hits—and it will, sooner rather than later—there will be no repeat of the last 10 days.

In a sense, New York has no choice. The city and state simply cannot afford the economic toll that Sandy, Irene and other storms are taking with depressing regularity. Last October, Professor Klaus Jacob of Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and School of International and Public Affairs told a group of architects that changing weather patterns will wreak havoc on the city’s economy. That prediction already has come to pass. Sandy will cost the region billions upon billions in lost revenue and reconstruction.

What, then, should come next? New York should first see how other coastal cities, including storm-prone Norfolk, Va., have sought to keep the sea out of the streets. Low-lying areas of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Lower Manhattan clearly require 21st-century engineering projects to protect them from 21st-century superstorms.

Achieving that goal is up to engineers and other professionals. But it is within the purview of elected officials and business leaders to devise a 21st-century plan to pay for all of this. That’s where Mr. Cuomo and other officials need to be creative.

Quite simply, Albany and City Hall do not have the resources to take on the enormous task of updating our coastal defenses and reimagining our waterfronts. The job will require partnerships with the private sector—and, yes, that means creating opportunities for entrepreneurs.

The public-works projects that will be required to keep the sea out of subway tunnels and away from homes in the Rockaways simply won’t get done if they are carried out as they traditionally have been. The problem is that public-private partnerships are anathema to many special interests, including the public-sector unions that wield far too much power with both major parties in New York. Unions and others will argue that somehow New York can pick up the tab for the work that so desperately needs to be done.

But that, frankly, is the equivalent of denying the reality of changing weather patterns. Neither view recognizes simple facts.

Elected officials like to say that New Yorkers come together in a crisis, and that no crisis is too big for this city. Those are fine sentiments, but they will ring hollow if the work of truly rebuilding New York becomes stalled in special-interest politics.

The crisis has not passed, and it will not pass until New York is prepared for the reality of 21st-century weather. Mr. Cuomo will be a pivotal figure in creating those needed preparations, for he very likely will be in a position of influence (either in Albany or in that other capital city down near Virginia) for the next decade or more.

Mr. Cuomo knows that New York can’t simply rebuild. It must be reimagined, and that will take the intellect and the capital of all New Yorkers.

Drita D'Avanzo filming during the Sandy relief effort.

According to a volunteer helping to distribute resources to victims of Hurricane Sandy last Friday, Drita D'Avanzo of VH1's reality show Mob Wives, and her camera crew made a surprise appearance at a place where volunteers were distributing supplies to victims of Hurricane Sandy on Staten Island. According to a volunteer with the relief effort who spoke to The Observer, her arrival was "not well received."

"So she walked up and volunteers thought it was another news crew filming people helping out. " the volunteer said, providing a photo of the occasion. "But then a boom mike lurked over our heads. Notice in the picture everyone turning their backs on her and walking away. She was not well received and was able to clear a hot coffee stand on a cold day in 2 seconds."

Parts of Staten Island were among the most damaged in Sandy's aftermath, and despite its relatively small population, the borough contained more than half of the city's storm-related casualties. The volunteer said those who were participating in the relief effort there felt it was inappropriate for Ms. D'Avanzo to take advantage of the damage to film her show.

"Keep in mind this was 50 feet from where people died and bodies recovered," the volunteer explained. "As she was filming her reality show, about 100 students and faculty from IS34 were a few feet away cleaning debris, not show boating for the news cameras, and reminding the world why Staten Island is a pretty good community to live in."

Jenn Graziano, of Just Jenn Productions, a producer of Mob Wives, said the show has taken steps to ensure they are not interfering with those affected by the storm. However, they didn't want to ignore the situation on Staten Island.

"This tragedy is a part of the reality these women are experiencing, and we can't ignore it. We are working carefully not to intrude or interfere with anyone," Ms. Graziano said. "But we do want to show what's happened on Staten Island through the eyes of all of our cast members who are all out trying to help their neighbors through this difficult time."

Click to enlarge or click here for the full .PDF

At a press conference at the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota announced most subway service in New York City will be returned by the end of the day. Notably for some commuters from Queens and Brooklyn, trains will now be traveling into Manhattan for the first time since before Hurricane Sandy struck last week.

"In literally under one week, 80% of the subway service has been restored from what was horrendous damage, and the worst damage the subway system had ever seen," Mr. Cuomo said. "So that is just a great, great job. The service between Brooklyn and Queens and Manhattan is being restored immediately. The 4, 5, 6 and 7 trains will immediately begin to run. The F, J, D [and] M will run later this afternoon. The Staten Island Railway will have limited service beginning later today."

According to the MTA website:

 service will operate between Woodlawn and New Lots Ave operating as an express in Manhattan only.

 service will operate between Eastchester/Dyre Ave and Flatbush as an express in Manhattan only.

 service will operate between Pelham Bay and Brooklyn Bridge as a local

 Flushing Line service will operate full local service between Main St – Flushing and 42^nd St – Times Square.

Staten Island Railway (SIR) will operate limited hourly service between St. George and Tottenville.

Click to view the subway map in full. (Photo: MTA)

At a press conference late in the night, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced New Yorkers in the metropolitan area will have their public transit fares waved for the rest of the week. Of course, traveling into Lower Manhattan won't be easy for Thursday, at least, where no subways are currently scheduled to travel.

"As a further encouragement to have people take mass transit, which is coming online piece by piece," Mr. Cuomo began, citing the intensive traffic congestion problems plaguing Manhattan earlier today. "I am declaring a transportation emergency and authorizing the MTA to waive fares...through the end of the week, Thursday and Friday. So commuter rails, subways and buses."

The governor acknowledged the ride, although free, might not necessarily be pleasant, given the demand.

"The service in many cases is limited; the service in many cases will be crowded because of the volume, which is an additional reason why we feel comfortable waiving the fare through Thursday and Friday," he added. "We hope it encourages people to take mass transit."

Providing more detail, MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said subway service for many stations will return at 6 a.m. and commuters from Queens and the Bronx will be able to use it as far as the northern part of Midtown. Brooklynites will likely need the assistance of buses.

"There are three locations where they will stop," he said. "One at the Barclay's Center, where there are buses available to take the passengers directly into Midtown, Manhattan; one at Metrotech, at the Jay Street terminal, that will also take people into Midtown, Manhattan; and then in Williamsburg at the Hewes station. We are using 330 buses that will be used to shuttle the folks in Brooklyn back and forth, it's a whole flotilla of buses that will be there."

Additionally, Mr. Lhota repeatedly stressed the need for patience and tolerance as the city's public transportation system comes back online.

"It's my expectation that we'll have more service on Friday, every day we'll come back with more and more service, it's what we want to do," he  continued. "I would like to ask all New Yorkers who are on the subway system, to ask for their understanding. The system is going to be a little bit different. The trains aren't going to be as frequent, there will be crowding. So, if there's any opportunity for you to leave early or leave later than your normal hours...just bear with us as we come back from what I've described as the most devastating event to ever happen to the MTA."

(Photo: Wikimedia)

When Hurricane Sandy overwhelmed New York City, the airport infrastructure naturally shut down along with everything else. As with the subway and bridge systems, however, it seems airplane travel is returning to normalcy.

Earlier today, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the reopening of two airports in the metropolitan area, John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty, to limited traffic, with the fate of LaGuardia Airport remaining uncertain as officials sought to repair and inspect the facility in the wake of flood damage. But that ambiguity did not last long; Governor Andrew Cuomo just declared LaGuardia will open too.

"Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced this afternoon the reopening of LaGuardia Airport tomorrow morning, November 1, at 7:00 AM," a press release proclaimed. "Both runways will be open."

Additionally, on the Port Authority's website, the agency said there will be "limited flight schedules" and advised, "Please contact your airline before traveling to the airport to determine the status of your flight."

(Photo: Getty)

At a press conference earlier today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced public schools will continue be closed on Thursday and Friday, but will "hopefully" be open again on Monday of next week.

"Schools will remain closed for students tomorrow and Friday," Mr. Bloomberg said. “However, on Friday we ask all teachers, administrators and school staff to report to work. Friday, Chancellor Walcott and the Department of Education will have lots of things to do to get ready for next week."

As for parents who will struggle with the simultaneous tasks of taking care of their children and needing to go to work, Mr. Bloomberg sympathized with their plight but said the damage from Hurricane Sandy was too great.

"I know this is a great inconvenience for parents who are missing work because they don't have anyone to take care of their kids," he said. "But the bottom line is that there are an awful lot of schools that have received damage or don't have power. It's just so many that, in the end, we need the next four or five days to clean up and hopefully, by Monday, everything will be back perfect."

Coney Island last night, as documented by Councilman Greenfield. (Photo: @NYCGReenfield)

Amid reports that looting has occurred in neighborhoods like Sea Gate and Coney Island in Brooklyn, as well as the broader recovery needs of hard-hit areas, Borough President Marty Markowitz has called on the military for further help in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy's devastation.

"Governor Cuomo also acted quickly by activating the National Guard prior to the storm, and I urge him to allocate as many troops as possible to Brooklyn—troops from New York or any other states that can spare them," Mr. Markowitz said in a statement. "During my tours of the hardest-hit Brooklyn neighborhoods yesterday and again today, it was apparent that the devastation is so widespread and overwhelming that it’s in the best interest of all of our residents for a more significant National Guard presence to supplement the great work being done by our brave—but overwhelmed—first responders, including our amazing NYPD and FDNY."

Mr. Markowitz cited the borough's most flooded, low-lying neighborhoods as the one that need particular assistance from the National Guard.

"In addition to flooding, power outages, lack of utilities, sanitation and water issues, and no transportation in neighborhoods such as Coney Island, Sea Gate, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, DUMBO, Red Hook and others, there have been unfortunate incidents of looting in some locations," he continued. "All of our resources have been stretched to the limit, but in the name of public safety we need to send more National Guard personnel into Coney Island, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Red Hook and any other locations the governor deems appropriate."

According to DNAinfo's police sources, the following incidents have already occurred in Queens and Brooklyn:

The Rockaways
Three suspects were arrested at a Radio Shack 87-09 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Two were allegedly caught burglarizing a store at 85-14 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Six were arrested at 38-01 Beach Channel Drive.
One person was arrested at 57-25 Shore Front Parkway.

In Coney Island:
One person was arrested at Mermaid Avenue and West Street.
Another suspect was arrested at Neptune Avenue and 36th Street.

Update 11/1 8:22:As of Friday morning, there will be service on the M and No. 7 trains has been restored in Queens and Brooklyn, though there is still no subway service into Lower Manhattan. You can read more about the changes to the service here.

Original post: At a press conference earlier this afternoon, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota announced that New York City's subway system will restore service on a number of lines, leaving out a swath of territory south of 34th Street in Manhattan. Lower Manhattan was left out, they explained, because of the mass power outage in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

"It's been an extraordinary amount of time and a lot of work and a lot of lack of sleep, but we're going to continue to do it," Mr. Lhota said. "Our goal is to, every day, get this service back to normal, back to the situation we were used to last week, and if not, even better."

View the working transportation lines below, including other parts of the MTA, courtesy of Mr. Cuomo's office:

Effective before rush hour tomorrow morning, the following is an up-to-date service status list of the MTA operating agencies including New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North and Bridges and Tunnels.

NYCT SUBWAY SERVICE:
1 trains will operate local between 242nd Street (Bronx) and Times Square-42nd Street.

2 trains will operate between 241st Street (Bronx) and Times Square-42nd Street, with express service between 96th Street and Times Square.

3 trains are suspended.

4 trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:
· Between Woodlawn (Bronx) and Grand Central-42nd Street
· Between Borough Hall and New Lots Avenue
5 trains will operate express in Brooklyn between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and Flatbush Avenue.

6 trains will operate local between Pelham Bay Park and Grand Central-42nd Street.

7 trains are suspended.

42nd Street Shuttle S trains will operate between Times Square and Grand Central.

A trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:
· Between 168th Street (Manhattan) and 34th Street-Penn Station
· Between Jay Street/MetroTech and Lefferts Blvd.

B and C service is suspended.

D trains operate in two sections:
· Between 205th Street (Bronx) and 34th Street-Herald Square making all local stops
· In Brooklyn, between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and Bay Parkway making express stops between Pacific Street and 36th Street

E trains are suspended.

F trains operate in two sections making all local stops:
· Between 179th Street (Queens) and 34th Street-Herald Square
· In Brooklyn, between Jay Street-MetroTech and Avenue X

G trains are suspended.

J trains operate between Jamaica Center and Hewes Street making all local stops.

L trains operate between Broadway Junction and rockaway Parkway making all local stops.

M trains operate between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Metropolitan Avenue.

N trains operate between Ditmars Blvd. (Queens) and 34th Street-Herald Square making all local stops.

Q trains are suspended.

R trains operate in Brooklyn between Jay Street-MetroTech and 95th Street making all local stops.

Both the Franklin Avenue and Rockaway Park S shuttles are suspended.

SHUTTLE BUSES:
All shuttle buses will operate north on 3rd Avenue and south on Lexington Avenue.
1. Between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge
2. Between Jay Street-MetroTech and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge
3. Between Hewes Street and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Williamsburg Bridge

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD:
City Terminal – (Jamaica - Penn Station): Suspended (anticipate shuttle between these stations later tonight)

Ronkonkoma Branch: Suspended (goal to restore hourly service from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station for AM rush hour Thursday, Nov. 1)

Port Washington Branch: Suspended (goal to restore hourly service from Great Neck to Penn Station for AM rush hour Thursday, Nov. 1)

Babylon Branch: Suspended

Port Jefferson Branch: Suspended

Montauk Branch: Suspended

Hempstead Branch: Suspended

Long Beach: Suspended

Far Rockaway: Suspended

Oyster Bay Branch: Suspended

West Hempstead: Suspended

METRO-NORTH:
Hudson Line: Suspended

Upper Harlem Line: Suspended

Lower Harlem Line: Restored with hourly service

New Haven Line: Suspended

New Canaan Branch: Suspended

Danbury Branch: Suspended

Waterbury Branch: Suspended

West-of-Hudson:
Pascack Valley: Suspended
Port Jervis: Suspended
Bridges and Tunnels

Robert F. Kennedy Bridge: Open

Henry Hudson Bridge: Open

Throgs Neck Bridge: Open

Bronx-Whitestone Bridge: Open

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: Open

Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge: Open

Cross Bay Veterans Memorial: Open northbound to Broad Chanel; Open southbound to Rockaways but subject to period closures for emergency equipment

Hugh L. Carey Tunnel: Closed

Queens Midtown Tunnel: Closed

Flooded. (Photo: Getty)

According to Senator Chuck Schumer, the federal government will soon begin the arduous task of returning floodwaters back to the Atlantic Ocean after Hurricane Sandy's surge flooded key transportation arteries earlier this week.

“In the past hour, I have received an update from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the federal de-watering efforts happening in New York City," Mr. Schumer said in a statement this afternoon.  "A team of experts from Illinois and contractors from around the country are making their way to Lower Manhattan as we speak. Significant assets like pumps and de-watering equipment should arrive in Manhattan by this evening. The Corps is confident that they can begin pumping water by tomorrow morning."

Mr. Schumer said the priority will be pumping the salt water out of two tunnels and the World Trade Center site.

"The city has identified three major priority areas for pumping--the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, Battery Park Tunnel and the World Trade Center," he continued. "This is a critical mission that I know the Army Corps and FEMA are taking very seriously and I want to thank these federal agencies for working so diligently with the state and the city.”

The most heavily damaged neighborhood in the city may very well be Breezy Point in Queens, but other parts of the city were underwater too. Click on the image to start a slideshow of photographs of the destruction in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx.