An "extraordinary impact" on the built environment? Well, one escalator at the arena plaza is still out.

In my essay yesterday in CommonEdge, In Honoring Philanthropists with the Onassis Medal, the MAS Forgets Its Crusade Against Supertalls, I criticized the Municipal Art Society for honoring Alibaba billionaire (and Brooklyn Nets/arena company owner) Joe Tsai and his wife Clara Wu Tsai, given that they bought apartments in the type of tower the MAS opposes.

Another criticism regards the original purposes of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal, established to “honor individuals and organizations that have made an extraordinary impact on the quality of New York’s built environment." 

Today, it's also “awarded annually to individuals who, through vision, leadership, and philanthropy, have made an extraordinary contribution to New York City.”

Tsai hasn't done much regarding the built environment, but, as I pointed out, the arena company, now owned by Tsai, has a dismal record of providing working escalators and elevators to the transit entrance below.

And the record is still dismal. Both escalators were out last Thursday, Sept. 22, when I walked by.

And, as shown in the photo at right, taken this afternoon, one escalator is still out.

That makes a difference in people's lives.

As I've suggested before, the public deserves real-time updates regarding when the escalators and elevator are out of service, under repair, and expected to be back in service