2017 New York City Information Package

Transcription

1 2017 New York City Information Package

2 Table of Contents Word of welcome 3 Logistics...4 Venue...9 Accommodation..10 Highlights of New York City..11 Map of New York City...15 Contact 16 2

3 Word of Welcome Dear STR 2017 participant, We are delighted to welcome you to New York City for the 11th annual Society for Terrorism Research (STR) conference. This information package will be your guide during your stay in New York City and will help you prepare for your visit. Please note in particular the link to the Washington Square Hotel, which is offering discounted rates for conference participants through July 2nd. The STR conference will take place from of August 2017 at New York University s (NYU s) Kimmel Center for University Life. The venue is conveniently located right on Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village ( The Village ) in Lower Manhattan. The venue is within easy walking distance of a good selection of restaurants and bars and is situated conveniently between New York City s most famous sites, which are a quick taxi or subway ride away. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you in New York City! Yours sincerely, Mary Beth Altier, Lyndsey Harris, & Jeff Thompson str2017nyc@gmail.com 3

4 Logistics General Information Visa Please check if you need a visa to travel to New York City. The STR Conference Committee is not responsible for your visa, so please make sure to apply for one on time. If you do require a visa, we can provide you with a formal letter of invitation. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need one. Please note that if you cannot provide the STR Conference Committee with a copy of your visa before August 1, 2017, your registration will be cancelled. Insurance All participants are responsible for their own travel and health insurance. Please note that having such insurance may also be one of the requirements for obtaining a visa. Currency and language The currency in the U.S. is the dollar. There are various currency exchanges and ATMs located around Washington Square Park and at the airport. The primary language in New York City is English. New York City New York City is known as the City that Never Sleeps, the Big Apple, and the Center of the Universe. It is the home to the United Nations Headquarters, and Broadway. NYC is a melting pot of cultures and traditions from around the world. The city is comprised of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. For more information regarding sightseeing click here. For information regarding landmarks and buildings to see, such as the World Trade Center, click here. Weather Temperatures in New York City in August normally range from 80s to 90s (Degrees Fahrenheit) during the day with an overnight low averaging in the 60s (Degrees Fahrenheit) with both sunny and rainy days. Please find the latest forecast here. Conference dress The dress code for the conference is business casual. Transportation to the venue Flights will arrive at JFK International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, or Newark Liberty International Airport. Travel instructions from each airport to the hotel and subway information are provided below. JFK International Airport: (located in Queens, New York) Option 1: Take the AirTrain JFK to Sutphan Boulevard Transfer to the E Subway train (Manhattan Bound) and get off at West 4 th Street (W4). The AirTrain JFK costs $5.00 and a Subway ticket costs $2.75 plus an addition 4

5 $1.00 for purchasing a new ticket. Your total trip will be $7.75. *This mode of transportation is the cheapest, but will take approximately an hour. Option 2: Take a taxi or Uber to the hotel. LaGuardia Airport: (located in Queens, New York) Option 1: Purchase a MetroCard ticket at the ticket machines located throughout the terminals. MetroCards are used for buses and subways. Exit the airport and look for Q70 Limited (LTD) Bus Stop. Get off the bus at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave Subway Station. Take the E, M, or F Subway (Manhattan Bound) and get off at West 4 th Street (W4). *This mode of transportation is the cheapest, but will take approximately an hour. Option 2: Take a taxi or Uber to the hotel. This should take approximately 20 minutes. Newark Liberty International Airport: (located in Newark, New Jersey) Option 1: Take the AirTrain to the Newark Liberty International Airport NJ Transit stop and then take the NJ Transit train to NY Penn Station and then the subway to Washington Square Park. Purchase a one-way NJ Transit ticket at the airport terminal. This ticket can be used to board the AirTrain, which will take you to the Newark Liberty International Airport NJ Transit stop, as well as the NJ Transit train (retain ticket), which will take you to NY Penn Station. After taking the Air Train to the NJ Transit airport stop, take the NJ Transit to New York Penn Station. Board the A, C, or E Subway train (Going in the direction of downtown). Take the subway 3 stops and exist at West 4 th Street (W4). *This mode of transportation is the cheapest, but will take approximately an hour. Option 2: Take a taxi or Uber to the hotel. This will take approximately 30 minutes. Subway information A full subway map can be found here and a map of Manhattan subway lines is located on page 7. Each subway station will also have printed maps. Digital maps can also be accessed through Apple Maps or CityMapper NYC, which is an application on the IPhone. To board the subway, you will need to first purchase a MetroCard from a MetroCard machine. A picture of these machines is below. The machines that look like the ones on the left accept cash and credit/debit cards. The smaller machines do not accept cash. MetroCards cost $1.00 each plus fare. One-way fare for the subway or local bus ride is $2.75. Express bus ride fare is $

6 Some helpful tips: When boarding the subway, be aware of not only the subway line your want, but also whether or not you want to go Uptown (higher street numbers) or Downtown (lower street numbers toward Wall Street) and follow the appropriate signage when boarding the train. Be careful which side of the track you board, because often one will be Express and the other side will be Local. The Local trains will stop at every stop on the line (black and white circles on the map below), whereas the Express trains will only stop at the white circles on the map below. Each Subway station has free Wi-Fi. The following website can help you plan your subway trip by entering your origin & destination: 6

7 Map of Manhattan Subway Lines (full map here) 7

8 Taxi Information Hailing a taxi is just like what you see in the movies. Just stand on the side of the road and raise your arm until one sees you. You can tell if the taxi is available if the numbers are illuminated on the top of the car (pictured below). Taxis accept credit cards and cash. Available taxi. Electrical outlets The United States electrical outlet is set between 110 and 120 volts AC. There are two different outlets, which are Type A and Type B. Type A has 2 pins and Type B has 3 pins. It is recommended to have an adapter at your disposal in the case that your converter gets too hot when in use. An adapter is used to change the voltage that your converter requires for use. Type A Type B Emergencies In the event of any type of serious medical or other emergency in the United States, dial for police, fire, ambulance or rescue. Further information & assistance During the conference, New York University Center for Global Affairs staff will be on hand to answer any questions or provide assistance. The hotel reception desk can also assist with any transportation or sightseeing related questions. For other queries, please contact the conference organizing committee at str2017nyc@gmail.com 8

9 Venue STR 2017 will be held at New York University s Kimmel Center for University Life. The venue is located in the heart of Greenwich Village of downtown New York. Address: 60 Washington Square South New York, NY Website Kimmel Center for University Life Directions public transport: If you arrive by subway, exit the West 4 th Street station and use the 3 rd Street exit (not 8 th Street). Follow 3 rd Street for 3 blocks and make a left on Thompson Street. Walk one block and make a right on Washington Square South. The Kimmel Center is on the right. 9

10 Accommodation The STR conference committee has arranged special rates for conference attendees at the Washington Square Hotel in New York City through July 1st. We also list a few other hotels near Washington Square Park. Please find a full list of hotels in New York City here and a listing of hotels near the Greenwich Village area of New York City here. Washington Square Hotel The Washington Square Hotel is located right on Washington Square Park diagonal across the park from the Kimmel Center. There are various facilities for guests, including free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, free breakfast, and a fitness center. The Washington Square Hotel is a likely the most convenient location to stay during the STR Conference. Address: 103 Waverly Place New York, NY (212) Website Make a reservation: Reservations are available at the conference rate via this link: #main Please note in order to secure the conference rate, you must reserve your room by July 2 nd The Marlton Hotel The Marlton Hotel is located a few blocks from Washington Square Park and is a 5-minute walk to the conference venue, NYU s Kimmel Center for University Life. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi and breakfast, but is a small hotel with only a few rooms available. Address: 5 W.8 th Street New York, NY (212) Website Hyatt Union Square The Hyatt Union Square is located in Union Square, which is approximately at 14-minute walk to the conference venue, NYU s Kimmel Center for University Life. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi for corporate travel, but breakfast is not included in your stay. Address: th Avenue New York, NY (212) Website 10

11 New York City Highlights Freedom Tower, 9/11 Museum and Memorial The 9/11 memorial and museum and the freedom tower are located downtown from the conference venue at: 180 Greenwich Street New York, NY Adult admission is $24 Additional visitor information can be located here: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Empire State Building The Empire State Building is located uptown from the conference venue at: th Avenue New York, NY Additional information on visiting can be located here: Central Park Central Park is a National Historic Landmark encompassing 843 acres in Manhattan, New York. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created the park, after they won a design competition. It has also become the most visited park in the United States. There are many attractions to see throughout the park, such as the zoo and lakes. Tours are offered via horsedrawn carriages. Central Park is located uptown from the conference venue. Additional information can be located here: 11

12 Broadway Shows and Times Square Located in the heart of Times Square are the many Broadway theaters. Show times can be viewed here. Times Square is located in midtown and remains illuminated 24 hours a day, which is one of the reasons New York City is known as the city that never sleeps. Millions of people tune in each year to ring in the New Year and the entertainment, retail, and restaurants in the area are endless. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island The Statue of Liberty is one of New York City s most famous landmarks. It was a gift from France that was granted to the United States in The Statue represents freedom as she has welcomed many immigrants to the shores of the U.S. Next to her is Ellis Island where millions of immigrants checked into the U.S. Today, the Island has a museum where records allow visitors to search for historical connections to their family. There are ferries that travel to the Stature and Ellis Island. More information can be found here. 12

13 Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) The Met is located uptown from the conference venue at: 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY If you buy your ticket in person, the amount you pay is a donation at your discretion. The suggested price for adults is $25. If you purchase the ticket online, the price will be set at $25. Additional information can be located here: American Museum of Natural History The museum is located uptown from the conference venue at: Central Park West at 79 th Street New York, NY Adult admission is $22. Additional information can be located here: 13

14 Guggenheim Museum th Avenue New York, NY Adult admission is $25. Additional information at: Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) 11 West 53 Street New York, NY Adult admission is $25 Except on Fridays from 4:00pm 8:00pm admission is free. Additional information at: Other Sites Other famous site include The United Nations, Wall Street and the NY Stock Exchange, The Whitney Museum of American Art, Little Italy, Chinatown, St. Patrick s Cathedral, The Plaza Hotel, FAO Schwartz, and The Cloisters. New York City has an endless amount of activities to do, such as sightseeing, museums, restaurants and bars, entertainment, etc. The best source to connect you to everything the city has to offer is right here. For a video, click here. 14

15 Map of New York City Below is a map of Manhattan with the conference venue the Kimmel Center - pinned. 15

16 Contact Information Conference Organizing Committee Mary Beth Altier, Lyndsey Harris, & Jeff Thompson Local Host Center for Global Affairs & NYU s Initiative on Emerging Threats New York University School of Professional Stay Connected *** Please remember to Tweet #STR2017 *** 16