Queens pol wants ‘immediate’ probe of embattled Lumber Liquidators

A New York lawmaker on Tuesday called upon the state to start an "immediate investigation" of Lumber Liquidators to see if its China-sourced laminate flooring contains unsafe levels of formaldehyde, The Post has learned.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens), the vice-chair of the Senate's Environmental Conservations Committee, wants the flooring, if found to be dangerous, immediately removed from the chain's 19 New York stores, according to a letter he sent to the state's Department of Environmental conservation, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.

The nation's No. 1 hardwood flooring retailer was slammed by a " 60 Minutes" report on Sunday that claimed to find in the chain's China-sourced laminates dangerous levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen.

Some of the flooring was purchased in New York.

Lumber Liquidators shares tumbled 25 percent on Monday, but turned around and gained $1.95 on Tuesday to close at $40.78. The rise was fueled, in part, by an analyst report that claimed the chain's flooring "has proven to be compliant with CARB [California Air Resources Board] standards."

The company maintains its flooring is safe.

Not so fast, said critics.

"Both the company and the analyst are factually provable wrong," said investor Whitney Tilson, who is shorting the stock.

CARB, which is looking into formaldehyde levels in laminate flooring, uses a rigorous methodology, sanding back the top layer of board when it tests the product, it said.

The retailer's testing methods are different and less rigorous, CARB said.

Tests using the CARB metholodogy performed by CBS and lawyers suing the company found formaldehyde levels in excess of CARB limits. A federal law is expected to be introduced this year.

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Rangers’ Stepan: Yandle addition doesn’t change my expectations

Derek Stepan had a second thought.

"I was thinking on my way home after the game on Monday about all the questions [from the media] about us going for it by making the trade [for Keith Yandle], and I realized I didn't answer quite the way I wanted to," the Blueshirts' first-line center told The Post following Tuesday's practice.

"Because the way I feel is, that as a player, you're going for it every year," Stepan said. "It's this year, not next year or the year after. There's no sense going for it one year but not the next.

"You come to camp every year with the same goals: A) make the playoffs; B) get home ice; C) win the Stanley Cup. My first year [2010-11], we had the same goals; the next year, when we went to the conference finals, we had the same goals.
"As a player, it doesn't change."

But the perception of the Rangers, who face the Red Wings in Detroit on Wednesday — after having moved within three points of the conference-leading Canadiens while holding a game in hand on Montreal with Monday's convincing 4-1 victory over the first-overall Predators — has changed.

The expectations have changed, not only because of the Yandle deal but because of the currency the Blueshirts have built by winning six playoff rounds the last three years, a span over which only the Kings (10) and Blackhawks (six) have won as many.
Except, Stepan insisted, the expectations haven't changed within the room.

"Expectations may be different on the outside, but your expectations as a player never change," he said. "This is my fifth year, and my expectations have been the same for five years."

The 2011-12 Black-and-Blueshirts finished second overall in the NHL, one point behind Vancouver for the President's Trophy after dropping the final two games of the season. John Tortorella's team then advanced to the Eastern finals before losing to the Devils in a six-game upset that represented Martin Brodeur's last hurrah.

But that team exceeded expectations. This one, this team, is pretty much required to at least successfully defend its Eastern Conference championship in order to justify trades for Rick Nash, Marty St. Louis and Yandle over the last three years at the combined cost of four consecutive first-round draft selections, a pair of valuable building blocks in Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov, a captain named Ryan Callahan, and a premier prospect in Anthony Duclair.

Yandle's acquisition has strengthened the talent level and depth on a blue line that goes three pairs deep, much as did last year's. It's Yandle and Dan Boyle in place of John Moore and Anton Stralman.

But Yandle's acquisition broadens the options for coach Alain Vigneault, who paired the 28-year-old with defense-oriented Kevin Klein most of Monday night, but who switched up strategically to unite the offense-minded pair of Yandle and Boyle for a handful of shifts totaling 3:31 that began in the offensive zone.

Indeed, according to data from NaturalStatTrick.com, Boyle started 66.67 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone (compared to the defensive zone) while Yandle started 62.5 percent of his shifts on offensive-zone draws. Boyle is at 64.5 percent for the year while Yandle is at 57 percent.

"Our overall seven-man D group, with Matt [Hunwick]," Vigneault said, "I'm very, very comfortable with it."

Presuming Henrik Lundqvist's return to health and elite form, the Rangers are talented enough from top to bottom. The question is whether the Blueshirts are too one-dimensional; whether when pushing comes to shoving and when open ice is halved into tiny tight spaces, the Rangers will be physically strong enough to survive and thrive.

"Obviously we know what the experience is like and we know what the challenges are," Stepan said. "I think we've done a really good job of replacing the pieces we lost from last year, so it's on this group to make the necessary adjustments when the space gets tighter, just the way last year's group did.

"We play a fast game. When there's less ice, we're going to have to play faster and adjust within our structure and play to our strengths. We're going to have to play more physically and find ways to maximize our assets.

"Am I confident we can do it? Absolutely."

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Surging Devils storm past past NHL-leading Predators

Cory Schneider made 33 saves, and the playoff-hopeful Devils beat NHL-leading Nashville 3-1 on Tuesday night at the Prudential Center, sending the Predators to their season-worst fourth straight loss.

Adam Larsson and Eric Gelinas scored first-period goals in front of a sparse crowd that came out on a snowy night. Mike Cammalleri was awarded a goal with 1:14 remaining in the game.

Mike Fisher had the lone goal for Nashville (41-17-7), which entered the night with a league-leading 89 points. This is the Predators' worst skid since last March. Backup goalie Carter Hutton made 21 saves for Nashville, which lost at the Rangers on Monday.

The Devils started the night nine points behind Boston, holder of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

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Booze salesmen suspended over lewd strip club pics

Their bubble has been burst.

A major booze distributor has suspended several top salesmen for texting a lewd photo of themselves in a strip club to a female champagne-company exec after the vintner severed ties with the firm.

Southern Wine & Spirits Director of Sales Joseph Eger and District Manager Dimitrios Kaloudis were both pictured Tuesday on The Post's front page pouring $1,000 worth of Laurent-Perrier rosé into an ice bucket at the Hustler Club — as a stripper gripped Eger's crotch.

Sabine LatapiePhoto: Patrick McMullan

A photo of the bubbly spill was sent to Laurent-Perrier exec Sabine Latapie, which she said was in retaliation for her company canceling its New York distribution deal with Southern.

The distributor said it has suspended "several sales management employees" pending an internal investigation into the "disturbing allegations."

"SWS takes all complaints against its employees seriously, including a claim of unprofessional conduct," the Miami-based company said in a prepared statement.

"Should the claims of inappropriate conduct be corroborated, SWS will take the appropriate disciplinary actions and issue sincere apologies not only to our longtime supplier but also the hardworking employees at SWS who have always sought to represent the company with the highest level of integrity and professionalism."

Eger's entourage paid $1,000 to spill the sparkling wine into an ice bucket.Photo: Facebook

The company did not confirm the names of the suspended employees, or whether they included a third, unidentified man who posed for the strip-club photo.

Latapie, New York state manager for Laurent-Perrier US, wrote on Facebook that Eger texted her the photos at 1:20 a.m. Friday, following Laurent-Perrier's announcement that it was shifting its New York business to The Winebow Group.

"This behavior is precisely why we are terminating our relationship with Southern New York," she fumed.

Latapie also called getting the pics "sexual harassment, but I won't even go there."

Latapie didn't return a request for comment Tuesday, but Laurent-Perrier US president Michelle DeFeo hailed the suspensions.

"We are pleased that SWS is taking the incident involving the individuals in these photos as seriously as we are," DeFeo said, "This type of conduct should not be tolerated in the wine industry nor any other."

Eger and Kaloudis did not return requests for comment.

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Vanderbilt corridor set for massive new tower

The Vanderbilt corridor may be getting a new tower on a site no one expected to be redeveloped so fast.

Shrewd Howard Milstein is now focusing on designing and developing a completely new modern tower at 335 Madison Ave. that would take advantage of the new Vanderbilt corridor zoning boost, The Post has learned.

To those of you who can't make heads or tails out of taking down a 1.1 million square-foot tower from 1984 for a slightly larger one, think again.

Some sources have indicated that Milstein, harkening back to its location and history, would like to include a "high end" hotel as part of the new plans.

The 1984 tower was actually a stealthy redevelopment of the 1913-era Biltmore Hotel that the Milstein family started razing before preservationists could react.

The hotel had Turkish baths in its basement, its own corridor from Grand Central to the meet-up spot known as the "Kissing Room," winter skating on its gardened roof and plenty of notable restaurants like the Palm and the Cascades, along with glamorous public areas that attracted celebrities and politicians.

Designed by Warren & Wetmore, its steel "bones" were reused by the Milsteins to support the shiny new granite walls — essentially putting lipstick on an old sow.

My Post colleague, Steve Cuozzo, claims "the worst insult was that Milstein installed the famous Biltmore lobby clock in the sterile office building lobby, where it looks like a captured artifact of a vanquished race."

The building was reworked prior to the 1992 rezoning that allowed the entirely new nearby 383 Madison with a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 21.6.

The Vanderbilt corridor proposal that is nearly through the city planning process, would allow a building of 30 FAR with various bonuses.

Its poster child is One Vanderbilt where SL Green Realty Corp. plans a 1.8 million-square-foot tower, which equals 1,299,390 zoning-square-feet.

To make his dream development happen, Milstein may try to tie up most, if not all, of the 1,224,109 million square feet of transferable development rights (TDRs) held by Andrew Penson through his ownership of Grand Central Terminal.

Penson did not return a request for comment but is known to be seething that the city allowed SL Green to use both its own TDRs and buy or create public amenities to get the other 540,000 feet "dirt cheap."

CBRE's uber broker, Steve Siegel, who was unaware of Milstein's plans, said, "It's a great site and next to SL Green's building and will only get more valuable. It's an incredible address."

While there are leases currently in place, there is roughly 500,000 square feet already vacant and any new tower would take several years to plan and develop.

Milstein did not return a request to comment. Stay tuned, as that clock may end up back in its rightful spot.

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A company that forecasts fashion trends, WGSN, has leased a pre-built 27,000 square feet at the trendy 229 W. 43rd St. near Times Square.
WGSN will share the 7th floor with PubMatic.

Matt McBride of CBRE represented the tenant, which will consolidate from several locations.

The building has filled with tech TAMI tenants including Yahoo. Brian Waterman, Lance Korman, Brent Ozarowski and Jonathan Tootell of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represent the Blackstone-controlled Equity Office ownership that has just 30,000 square feet left to fill.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership has leased a new city office at 733 Third Ave. The deal for the 16,681 square feet on the 2nd floor was negotiated by David Simson and Kyle Ciminelli of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank.

Ashlea Aaron, David Neil and Tom Bow of the Durst Organization represented the building, which had asking rents in the mid-$50s but is now 100 percent occupied.

The office building at the southeast corner of E. 46th Street actually backs up to the Wyndham Midtown 45 hotel.

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The trendy men's Internet retailer, Bonobos, just doubled its office and showroom space at 45 W. 25th St. near Madison Square Park.

The click and sorta bricks company just leased the 2nd and 3rd floors to bring its total to 40,000 feet. It currently occupies the 4th floor while its 5th floor contains its "Guideshop." Here folks can come and try on items for size before buying them online – hence 'sorta bricks.'

"This is shopping made simple for the tech crowd," said Jeffrey Peck of Savills Studley, who repped the company joined by Jason Perla and Christopher Foerch . The brand first leased a small space on the 4th floor in 2010, and soon after, signed a long-term expansion to the 5th floor. The new lease now co-terminates with that transaction.

Alan Locker, President of Bonafide Estates represented the building in-house where asking rents are in the $50s per foot.

Bonobos also has a Guideshop at 35 Crosby St. in Soho and will open downtown at some point at a Brookfield Place location that will have its grand opening celebration on March 26.

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Nike has been swooshing around Midtown South seeking about 100,000 square feet to move from Google's building at 111 Eighth Ave.

We hear it is having conversations about the Durst Organization's new mixed-use project rising at 855 Sixth Ave. Google had offered to buy it out earlier, but is now counting down the days until the lease runs out.

Nike is represented by Howard Nottingham and Allyson Bowen of Savills Studley. The brokers declined comment, while a Durst spokesman said it is speaking with several tenants. Of course.

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Nets survive hellacious Stephen Curry for best win of year

For the second time in two weeks, Stephen Curry turned Barclays Center into his own personal shooting gallery.

But after the league MVP candidate pulled the Warriors back from a 10-point deficit with four minutes remaining, Jarrett Jack had the last laugh.

Jack's jumper over Curry with 1.1 seconds left gave the Nets a heart-stopping 110-108 victory over the Western Conference-leading Warriors, one that kept Brooklyn alone in eighth place in the East.

After Andrew Bogut threw a pass out of bounds with 20 seconds remaining, the Nets (25-33) had a chance to hold the ball for the last shot. But instead of going with Joe Johnson — the designated go-to option for the Nets in late-and-close situations — coach Lionel Hollins went with the same play he ran exactly a month earlier in the same situation against the Clippers in Brooklyn: a pick-and-roll for Jack and Brook Lopez, with Johnson flaring to the corner as a decoy.

And Jack, as he did against the Clippers, came around the screen and floated a shot up that rattled home, sending the sellout — and often split-down-the-middle in terms of rooting interest — crowd of 17,732 into a frenzy.

There still was time for one final play for the Warriors. But after Curry received the inbounds pass and appeared to have a chance for a floater to tie the game, he took one too many dribbles and the clock expired before he could get the shot off, allowing the Nets to improve to 4-2 since the All-Star break and pick up their best win of the season.

The Warriors (46-12) spent much of the game looking like a team that was finishing up a road trip that included six games in nine days and saw them play Sunday afternoon in Boston.

But Curry, who finished with 26 points, exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points to claw the Warriors back from a 10-point deficit with exactly four minutes remaining after a Deron Williams jumper made it 106-96.

Curry made three straight 3-pointers to pull the Warriors within one, and then made a mid-range jumper with 1:09 remaining to tie the game at 108. But after the Nets and Warriors exchanged turnovers, it set Jack up to be the hero and allow the Nets to pull off a second straight win against a Western Conference playoff team. That's something no one would have expected as recently as a few weeks ago, when they went limping into the break with losses in seven of their final 10 games, and at 10 games under .500.

Lopez led the Nets with 26 points, while Williams had 22.

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Jets’ Maccagnan out to fix Idzik’s huge mistake

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 12 months, you know what the Jets' biggest area of need is. The team has not had two starting-caliber cornerbacks in a calendar year.

The cornerback issue contributed to the downfall of former general manager John Idzik, who failed to adequately address the issue last year. Now, Mike Maccagnan, Idzik's successor, gets a crack at it.

Maccagnan and new coach Todd Bowles have been honest about the need at the position, with both mentioning it in interviews.

"I'd say there are certain positions, if you look at our roster, based on injuries last year … cornerback would be a position we'd probably address, whether it's the draft or pro free agency," Maccagnan said. "But, overall, we're going to try to address the talent and make the team as competitive as we can be. We're early in the process from that standpoint."

Like Rex Ryan, Bowles needs good cornerbacks to run his defense the way he likes to with lots of man-press coverage and blitzing.

The Jets will have about $51 million in salary-cap space to use, and you can expect a significant portion of that to go toward getting some new corners; they probably need to add more than one in free agency. The debate for the Jets will be whether to spend big money on one cornerback such as Byron Maxwell or spread it among two lesser cornerbacks, hoping to get more of a return on investment. The Jets cornerbacks had four total interceptions last year. They need all the help they can get at the position.

There are two wild cards at the position for the Jets. Old friend Darrelle Revis could end up on the market if the Patriots do not work out a new deal with him. The Jets would have definite interest if he becomes available. The other is Dee Milliner, who is recovering from Achilles surgery and the Jets are unsure of his return date.

Cornerbacks currently on roster

Player                          Years left*                   2015 Cap

Dee Milliner                    2                               $3.4M
Dexter McDougle           3                             $674,719
Marcus Williams            2                             $510,000
Darrin Walls                   1                               $1.1M
Keith Lewis                     3                            $435,000
Curtis Brown                  1                            $660,000
Dashaun Phillips           3                           $435,000

*on contract

Pending free agents

Kyle Wilson: The 2010 first-round pick won't be back. Maybe he can find a home in Buffalo with Rex Ryan.

Phillip Adams: Started four games for the Jets last year. If he is back in 2015, Maccagnan failed to upgrade.

Top free agent CBs

Byron Maxwell, Seahawks: The 27-year-old member of the Legion of Boom is considered the best cornerback on the market and there is a significant drop-off after him. Expect the Jets to make a run at Maxwell, but his asking price could skyrocket as the top cornerback available.

Kareem Jackson, Texans: GM Mike Maccagnan knows Jackson well from his time as a scout with the Texans. The 26-year-old is one of the younger corners available, making him more appealing. He has 10 career interceptions and is just entering his prime.

Chris Culliver, 49ers: There was a lot of buzz at the Scouting Combine that Culliver is in demand. The question with Culliver is whether he's worth the headaches. He made anti-gay remarks before the Super Bowl two years ago, insulted women on Instagram and was involved in a hit-and-run incident last year. In the end, his talent will trump the trouble and he'll get paid.

Antonio Cromartie, Cardinals: The former Jet has been campaigning for a return to Gang Green for two months. Cromartie played well last season in Arizona under then defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and the coach may be interested in bringing him with him. The 30-year-old had hip issues in 2013, his last year with the Jets.

Brandon Flowers, Chargers: The Jets passed on signing Flowers when the Chiefs released him last June. He went to San Diego and had three interceptions, including one off Geno Smith. Will the Jets' new bosses feel differently about Flowers this year? Flowers is only 5-foot-9, so he may be a poor fit for Bowles, who likes tall, long corners.

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Knicks’ Calderon annoyed with timeline, vows return anyway

The Knicks announced Monday point guard Jose Calderon, still in a walking boot because of a strained left Achilles tendon, would be reevaluated in two weeks. In truth, Calderon was hardly pleased. He wanted to be back before that.

"You always hope [to be back sooner] and you're always disappointed when you're injured," said Calderon, who has missed the past two games. "So hopefully go sooner than that, but that's what the doctor says for right now."

Calderon was adamant he did not want to go the way of Carmelo Anthony and shut down his season, even with so little to play for (unless you really think the Knicks can make up 12½ games and pass seven teams for the eighth spot — yeah, we don't think so, either). He wants to be back this season — and next season, too. And he was even more adamant about staying a Knick, although he acknowledged that is something he does not control.

"No, I don't [want to sit]. Hopefully I'll be back sooner than that. And then we'll see. We'll figure it out in two weeks. But I'm feeling better already so we'll see how it goes," Calderon said.

"I want to be here, I want to be a part of this. But at the end of the day, there is nothing you can do [about it]. It's stuff you cannot control. So, yes, I want to be here after this summer for sure," Calderon said. "There's always going to be something that can happen during free agency, during the draft nights. … It happens. That's what I meant about you don't know. Yes, I want to be part of this and I think they want me to be part of this but you never know."

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Until Calderon returns, coach Derek Fisher will continue using a patchwork quilt at point guard.

"Jose wants to be back we want him back so we'll just handle it accordingly and the guys at the guard position out there will carry a bit of a heavier load until he gets back," Fisher said.

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The Knicks are awaiting a special guest who could appear almost any time at their Tarrytown practice facility, Anthony.

"I think he'll be around soon as he gets cleared medically to move around more," Fisher said, noting the value of Anthony imparting his basketball savvy to the Knicks. "He's starting to move around more. … He's still on crutches and once he probably can walk without crutches, he'll be around the group more.

"I think he's looking forward to just being around the guys. That's what you miss the most when you're away from it. And we need to have him around just to continue to establish kind of the leadership that he'll need to continue to step into. He's a smart basketball player. He can help everybody continue to be aware of things that are happening out there every game and make sure his voice continues to be heard."

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Diane Lane and Tony Shalhoub almost rescue contrived ‘Mystery of Love & Sex’

"The Mystery of Love & Sex" takes on so much that it could have been titled "The Mystery of Love, Sex, Racism, Sexism, Religion, Confused Romantic Feelings & Dealing With Your Parents."

Sure, that title would have been a handful, but then so is Bathsheba Doran's new play.

Although the characters driving the action are 20-something Charlotte and Jonny, the most compelling people in this Lincoln Center production are Charlotte's folks, played with relaxed wit and a steely undergirding by Diane Lane and Tony Shalhoub.

Lane's Lucinda is a Southern lady whose well-heeled political family rejected her for marrying Shalhoub's Howard, an acerbic — is there any other kind? — Jewish writer from New York.

But Doran's focus is on their only child, Charlotte (Gayle Rankin), and her best friend, African-American Jonny (Mamoudou Athie). They've been besties since age 9, but their relationship is entering a new phase — possibly involving nudity — now that they're in college.

Both struggle with the usual campus matters: drinking, resolving their sexual identity, rebelling — in Jonny's case, against Charlotte's dad, for whom he has a thorny mix of admiration and resentment.

But the show isn't as sharp as it seems to think it is. Showtime's excellent series "Masters of Sex," on which Doran's a producer/writer, mines a similar terrain with more insight.

Here, it's hard to care much for Jonny and Charlotte, as they spend an ungodly amount of stage time turning molehills into mountains. They're both entitled and self-loathing — dating people they don't respect — but Doran doesn't dig very deep.

And she's not above cheap jokes, as when she brings in a fifth character (Bernie Passeltiner) for the sole purpose of a brief sight gag. Even the excellent director Sam Gold can't do anything with that kind of contrivance.

Rankin and Athie are very good despite thankless roles, but they pale next to Lane and Shalhoub, who expertly carve intriguing traits out of stock characters. Lane's fallen belle — drinking and smoking up a storm — is a perfect foil for Shalhoub's wily, manipulative writer. They're an unlikely couple, yet make odd sense. As with love and sex, experience counts when it comes to theater.

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‘Furious’ Osbourne left show over how Zendaya flap was handled

Could Kelly Osbourne's sudden departure from E!'s "Fashion Police" create an opportunity for Khloé Kardashian to be the next co-host?

Khloé is being mentioned as a potential replacement for Osbourne, who left the fashion show "to pursue other opportunities" after co-host Giuliana Rancic made offensive comments about actress Zendaya's hair at the Oscars.

Sources tell us Osbourne was furious over how E! handled the backlash over Rancic's comments toward Zendaya.

"Kelly left not from the [comment] itself, but because of how Giuliana and the network handled it," a source explained, adding that she was furious at Rancic's claim that Osbourne didn't object to the comment during several takes, where the Zendaya joke was repeated each time. Osbourne insists she did object each time.

Khloé, Nene Leakes and Kristin Cavallari have been mentioned as replacements for Osbourne. Khloé appeared on the network's Oscars red-carpet special, but we're told she wasn't considered for "Fashion Police" until Osbourne abruptly left.

Page Six exclusively reported last week that the Kardashian klan signed a record-breaking $100 million deal with E! for another four years.

An E! rep tells us of Osbourne's replacement, "No decisions have been made."

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