Gotham Gazette
Gotham Gazette Web

email this article

most emailed articles



Fordham Deal
June 10th, 2009

A deal has been struck between Fordham University, the local community and Councilmember Gale Brewer, which will allow the university to expand its Lincoln Center campus.

The deal, with modifications, will head back to the city’s Planning Commission, and the council is expected to vote on it by the end of June, according to a release from Brewer’s office.

Details of the deal, and the release in full, are after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on June 10, 2009, 4:36 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Housing, Land Use, Law, Voting
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Community Boards Get the Steps
June 9th, 2009

cbpiccrop

Scores of community board members, comptroller and mayoral candidate William Thompson Jr. and four out of the five borough presidents took to the steps of City Hall this afternoon to urge the administration and the City Council to roll back cuts to the city’s 59 community boards.

These cuts, they say, would cripple the boards so much that they could be “rendered ineffective.” That, said Thompson, may be the point.

“One has to believe at a certain point that is what the mayor is intending to do,” said Thompson. “They are trying to cut them to the point that he’ll be able to turn around and say, ‘Let’s get rid of borough presidents. Let’s get rid of community boards,’” Thompson said of the mayor.

For an in-depth look at the future of community boards, see Endangered Community Boards.

Saying it’s the “best buy for city government,” Borough President Scott Stringer argued community boards are necessary to ensure the administration has a link to communities. The cuts would “hamstring” City Hall, he added.

“The bottom line is this mayor will not get re-elected if he picks apart democracy,” Stringer said.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on June 9, 2009, 2:01 pm
In category: Albany, Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Land Use, Law, Voting, nextNY
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 1 Comment »

After Gehry
June 5th, 2009

So what effect will Bruce Ratner’s decision to drop Frank Gehry’s much-touted design for the basketball arena mean to the future of Atlantic Yards? For one thing, the massive complex when — or more accurately if — built will have little resemblance to the glossy original plans.

The switch to a more conventional arena designed by Ellerbe Becket could save $200 million, a key consideration at a time when money for real estate projects is tight. And, the Times reported, Ratner has to act quickly. He has to start building the home for the Nets by the end of the year, according to Charles Bagli’s article, or face losing his right to use tax-exempt financing.

In the bid to save money, “Gehry’s swooping glass and metal designs have been swapped for a more traditional brick façade … that is not unlike Ellerbe Becket’s Conseco Fieldhouse, home to the Indianapolis Pacers,” The Architects Newspaper observed. (For reviews and pictures of Ellerbe Becket’s previous work, see Atlantic Yards Report, which last week anticipated the firm’s taking over the Nets arena.)
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on June 5, 2009, 11:45 am
In category: Arts, Economy, Gotham City, Land Use, Transportation
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Quinn Quiet on Firehouses
May 6th, 2009

At her pre-stated press conference today, Council Speaker Christine Quinn did not take sides on the mayor’s plan to decrease the amount of firefighters on about 64 engines — a proposal the Firefighters Union is stiffly opposing.

In his executive budget released last week, the mayor has suggested lowering the amount of firefighters from five to four on 64 engines in the city. The city would not layoff any fire fighters, but would redistribute positions through attrition. The union has balked at the idea.

If it’s not done, the mayor has said, the only alternative would be to close 16 companies, which the City Council will likely oppose.

When asked about the proposal today, Quinn said, “That’s an issue my colleagues and I on the budget negotiating team will discuss… I want to avoid negotiating each and every one of them in the press.”

Budget hearings are scheduled to start next week at the council.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on May 6, 2009, 1:24 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Land Use, Law, Voting, nextNY
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Atlantic Keeps on Giving
April 24th, 2009

This post incorrectly reported that employees of the Atlantic Development Group contributed to the campaign of Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., which is incorrect. The group’s principals gave to his father, former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. It has been corrected.

I am invoking the Beach Boys here: Atlantic Development Group, well, they get around.

The employees of the development group which could be at the center of an inquiry by the city’s Department of Investigation have given more than $93,000 to city campaigns since 1999, according to filings by the city’s Campaign Finance Board. The group spearheaded the major development project in the Bronx — Boricua Village — which received a boatload of public subsidies.

The architect of that project also designed renovations to the home of former borough president turned Obama aide, Adolfo Carrion, which he never paid for. Their Sixth Avenue offices were raided by the city yesterday.

Reports allege the group could be involved in a bribery scheme between developers and city officials. The department, according to the Post, has executed a dozen search warrants on several companies during the probe.

According to the Campaign Finance Board’s filings, the group not only gave money to Carrion, but also gave to more than a dozen other city officials. Last year, the group’s principals gave $5,500 to comptroller candidate and Councilmember Melinda Katz. The year before that Council Speaker Christine Quinn received $1,000 from them. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer received $7,000 from the group’s employees last year. Former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., public advocate candidate and Councilmember Bill de Blasio and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz all received campaign contributions as well.

One of the group’s principals, Peter Fine, also did some serious bundling (or acting as an “intermediary” to collect contributions for candidates) for Stringer and on-again, off-again mayoral candidate Rep. Anthony Weiner last year. He bundled $40,150 for the two candidates.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on April 24, 2009, 10:53 am
In category: Community Development, Crime, Electoral Politics, Finance, Gotham City, Land Use, Law, nextNY
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

A New Randall's Island Plan
April 21st, 2009

<i>From the Randall's Island Sports Foundation</i>

From the Randall's Island Sports Foundation

More than 50 residents turned out in East Harlem last night to hear the details of the Bloomberg administration’s new plan for Randall’s Island.

But already many are skeptical that the mayor’s office and the Department of Parks and Recreation’s plan will more equitably distribute the 66 fields on the island for recreational activities. The fields are part of a large scale renovation of the whole island, which started in 2007, and were also the subject of a lawsuit that the city lost last year. Several Upper Manhattan residents and parks advocates charged that the city went around the ULURP process (or the uniform land use review process), which, they argued, should have been required before the renovation took place.

The city’s first plan — which has been struck down by the courts — slated about two-thirds of the island’s fields for private school use exclusively. Those private schools had agreed to fork over $45 million for the cost of the fields construction and renovation.

Last night was the first glimpse into the city’s new proposal for many of those that filed the initial lawsuit.

The new plan includes setting aside 50 percent of the fields for certain private school use, 40 percent for public schools (which would include a possible shuttle expansion to bring more schools onto the island to play baseball, soccer or any other sport) and leaves 10 percent for community organizations or recreational leagues. This ratio would only apply during the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and for only certain more sports-heavy months of the year. The summer months would be a permit free-for-all, said members of the administration, which would allow anyone, anywhere to apply for a permit.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on April 21, 2009, 4:52 pm
In category: Gotham City, Land Use, Parks, nextNY
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 2 Comments »

Bloomberg Gets Snooty
April 16th, 2009

Mayor Michael Bloomberg brought the conference to introduce Gov. David Paterson’s gay marriage legislation to an abrupt halt this morning because he heard a sound he didn’t like. It wasn’t the sound of a heckler that so infuriated Bloomberg. No, it was the sound of a tape recorder accidentally switched on in the pocket of a wheelchair-bound blogger.

Bloomberg began to make his comments about the bill only to stop and glare off in the direction of the crowd.

“It’s a little too important for playing music. Let me start again, because this is just too important to get disruptive, and maybe we should just take everything outside,” said the mayor as he and everyone else waited.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn covered the microphone and whispered something to Bloomberg. She might have been telling him that the source of the noise belonged to wheelchair-bound blogger Michael Harris.

“I understand that. He can still turn it off,” Bloomberg responded.

Harris later told reporters that his tape recorder had been bumped and accidentally turned on in his pocket. Harris said he would like Bloomberg to apologize.  Bloomberg later warned reporters that he will stop any press conference if their tape recorders start playing.

By David King on April 16, 2009, 2:47 pm
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 4 Comments »

Quinn on Monserrate
March 24th, 2009

Most officials are staying mum on yesterday’s indictment of former councilmember now State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who has been charged with several counts of assault for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend with a glass.

At today’s pre-stated press conference, Council Speaker Christine Quinn made a brief statement when asked for a reaction.

“When this incident was first reported last December, I said, and that remains my position, that domestic violence is a terrible, terrible thing,” Quinn said. “It’s a cancer in our city. If someone is found to have committed an act of domestic violence, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Whatever position they may or may not hold should have no bearing on their being prosecuted to the fullest extent, if the allegations are proven to be true.”

At the time of the alleged incident, Monserrate was still a member of the City Council. When asked whether the council would react (say through censure) on the indictment, Quinn said it was no longer within their jurisdiction.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on March 24, 2009, 12:47 pm
In category: Albany, Crime, Land Use, Law
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Finally! Breathing Life Into the Fulton Mall
March 12th, 2009

That was a joke, for anyone who hasn’t roamed Brooklyn’s Fulton Mall recently: most Saturdays the strip is as crowded as Times Square, and with 100,000 shoppers per day it ranks among the most successful commercial stretches in the five boroughs. Nonetheless, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the local BID collaborated to develop plans to spruce the strip up. Renovations are proceeding apace on Albee Square, the plaza at Fleet and DeKalb, set to open next spring. Yesterday’s Brownstoner writeup of the plans has readers in a tizzy over the curiously Caucasian crowd in the renderings (which are also curiously free of street vendors and city vehicles skirting the bus-only rules).

By Amanda Hickman on March 12, 2009, 12:02 pm
In category: Economy, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Avella the Underdog
February 25th, 2009

Avella from campaign site

Avella from campaign site

Odds are not in Councilmember Tony Avella’s favor this September.

But, somehow, he stays upbeat.

“If you want to make change in this city, you have to be mayor of this city,” Avella, a mayoral candidate, said at a breakfast hosted by Citizens Union this morning, the sister organization to Gotham Gazette’s publisher. “I think it’s worth my career to have that once in a lifetime opportunity to change city government.”

This year’s Democratic mayoral primary could put the City Council’s maverick (I know we are all tired of that word, but truly it suits him) against Comptroller William Thompson Jr. and Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Avella, needless to say, is the underdog.

Newspapers often disregard his candidacy and focus on other contenders. He is, by far, behind other mayoral candidates in fundraising.

And at this morning’s breakfast, the crowd was considerably thin compared to showings for both Weiner and Thompson.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Courtney Gross on February 25, 2009, 1:16 pm
In category: Albany, Economy, Electoral Politics, Finance, Gotham City, Land Use, Voting, nextNY
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 5 Comments »

Priming the Pump at Atlantic Yards?
February 17th, 2009

Does the economic stimulus package President Barack Obama is signing today include a great big bailout for Atlantic Yards? The idea of federal stimulation for the problem plagued arena and condo project surfaced in the Observer last week, prompted by former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato’s lobbying for the help on behalf of developer Forest City Ratner.

Experts say the money could come from discretionary funds or money set aside for transit. And in its final form the bill does not specifically exclude stadiums (or include them either), throwing out a previous amendment that would have done just that.

But what about the politics?
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on February 17, 2009, 2:38 pm
In category: Community Development, Finance, Gotham City, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 2 Comments »

Ugh Indeed. Maybe We Can Call it Bailout Ballfield?
January 30th, 2009

An anonymous tipster pointed out that we skipped over a significant bit of news in this morning’s Eye Opener: a bi-partisan committee of two is asking the Mets to vacate Citigroup’s naming rights contract — in 2006 the now-beleaguered bank agreed to pay $400 million for naming rights to the stadium. With taxpayers funneling more than a few dollars into Citigroups gaping maw, some in Washington think that stadium naming is a luxury the bank can ill-afford. No word yet on how far back that would set the otherwise complete stadium financing.

By Amanda Hickman on January 30, 2009, 1:31 pm
In category: Finance, Gotham City, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 2 Comments »

Coney Island Rollercoaster
January 20th, 2009

The city’s plan for Coney Island has not even been officially released yet — that’s to take place this afternoon — but opposition is already building.

A message on Coney Island.com says, “This process will determine whether Coney Island remains an amusement park or if it will become another shopping mall filled with retail, high rise buildings and hotels.” The message urges New Yorkers to make their preference known by showing up at today’s presentation. ” We want to put the city on notice that people are paying attention, and that we won’t let their plan be pushed through the zoning process without opposition,” the message says.

The Brooklyn Paper notes that Coney Island’s principal landowner, Joe Sitt of Thor Equities, opposes the city plan. And Dick Zigun of Coney Island USA, complained, the city is ” not doing what they could do to preserve truly historic structures.”

Today’s release sets off a lengthy approval process. Next stop, the local community board.

By Gail Robinson on January 20, 2009, 9:29 am
In category: Community Development, Land Use, Waterfront
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 1 Comment »

Brooklyn Community Board Removal Explained
January 15th, 2009

The ongoing saga over a bicycle lane in Williamsburg has included scantly clad women, bike clowns, and fake street signs. But the energy at the local community board’s Tuesday hearing was the result of outrage over the removal of Teresa Toro as chair of the board’s transportation committee. Although there was speculation over the reason for her dismissal, the board’s chair, Vincent Abate, had previously refused to elaborate on why.

Last night he revealed that Toro was deposed because of a correction she requested from a local paper, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. She clarified to the paper that a letter from Abate expressing his personal opinion was interpreted as the opinion of the whole board. The letter, which was sent on the board’s letterhead and was also signed by District Manager Gerald Esposito, was sent to the Department of Transportation and it asked them to reconsider the bike lane.

The correction request lead to a contentious back and forth between Toro and other board members and ultimately resulted in her firing. The email exchange, which was accidentally forwarded to the Eagle, was between those who were upset by her “going to the press,” and those who supported her.

At the hearing, a motion was made by board members to reinstate Toro but was denied, according to Gothamist. Abate refused to say whether he would place her back in the chair, saying “Don’t worry about it.”

About 150 people showed up to the sometimes sleepy hearing, according to Streetsblog.

By Mike Muller on January 15, 2009, 8:21 am
In category: Land Use, Transportation, Waterfront
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

No Runs, No Hits, Many Errors
January 13th, 2009

The Bloomberg administration’s decision to give up its luxury suite and other perks at the new Yankee Stadium has not stopped criticism of the city handling of the financing for the stadium. In a statement released today, City Comptroller William Thompson slammed the administration for ” financial incompetence … saddling city taxpayers with astronomically steeper costs” for the house that George built.

According to Thompson, who is running against Michael Bloomberg, taxpayers were told in 2006 that they would shell out $129 million for direct capital costs for the stadium, such as replacing parkland and improved infrastructure. That figure has now increased to $325 million.

As much as New Yorkers may love the Bombers (those of us who aren’t Mets fans, away), spending for their stadium has come under increased scrutiny as the city has slipped into tough fiscal times. Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on January 13, 2009, 3:30 pm
In category: Albany, Finance, Gotham City, Land Use, Parks
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Carrion Off to Washington? Some Hope Not
December 11th, 2008

When Bronx Brorough President Aldofo Carrion told a group of Yale students he had received a congratulatory phone call from U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton about his selection for a cabinet-level position within the new Obama Administration, he oddly thought it wouldn’t leave the room.

Although it has been rumored for weeks that he may receive some appointment, the slip added fuel to a fiery debate about his qualifications for such a job.

Most recently, Tom Robbins of the Village Voice penned a satirical piece listing reasons he’d make a good secretary for the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Among the listing was his success in gathering campaign contributions from real estate interests and his purging of community board members that did not support the Yankees Stadium deal.

Members of that community board are intent not to let those actions be relegated to the dustbin of history. One ousted member has organized a letter writing campaign to keep him out of the cabinet.

And Andrew Wolf, publisher of two Bronx newspapers, has started adolfocarrion.com to thwart any appointment. “Carrion has shown no real initiative to rebuild the Bronx’s economic standing, and at best has stayed out of the way while other offices worked,” Wolf writes. “The Bronx’s unemployment rate is still the highest in the state, and its poverty rate is still one of the highest in the nation. That was true when Carrion came into power, and that remains true today.”

An anonymous online petition against his appointment to an Obama Administration has been started as well, but includes only 33 signatures so far.

The former urban planner does have his supporters, however.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Mike Muller on December 11, 2008, 3:49 pm
In category: Finance, Land Use, Parks, Voting
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 3 Comments »

Time Out at Atlantic Yards
December 4th, 2008

Work has halted on the major part of the huge — and hugely controversial — Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn but those involved disagree as to why.

A spokesman for the developer, Forest City Ratner, told the Daily News that it had stopped work on the Vanderbilt Rail Yards, the planned site of a basketball arena and 16 towers, because of suits challenging the development. But the News went on to note the company previously pledged to “to continue construction despite a barrage of lawsuits that has slowed work on the project.”

Opponents of the problem think Ratner has run into financial problems.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on December 4, 2008, 11:31 am
In category: Community Development, Economy, Finance, Land Use, Law
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Landmark Problems
December 1st, 2008

Looking for an upside to the recession? (No snide comments abut hedge fund managers, please.) The current downturn could be good for the city’s architectural heritage, according to Julia Vitullo-Martin, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute (and
contributor
to Gotham Gazette). “The pause in New York City’s building boom … gives everyone a chance to think,” she wrote in the Post over the weekend. “This is the time to think about the importance of old buildings in New York’s urban fabric - and how to preserve those worth keeping.” (An accompanying slide show describes 10 endangered buildings.)

A series on the Landmarks Preservation Commission by Robin Pogrebin in the Times, though, casts doubt about whether the administration has any inclination to seize the moment. Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on December 1, 2008, 5:40 pm
In category: Arts, Gotham City, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | 1 Comment »

L.E.S. Zoning Set for Vote
November 19th, 2008

Despite widespread community opposition, including charges that the city’s proposal is racist and discriminatory, the City Council is set to approve a rezoning plan for the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

The plan would cap building heights at 80 feet and include set asides for affordable housing. In certain areas of the rezoning, which includes more than 110 blocks, affordable housing would make up 20 percent of the building. Both council members that represent the district, Rosie Mendez and Alan Gerson, support the plan.

At a press conference just now, Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the rezoning plan was initiated by the community in an attempt to protect the character of the quickly gentrifying neighborhood. The plan, council members added, preserves the diverse population.

Much of the opposition was from populations in surrounding communities, like Chinatown, who feared gentrification would spill over onto their streets once the Lower East Side had height restrictions. Gerson said the deal with the administration would include funding to protect those communities from developer harassment and fast-track rezonings for their own streets.

This is the latest rezoning of more than 90 that the Bloomberg administration has put forth since taking office.

More to come later. (See the full story here)

By Courtney Gross on November 19, 2008, 2:10 pm
In category: Gotham City, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »

Reshaping Queens
November 13th, 2008

Dara L. MIles reports from today’s City Council meeting:

The New York City Council today approved zoning changes that pave the way for two ambitious redevelopment projects in Queens. City officials say the Willets Point redevelopment plan in northeast Queens and the Hunters Point South plan in Long Island City will provide thousands of affordable homes for middle-class and low-income families.

Of the two proposals, the Willetts Point plan has drawn the most criticism, much of it from some of the 200 small businesses, which will be forced to relocate. Most of the businesses — many of them auto-related — operate out of facilities leased from the landowners. The city has reached agreements with some owners to buy more than half the land involved, but may use its rights of eminent domain to acquire the rest.

While Council Speaker Christine Quinn hailed the vote as “a great day for the borough of Queens,” other members expressed concern over the use of eminent domain, but voted for the zoning changes anyway, saying that the benefits — housing, jobs and an environmental clean up — were too important to ignore. Still two members, Anthony Avella and Charles Barron sided with the businesses and voted “no,” and councilmember Letitia James abstained, because she is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the city challenging a previous use of eminent domain.

By Gail Robinson on November 13, 2008, 5:29 pm
In category: Community Development, Environment, Housing, Land Use
Recommend this entry via: stumble upon | digg | del.icio.us | No Comments »