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- SERVING CHELSEA-CLINTON, GREENWICH VILLAGE, FLATIRON, MIDTOWN AND SOHO -

The Official Word

Announcements From the Public Officials of District 3



Mayor Praises West Chelsea Rezoning

Statement from Mayor Michael Bloomberg After Council Committee Approvals of West Chelsea Rezoning:


“Today’s approval of our proposed West Chelsea rezoning is an important milestone for our plan to achieve several crucial goals: preserving the High Line as a unique linear elevated open space, protecting more than 200 galleries that comprise an arts district, and stimulating residential growth, with a significant affordable component, in an area with a great demand for housing. City Planning’s innovative application of a traditional zoning tool will enable the transfer of development rights that ensures the preservation of light, air and views surrounding the proposed High Line open space without jeopardizing the value of surrounding property.


“The zoning will also allow for the creation of new housing, primarily along Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. The agreement to permit the use of housing financing programs in combination with inclusionary zoning will help ensure that affordable housing is built. In addition, the rezoning will allow for up to $10 million for an affordable housing fund to be used in Community Board 4.


“More than 5,500 units of housing will be constructed in the former manufacturing areas of West Chelsea that were previously off limits for residential use, and on nearby publicly owned sites, of which 22% is expected to be affordable to households with a range of incomes. These affordable units are made possible by the creative combination of inclusionary zoning bonuses, City, State, and Federal financing programs. In addition, seven major developers, who own three-quarters of the apartments in the West Chelsea rezoning area, have reached an agreement with Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union to pay employees of these new apartment buildings the prevailing wage.


“More than 200 existing units will be preserved as affordable through the extension of anti-harassment provisions. As with the Greenpoint-Williamsburg and Hudson Yards plans, we are enabling the transformation and reuse of New York’s former industrial areas and realizing our goals for new housing, and significant open spaces in each of these neighborhoods. These comprehensive plans are part of our five borough economic development strategy to provide new economic and housing opportunities throughout the City.


“I want to thank the many agencies that have partnered with us to pursue the regulatory approvals required for the transformation of the High Line. On June 13, we received the Certificate of Interim Trail Use to enable us to negotiate a trail use agreement with CSX Railroad to transform the 22-block long High Line into open space. $75 million in combined City, State, Federal and private funding for this exciting project has already been committed, enabling a groundbreaking later this year on the first section at the southern tip of the High Line. When complete, we will have an incomparable green ribbon of open space that ties together the Gansevoort District, West Chelsea and the Hudson Yards, enhancing the value and the quality of living of these west side neighborhoods, and creating a unique destination for New Yorkers and visitors to our City.


“This complex plan was put together through the cooperation of the Departments of City Planning, Housing Preservation and Development, Parks and Recreation, the Law Department, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding. I am also gratified that we were able to work constructively with the City Council to bring this project to this stage of the approval process, notably Speaker Gifford Miller, Councilmember Christine Quinn who represents the West Chelsea District, Melinda Katz, Chair of the Land Use Committee, as well as Tony Avella, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Zoning and Franchises.”



MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF HUDSON RIVER PARK’S CLINTON COVE

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today joined the Hudson River Park Trust and members of the community to celebrate the opening of Hudson River Park’s Clinton Cove. The completion of this $12.5 Million project brings a beautiful 2.2 acre park, water access and a unique public art installation to the Clinton neighborhood in Manhattan. Clinton Cove is the second major section of Hudson River Park to be opened in the past two years and signifies yet another step forward in the Trust’s mission to create a 550-acre waterfront park stretching from Battery Place to 59th Street along the Hudson River.


“Reclaiming New York’s long-neglected waterfront is one of our Administration’s central strategies for improving quality of life, producing jobs and additional housing, and creating open space in all five boroughs,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The Clinton Cove portion of Hudson River Park represents the next great step towards the completion of a beautiful five-mile stretch of recreational space that is already being enjoyed by thousands of New Yorkers each day. I would like to thank the Hudson River Park Trust for their leadership and commitment to a project that has become a model for what can be achieved along our City’s waterfront.”


“The completion of Hudson River Park’s Clinton Cove is yet another milestone in the State and City’s commitment to reconnect New Yorkers with their waterfront.” said Charles E. Dorkey, III, Chairman of the Board of the Hudson River Park Trust. “Clinton Cove with its beautiful landscaping, water access and public artwork can now be enjoyed by residents, workers, neighboring schools and visitors from the entire City. It is such a pleasure to be able to open each new section of the park, and we look forward to our next big opening in 2006 at Hudson River Park’s beautiful Pier 84.”


Named for former New York Governor Dewitt Clinton who served in the early 19th century, Clinton Cove is located between 54th and 57th Streets in the northernmost section of Hudson River Park. Formerly the City’s municipal concrete plant, Clinton Cove incorporates many spectacular features including a sweeping green lawn with trees and a striking boathouse that can accommodate kayaks, canoes and other small non-motorized vessels. Supplementing its beautiful landscaping and boating activities, the Cove has an extraordinary feature called a “get-down” which allows visitors to get closer to the water – below the level of the bulkhead – and experience the Hudson River at a more intimate scale. Clinton Cove was designed by Dattner Architects and Miceli Kulik Williams, Joint Venture, and DMJM+Harris, under the supervision of the Hudson River Park Trust’s Design and Construction Department and Skanska/McKissack.


In addition to the land and river based features, Clinton Cove includes the first permanent public sculpture commissioned as part of the development of the Hudson River Park: a site-specific art installation by artist Malcolm Cochran, “Private Passage” -- a 30’ long x 8’6” diameter wine bottle resting on its side, within which is an interpretation of a stateroom based loosely on photographs of the ocean liner R.M.S. Queen Mary. The exterior of the bottle is fabricated steel, surfaced with thermal spray zinc and bronze and finished with a traditional green patina. The interior of the bottle is fashioned from stainless steel in a monochromatic scheme evoking the look of a platinum print or black and white film still. Visitors are able to view the interior through a number of portholes along the sides, top and bottom of the bottle.


“The completion of Clinton Cove is another link in the chain of green that will soon stretch from the Battery to Inwood Hill Park,” said Commissioner Benepe. “The Hudson River Park Trust, under the leadership of Charles Dorkey and Connie Fishman, has done a wonderful job of advancing this unprecedented rebuilding of the west side waterfront for public recreation.”


“We’re thrilled to have helped bring Midtown Manhattan down to the riverside. This park – the result of a five-year collaboration with the Trust, NYC Parks, and the Community – combines landscape, park structures, public art, and water access into a seamless design.” said Richard Dattner and John Williams, speaking for Dattner Architects and Miceli Kulik Williams who partnered on the design of this project.


“As a child I sailed with my family in 1955 from NYC to Helsinki. In thinking about the form this sculpture would take, I came to realize that my memories of the trip had more to do with the interior of the ship,” said Malcolm Cochran. “This evolved into a merging of the convention of building a model of a ship in a bottle, of messages sealed in a bottle and tossed into the sea, and of a life-size stateroom equipped for a voyage for one.”


“It is wonderful to have a Percent for Art project incorporated into this magnificent waterfront site,” said Kate D. Levin, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. “As a whimsical reference to the history of the Hudson River, Malcolm Cochran’s sculpture will surprise and delight visitors of all ages.”


Hudson River Park, designed to be self-sustaining, will stretch five miles – from Battery Park to 59th Street – along the Hudson River, and will include a continuous waterside esplanade and bikeway/walkway, 13 public piers for passive and active recreation, a marine sanctuary and a variety of boating facilities, sports fields, gardens, and green lawns. Portions of the project already complete include the Greenwich Village Section (from Clarkson Street to Horatio Street) and new Courtyard Fields at Pier 40 and a continuous, 5-mile, two-way bike, skate and jogging path that runs the length of the Park.


“Private Passage” was created in participation with the New York City Percent for Art Program, which is administered through the Department of Cultural Affairs, and has commissioned and installed nearly 200 site-specific, permanent public art works throughout the five boroughs. The program requires that one percent of the budget for eligible municipal capital projects be used for funding public artworks. These can be found at public schools, parks, courthouses and other municipal facilities.



MAYOR CUTS THE RIBBON ON CHELSEA RECREATION CENTER

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today joined Congressman Jerrold Nadler, State Senator Thomas K. Duane, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner David J. Burney to cut the ribbon at the Chelsea Recreation Center, the newest center to open in the City.  Completed at a total cost of  $22.4 million, the 56,500 square-foot boasts six floors of facilities, including a swimming pool, a gymnasium with full-size basketball court, and a computer resource center.

“Today we cut the ribbon on the Chelsea Recreation Center and finish a project originally begun over 30 years ago by Mayor John Lindsay,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “After laying dormant since the fiscal crisis of the 1970’s, construction on the center has finally been completed.  The spectacular, six-floor facility will offer everything from swimming, basketball and a fitness room to classroom space and a computer lab for after school programs.  I would like to thank all those who worked so hard to see this long-awaited project come to fruition, and especially Rosemary O’Keefe, for making sure that work resumed in 2001 after the project was halted 25 years earlier.”

“The completion of this project celebrates the first recreation center to open in Manhattan in over 30 years,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Chelsea Recreation Center will soon be filled with dozens of free sports and educational programs for children and adults. As with all of the City’s recreation centers, it will be a community center as well as a fitness center—a place for New Yorkers to socialize and learn, as well as become more fit and healthy.”

“Recreation centers are focal points in community life and play an important role in the healthy development of our children,” said DDC Commissioner Burney, AIA. “At DDC we are proud of our role, and our collaboration with the Department of Parks & Recreation, in delivering this beautiful facility to the Chelsea community.”

The project was funded with $20.9 million through the Mayor’s capital budget, as well as $880,000 allocated by Council Member Christine Quinn, $357,000 allocated by Borough President Fields and an additional $250,000 in federal funds allocated by Congressman Nadler.

The history of the Chelsea Recreation Center dates back to the late 1960s, when the project was first conceived. The project went into design phase from 1970 to 1973 and construction began in 1973. The building’s exterior and support structures were completed. Construction on the center halted in 1976 and did not resume until June 2001. Designed by architecture firm Koutsomitis Architects, P.C., the center was completed by the Department of Design and Construction.

The original design, conceived more than 35 years ago, was improved by adding state-of-the-art recreational facilities. The center will feature a 25-yard, six-lane pool and gymnasium equipped with a full-court, high school regulation basketball court, as well as space for gymnastics and ballet. The pool will accommodate lifeguard training and learn-to-swim programs.  The fitness areas include space for cardiovascular equipment, aerobic classes and senior and youth programming. 
 
The center also features several locker rooms, weightlifting and aerobics rooms, after-school classrooms and a computer lab, and concession space for a café. The facility is outfitted with an elevator to accommodate all users. Above the pool are five handcrafted murals depicting aquatic life, each containing approximately 175,000 hand placed mosaic tiles donated by glass mosaic tile manufacturer Bisazza.

Annual membership to the recreation center will cost $75 for adults ages 18 to 54, $10 for seniors 55 and older, and will be free for children ages 17 and under. Membership at Chelsea Recreation Center is good at all other City recreation centers as well.

The Department of Parks & Recreation runs 36 recreation centers throughout the City, as well as 11 indoor pool and 53 outdoor pools, which include Olympic-sized, intermediate, and mini-pools. City recreation centers receive over a million visits from children and adults each year.  They offer a variety of facilities, including swimming pools, fitness equipment, weight rooms, aerobic studios, basketball courts and tracks.  Special classes, which are offered at many centers, allow members the chance to try new workout techniques or learn a new sport. All centers offer free after school programs for children that consist of arts, athletics, and academics.



MAYOR ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN OWNERS AND TENANTS OF WEST VILLAGE HOUSE

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced that an agreement in principle has been reached among the owners and tenants of West Village Houses and the City on a plan to preserve affordable housing at the 420-unit Mitchell-Lama development located between Bank, Washington, Morton and West Streets in Manhattan. The agreement calls for a tenant-sponsored, non-eviction co-operative conversion plan, where more than half the existing renters would buy their units at the time of conversion.  The plan would protect residents who might otherwise have been vulnerable to large rent increases and would allow renters to become homeowners. The owner is expected to withdraw the development from the Mitchell-Lama program at the end of the month, and the cooperative conversion is expected to occur in next 2005.

"This resolution will preserve affordable housing, relieving the anxiety that comes with a Mitchell-Lama buyout, in a neighborhood where tenants might otherwise have been priced out," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This agreement enables hundreds of New Yorkers to own their apartments and start to build equity in their homes and lets the remaining tenants stay in their apartments as renters at below-market rent.  This is consistent with the goals of our housing plan, which will build or rehabilitate 65,000 units of affordable housing in New York City, while at the same time balancing the needs of tenants and building owners and to create homeownership opportunities citywide." 

"Preserving the City's stock of middle income housing is crucial to making New York more livable for our hard-working families and more attractive to new businesses," said Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Shaun Donovan. "This agreement also ensures that low-income families at West Village Houses do not face overwhelming rent increases thanks to an innovative subsidy fund."

"This is the American dream come true for homesteaders of the old West Village," said Katy Bordonaro, President of the West Village Houses Tenants' Association. "With today's announcement, we are free from the looming nightmare of skyrocketing rents and displaced families.  We're thrilled that this carefully balanced deal will keep affordable housing at affordable prices.  Thank you Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Donovan for making this possible."  

"I am proud to be part of this historic win-win-win resolution that accommodates the needs and concerns of the tenants of West Village Houses, the owner and the City of New York," said Jeffrey Cohen, a principal of Island Capital Group, which is the general partner of the owner of the property.  "The tenant leadership demonstrated remarkable tenacity and resolve by engaging in a constructive dialogue over the past two years under trying circumstances.  I thank Mayor Bloomberg and I especially commend the vision and creativity of Commissioner Shaun Donovan and the HPD team for the innovative solutions they developed to help make this tenant-sponsored conversion plan possible."

Under the terms of the Mitchell-Lama statute, owners may buy out of the program after 20 years by paying off their government mortgages and some may then increase rents to market levels.  Without this agreement, rents at West Village Houses could have tripled from current levels.  The process of buying out is often mired in conflict as tenants face uncertain rent burdens, and owners are often embroiled in costly and time-consuming litigation before they can buy out of the program.  This agreement will end almost two years of litigation between the tenants and owner of West Village Houses.

The owner has agreed to sell the development to the tenants at a discount to its fair market value and to make other concessions.  To facilitate the agreement, the City has agreed to forgive approximately $19 million of interest that has accrued on the City's mortgage loan.  The City will recommend to the City Council that it approve an Article 11 tax exemption for the development for twelve years during which the tax abatement will continue at its current level.  The purchase prices to tenants for the units and monthly maintenance costs will be set at a level that encourages home ownership.  Rents for tenants who do not buy their units will increase to cover increased expenses associated with the purchase of the development, but the increases will be far less than those contemplated at the beginning of the process.  There will also be an internal subsidy fund created to ensure that low-income tenants do not face overwhelming rent increases.  Thus, the City, the owner and the tenants - both buyers and non-buyers - will all contribute to the success of this historic agreement.

In October 2003, Mayor Bloomberg announced proposed state legislation to protect more than 32,000 households in Mitchell-Lama housing from large rent increases and possible displacement in the event that the owners of their buildings.  It passed the Assembly by an overwhelming margin on April 1st and is pending in the Senate Housing Committee.  This bill is a top priority of the Administration, which continues to work closely with the State Senate to ensure its passage.  In addition, the Mayor announced in March 2004 an agreement between the owners and tenants of Independence Plaza North (IPN) on a plan to keep rents affordable at the 1,332-unit Mitchell-Lama development in Lower Manhattan.  The agreement calls for a rent structure for when the development leaves the Mitchell-Lama program, which protects residents from large rent increases.  The IPN agreement differs from West Village Houses in that IPN will continue as a rental development after the owner buys-out of the Mitchell-Lama program, and West Village will become a tenant-sponsored co-operative.

 Through the Mitchell-Lama program, a portfolio of 140,000 units of both rental and co-op housing was developed, which was divided between State and City supervision.  To date, 46 Mitchell-Lama developments with 17,700 units have bought out.  The pressure to buyout is greatest when Mitchell-Lama's are located in high market areas.  In addition to West Village Houses and Independence Plaza North, there are buyouts pending at the following Mitchell-Lama developments:  City-sponsored - Cooper Gramercy, Lands End I, New Amsterdam, Riverside Park Community, and Bethune Tower, all in Manhattan, Ocean Park Apartments and Court Plaza in Queens, and University Riverview in the Bronx.  State-sponsored - Central Park Gardens, Roosevelt Hospital, Metro North, Schomberg Plaza, UPACA I and II, and East 106th Street in Manhattan and Sea Park East and Sea Park West in Brooklyn.



Liz Krueger sends word from Albany on the State of the Budget and attempts at Reform

Message from Liz . . .

On the Web at www.lizkrueger.com

The legislative process of our state has certain rhythms. March and April tend to be a period of waiting, as the “three men in a room” either negotiate or refuse to negotiate the state budget. While we are waiting, I and my Democratic Senate colleagues try to take advantage of some of the legislatures procedures as a way of highlighting issues that are important, but that are being ignored by the Republican majority. One key procedure is called a motion to petition, which allows a member to petition the Senate as a whole for a vote on legislation stalled in committee. This year, the rules only permit motions to petition between March 22nd and April 1st, and only permit one motion a day, which imposes an effective maximum on the number of petitions, so we have to strategize about what issues to bring up.



This year there were seven session days in the motion to petition period, so my colleagues and I forced discussion – albeit limited discussion – of seven bills that were buried in committee. When I say limited discussion, I mean it – only the sponsor of the bill is allowed to speak on a motion to petition, and only for five minutes. The majority members generally leave the chamber for the duration of the petition process. Since the majority always schedules motions to petition at the end of the day, many legislators decide to start their evening early rather than listening to, or participating in, a discussion of the issues facing our state. Also, since only yes votes are recorded on the petition, the individual senators from the majority are able to avoid having a vote recorded against legislation that they have told their constituents they support.



So why go to all the trouble? Really there are two reasons. First, going through the process helps highlight the absurdity of our legislative rules, which are so clearly designed to minimize substantive debate on the issues. Second, motions to petition brings attention in the press and to the public to issues of critical importance to our state that are being ignored by the State Senate.



This year I introduced motions to petition on two of my bills, lobbying reform and the expansion of the bottle bill. Among the bills my colleagues petitioned for included an increase in the minimum wage, legislation allowing pharmacies to sell emergency contraception without a prescription, and legislation establishing a code of conduct for gun manufacturers to reduce trafficking in illegal firearms. I was pleased that our goal of drawing attention to these issues seems to be working – the New York Daily News covered the minimum wage vote, and the New York Times discussed the lobbying bill in their editorial series “Fixing Albany.” I am hopeful that this and other publicity will help encourage the Senate majority to address these important issues.



Obviously, motions to petition represent a relatively minor challenge to the Albany power structure. However, given the extremely limited possibilities for minority participation in our legislative process, they are an important way to broaden the debate in Albany.


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State Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Dick Gottfried
Present a
SENIOR/HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY FORUM:
"MEDICARE CHANGES: WHAT THEY MEAN TO YOU"


**How Medicare Discount Drug Cards Work**

**Being a Good Consumer**

**EPIC and the New Law**

**Advocating for Change**


Date: Thursday, May 13th
Time: 2pm –4pm
Place: Community Church of New York,
40 East 35th Street b/t Park and Madison

Call (212) 490-9535 for further information

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Community Spotlight




April is National Donate Life Month:

The New York Alliance for Donation is building awareness of the importance of organ donation. Nationally, the current waiting list for organs has reached 84,000. In New York , there are approximately 8,000 people awaiting transplants. One way to ensure that more lives are saved is for all New Yorkers to make the decision to enroll in New York’s Donor Registry. Currently 765,000 New Yorkers have enrolled in the Donor Registry. For more information, or to sign up for the registry, call 1-866-NYDONOR (1-866-693-6667) or visit the New York State Health Department on the web at http://www.health.state.ny.us and click on the “Life Pass It On” logo.



Free Tax Assistance Available:

Eviction Intervention Services and Community Food Resource Center are each offering Free Tax Assistance to eligible individuals. Eviction Intervention Services offers assistance to seniors every Tuesday through April 13th from 10:00am to 1:30pm. They are located at 150 East 62nd Street between Lexington and Third Avenue. Walk-ins are welcome, or call 212-308-2210 for more information. Community Food Resource Center offers assistance to individuals with incomes below $35,000 if they have dependent children, and below $15,000 for individuals without dependent children. Their midtown location is at the 1199SEIU office, 330 West 42nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, on the 9th Floor. Hours are Monday to Thursday 4pm-8pm, and Saturday 10am-6pm. No appointment is necessary. Call 1-866-924-3759 for more information.



LEGAL BOUND Summer Junior High and High School Intern Program:

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is accepting applications for its Legal Bound Summer Internship Program. Students between the ages of 14 and 17 (or 18 if still in high school) with an interest in the law are encouraged to apply. Applicants should send a resume and an essay explaining their interest in the law to The Community Affairs Unit, New York County District Attorneys Office, One Hogan Place, Room 824, New York NY 10013. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 16, 2004. For further information, call the District Attorney’s Office at (212) 335-9082.

“Youth Serving Youth” Scholarships Available to High School Senior Women:

The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) and the Christian Science Monitor are offering a $2500 scholarship for a college bound young woman who is graduating from high school and has made a significant contribution to the well-being of young people in her community. The criteria for the award include outstanding volunteer or paid service work that promotes the welfare of young people or demonstrates leadership in creating a new approach, program, strategy or initiative that benefits them. The application deadline for consideration is June 30, 2004. To obtain an application or for more information, visit the NFWL on the web at http://www.womenlegislators.org/scholarships, or call them at (202) 293-3040 ext. 1006.

Learn about Broadband and Technology Development at the “Intelligent Communities” Conference:

On June 10th and 11th, the Intelligent Community Conference will take place at the Marriot Financial Center in Lower Manhattan. The conference will explore the possibilities for collaboration between government and the private sector in building “Intelligent Communities” that treat Internet bandwidth as an essential utility for creating prosperity and bridging the Digital Divide between poor and wealthy communities. New York City was named “Intelligent Community of the Year” in 2001. For more information on the conference, visit http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/html/ICCA2004.html on the web.
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Spotlight on Policy

Update on Budget Reform



I am pleased to report that the Joint Legislative Conference Committee on Budget Reform has agreed on a substantial reform package. While the package is not perfect, and has a long way to go before it becomes law, I believe this is a significant step toward reform. It includes a number of ideas that I have long supported, including the creation of an independent budget office, a reduction in the use of off-budget accounts, long term financial planning, and more detailed reporting of state spending.

The principles of the agreement are as follows:

An amendment to Article VII of the Constitution would contain the following provisions:
Provide for a contingency budget that would continue the previous year’s spending if a budget is not in place at the start of the State fiscal year. If expenditures are projected to exceed revenues, the Legislature is authorized to reduce spending.
Create additional reserve funds to provide funding for ensuring school aid payments and a contingency reserve (which could be used to close fiscal year gaps or supplement the next fiscal years’ budget).
Provide for two supplemental multiple appropriations bills after a contingency budget is in effect.
Provide for a January 15th submission of the Executive Budget, except in the year following a gubernatorial election (February 1st).
Reduce from 30 days to 21 days the time that the governor can amend her/his budget.
Constitutional amendments must be approved by two sessions of the legislature, and by a vote of the general electorate in a statewide referendum.

Additional legislation to reform the budget process would include the following provisions:
Change the start of the fiscal year from April 1 to May 1.
Provide for two year funding of education aid.
Require Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) funding be included in the budget.
Provide for detailed three year financial plans.
Provide additional financial plan reporting to include cash flows, technology purchases, journal transfers, etc.
Create an Independent Budget Office (IBO) that is empowered to issue a binding revenue forecast if consensus cannot be reached by the legislature. The Executive Director of the IBO would be appointed by the Senate Majority Leader and the Assembly Speaker and can be removed by joint action of the Majority Leader and Speaker.
Require agency budgets to be made available to the public at the time of the Executive Budget hearings.
Taken together, I believe these reforms would represent a significant step towards the creation of a more rational, open, and accountable budget process. The success of the conference committee in putting together this package is also unprecedented in the recent history of the legislature. I will keep you informed of the progress of this package through the legislative process.


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Media Spotlight

Check out the following links to read articles that I have been featured in throughout the last month:

New York Times Fixing Albany Editorial Series – Countdown to Reform

Gotham Gazette - Affordable Housing in 2004 - Joe Lamport

New York Newsday & Miami Herald - Merger Prompts Layoff Fears; New York City Officials Wonder if Bank of America Will Keep Vow to Add Jobs - Pradnya Joshi

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle - Empire Zone Oversight Revisited; State Senator's Measure Would Require Stiffer Rules on Tax Breaks - David Tyler

Legislative Gazette - Hunger Action Network Sets up Soup Kitchen Outside Capitol - Conor Higgins

Legislative Gazette - Senate OKs Bills Aimed at Curbing Terrorism - Zach Church

New York Newsday - Minority Legislators Contend Senate Leader's Remarks Insensitive - Joel Stashenko

New York Times - Privacy Fears Erode Support for a Network to Fight Crime - John Schwartz

Education Update - Gambling with Destiny: Rethinking New York State’s Funding Priorities - Liz Krueger



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District Office: 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 1300
New York NY 10017
(212) 490-9535 Fax: (212) 490-2151

Albany Office: Room 302, Legislative Office Bldg.
Albany NY 12247
(518) 455-2297 Fax: (518) 426-6874

On the Web at www.lizkrueger.com



City Planning: Proposed West Chelsea Rezoning

The New York City Department of City Planning has proposed a rezoning of the West Chelsea area in…Manhattan. The area is bounded generally by Tenth and Eleventh Avenues from West 30th Street south to West 16th Street. The rezoning would create the Special West Chelsea District to provide opportunities for new residential and commercial development, facilitate the reuse of the High Line elevated rail line as a unique linear open space, and enhance the neighborhood’s thriving art gallery district.

Currently zoned primarily for light manufacturing and commercial uses, the proposed Special West Chelsea District would permit residential development along Tenth and Eleventh Avenues and on some of the midblocks, outside of the core of the neighborhood’s art gallery district. Proposed regulations governing building height and setback would respond to the unique features of West Chelsea, including the neighborhood’s many early 20th century loft buildings, the adjacent Chelsea Historic District, and the Hudson River waterfront.

The proposed reuse of the High Line as an elevated open space is a critical component of the rezoning. To encourage preservation of light and air around the High Line, the proposal would allow development rights to be transferred from the High Line to designated receiving sites within the Special District. New development along Tenth Avenue, adjacent to the High Line, would also be subject to a series of building bulk and use controls to encourage connections to the High Line and the preservation of light, air and views. Finally, the existing manufacturing zoning would be retained in the core of the art gallery district, along the midblocks north of West 20th Street and south of West 26th Street, to help ensure the continued vitality of the galleries…



Homepage of the Community Gazette for District 3










THE OFFICIAL WORD
FOR DISTRICT 3

Mayor Praises West Chelsea Rezoning
(Jun 21, 2005)

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF HUDSON RIVER PARK’S CLINTON COVE
(May 19, 2005)

MAYOR CUTS THE RIBBON ON CHELSEA RECREATION CENTER
(Jun 01, 2004)

MAYOR ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN OWNERS AND TENANTS OF WEST VILLAGE HOUSE
(May 20, 2004)

Liz Krueger sends word from Albany on the State of the Budget and attempts at Reform
(Apr 17, 2004)

City Planning: Proposed West Chelsea Rezoning
(Nov 01, 2003)

Sites of Interest from Collegester:
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