New York Development Wiki
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How To Use This Page
When a Brian Lehrer Show producer works on a segment, there are a number of steps. You'll see some basic ones below on which you can collaborate. You'll be working on the various segments we're producing for our week-long look at development in NYC. (We have another wiki set up for development in New Jersey) Here are a few tips for using this wiki and making a good prep:
1) Keep it focused. The final prep needs to be easily read on the air and facilitate discussion by the guests.
2) Put your name (or, if you'd prefer, just your initials) next to your contributions so that we can credit you on the air!
And, a reminder from Brian Lehrer: "A wiki is a collaboration, not a debate. Work together with people you agree with and people you don’t to shape a segment that addresses the questions and concerns of all interested parties and the public at large. This is pretty experimental for talk radio. But we believe that the wisdom of the crowd can help produce more thorough, more balanced coverage than any professional journalists can do without you!"
Note from reader: I didn't see any of this used in the first week except from Amy Eddings. Is this a genuine request for input, or just a symbolic gesture to appear web savvy and new age?
Angles
What are the basic angles to explore in this segment, from left, right or other? When we think of Development in NYC, what's at stake? We've provided a few basic areas of inquiry below. Feel free to add your thoughts or create your own categories.
Eminent Domain
On October 14 there is an argument on eminent domain in the state's high court, the Court of Appeals. The plaintiffs are homeowners, business owners, residential and commercial tenants who are fighting the Empire State Development Corporation from seizing their properties for developer Forest City Ratner and Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov's Atlantic Yards project.
The case is a landmark case whichever way it goes. There is more information about it at: http://www.dddb.net/eminentdomain
Rezoning New York: Industrial, Commercial and Residential Development
How does the city determine what kind of number value is to be put on the redevelopment of property for projected tax revenues? How do they justify the tremendous short-term loss of taxes generated by the products and services supplied by locally situated manufacturing and transportation businesses, such as those lost by rezonings in the chop shop and food manufacturing area of Willets Point, or the until-very-recently shipping terminals in the Brooklyn Heights/Piers areas where they are planning residential condos and a park? Is there any way to develop interim or piecemeal growth instead of just wiping out what value might be there presently, no matter how ugly that might be, as opposed to turning whole areas into construction zones without end in sight and no access by the public or revenue generated? How much has the city lost in manufacturing compared to what we've gained?
Pratt Center for Community Studies, May 2008: http://prattcenter.net/map/industrial-land-squeeze
Related Stories: City Industries Feel Squeeze as Rezoning Attracts Developers (NY Daily News)
Rezoning of Jamaica Hurts Small Business
Rezoning Trims Zone of Brooklyn Pyrotechnic Biz
Bitter Aftertaste for Willets Point Business
Port Morris Biz Fills Knead in Bronx
Atlantic Yards
Mayor Bloomberg's support, no matter what [1]
The ESDC's evasions [2]
The orchestrated timing of the Prokhorov deal [3]
Affordable Housing
The Bronx is Burning (Again) The problem of multifamily foreclosures of rent-stabilized residential buildings is one advocates already see as out of control. The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board has found seven portfolios of buildings that were foreclosed, or are in the process of foreclosure, within a 2.5 mile radius in the Bronx. Here are notes from our research:
Robern Fulton Terrace/Fordham Towers – 487 apts, foreclosure was started in May 2009, 2 buildings
1520 Sedgewick Apartments – 100 units, not in foreclosure yet, one building
Hunter Property Management – 260 apts, not in foreclosure yet, 6 buildings
Ocelot – 521 units, foreclosure was started in February 2009, 19 buildings
Pinnacle Portfolio– 485 units, not in foreclosure yet, 6 buildings
Millbank – 548 units, foreclosure was started in March 2009, 10 buildings
Normandy Portfolio – 223 units, not in foreclosure yet, 3 buildings
Reporters have covered the trend, but we have yet to see any solutions to stem the tide. Even though Sen. Charles Schumer and other electeds officials have stepped in to prevent the open market auction of these buildings - which could leave tenants in even worse conditions - we have seen no plan or ready made solution coming down the pike. The real scale of the problem is far beyond what most of us expected, and has far outsized the kind of solutions many are thinking of. At best, it's a major crisis, and at worst, we're afraid the next decade may look a lot like the 70's did in the Bronx. (jw. UHAB) Good interviews might be reporter Dan Massey from Crain's Business, Dina Levy from UHAB, or Tom Waters from CSSNY.
News Articles:
May 28, 2009 – Tenants hold Harlem Protest over Poor Conditions – WNYC
June 1, 2009 – Seeking Fannie’s help before conditions worsen – City Limits
June 22, 2009 -Foreclosure Threat Looms over Thousands of City. Gotham Gazette
July 14, 2009 - Struggling Landlords Leaving Repairs Undone. New York Times
July 20, 2009 – Mortgage Crisis hits Landlords, Tenants – 7Online.com
July 27, 2009 Mortgage Default: Landlord Edition – Mother Jones
July 27, 2009 How to structure a good purchase of bad debt – City Limits
August 7, 2009 Fannie Mae Cancels Auction of Bronx Buildings – NY Times City Room
August 7, 2009 Fannie Mae Backs off Auction of Bronx. buildings – Crain’s
August 16, 2009 Bronx is Burning over Failed Deals – Crain’s New York
Bloomberg Misses His Mark Affordable housing creation has been halted by construction costs and other factors - but not only has the city failed to meet the projected 64,400 units of new affordable housing - more and more housing has been destabilized by harrassement, evictions, and foreclosures. {How much has the city lost in total? It would be great to have a think tank like NEDAP speak on this.} Articles:
NY Times on Stalled Affordable Housing http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/nyregion/06housing.html
World Trade Center
Dear Brian:
Regarding the World Trade Center, I would like to solicit comments on two recent items that were in the news.
In 2009, two “Terrorism” investigations were announced.
An independent team of scientists claimed to have unearthed startling data from debris gathered after the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. In a scholarly study which appeared in The Open Chemical Physics Journal, Feb. 2009, Vol. II -- a peer-reviewed, scientific publication -- Steven E. Jones and Niels Harrit level a stark allegation: that within the dust and rubble of the World Trade Center towers lays evidence of nano-thermite, “a highly engineered explosive,” a finding contrary to all federal reports on the catastrophe….
In September 2009, federal prosecutors alleged that 24-year-old suspect Najibullah Zazi learned how to make bombs at an al-Qaida training camp, and was purchasing beauty supplies – “hydrogen peroxide and nail-polish remover” -- to blow up New York City commuter trains….
The earlier announcement received very little coverage in main stream American news media. And, no actions were taken by authorities to re-open the 911 investigation, based on this potential “Smoking Gun.”
If al-Qaida relies on beauty supplies to wreak havoc and destruction, then who planted nano-thermite at the World Trade Center in 2001? Comon folks, I'd really appreciate a discussion of these issues by any intelligent, thinking people out there!
Sincerely, Robert Salant
Historic Preservation/Landmarks
Can Volunteers Maintain a Million Trees & Can We Afford Not to Maintain Them w/o Public Funding?
"How can communities fight to preserve neighborhood character against out of control development?"
You could look back at the Williamsburg/Greenpoint rezoning, which is four years old this year. [4]">. On WNYC a couple of months ago the NYT architecture critic said that Williamsburg had been "ruined." You could also look at this story [5]"> about neighborhood activists who are continuing the fight. I think development issues and rezoning make people feel so helpless and they probably have good reason to feel that way. But it is good to also look at how communities can become empowered to fight out-of-control development, and what forces prevent them from doing so. (Disclaimer--I am producing the Nada Surf and TMBG concert mentioned in the piece. But--I could help you have them on the show if you like. They have an interesting perspective, being "hipsters" but also involved community members who have lived in the neighborhood for fifteen-plus years.)[mh/actlocal15@gmail.com]
Candidate Positions
What have Bloomberg, Thompson, and the other candidates done or said in regards to this issue? What can serve as instructive examples for us to highlight on the show? Do the candidates' actions match their words?
Landmarks
Thompson participated in a breakfast forum on historic preservation and neighborhood planning issues in August 2009 (co-sponsored by LANDMARK WEST!, Historic Districts Council, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Municipal Art Society and New York Landmarks Conservancy). His comments are available at [6]. Mayor Bloomberg declined to participate in 2009 and in 2005, though he did participate in a 2001 forum on these issues. Quotes from his 2001 forum are available at [7]. To understand how Mayor Bloomberg's actions match his words, read Robin Pogrebin's 2008 series of investigative articles in the New York Times at [8] and the follow-up New York Times editorial at [9].
Eminent Domain
Kathy Wylde is a scheduled guest on the eminent domain segment.
Please note that there is a question about whether Kathy has done her homework with respect to things she has previously said (and we have previously written about). Kathy has said, and we have contradicted, that those against whom eminent domain is used are fully compensated. Kathy has also advocated using eminent domain where there won’t be any net benefit to the public, in fact where there will be net loss, case in point being the (conservatively calculated) projected $220 million net loss to the city, according to the city’s Independent Budget Office. For starters to see what we have written about Kathy with links to more see:
Saturday, September 19, 2009 Really Wylde? New NY Federal Reserve Bank Director Supported Major NYC Net Loss ($220 Million) Megadevelopment
See also: Monday, July 6, 2009 Wylde Ideas, Making For a Wrong Partnership
Monty Burns for Mayor
Did you know there is a satyrical NYC mayoral campaign run by a group of artists called The Concerned New Yorkers For Monty Burns Coalition. Their candidate is the venerable simpsons character, Charles Montgomery Burns.
Dear New Yorker,
As you already know, the mayoral race is heating up and we need your help more than ever. Charles Montgomery Burns is running on a visionary platform that will revitalize our city, improve our daily lives and put an end to the status quo once and for all. We cannot afford another eight years of lies, corruption and incompetence. We need change. Real change. Join us this November and vote Charles Montgomery Burns for Mayor of New York, the real independent candidate.
Please visit our website BurnsForMayor.com Join us on Facebook And spread the word!
Vote Burns November Third and Help Monty's Millions Beat Bloomy's Billions!
~Concerned New Yorkers for Monty Burns Coalition
Audio Clips to Use
Are there any audio clips out there that we should include? Or particular music we should include? Be specific.
On the radio clips I would use: The mayor's comments when he signed his term limits extension. He rambled but expressed the idea that he needed a third term because people were opposing him on development. (He was inaccurate to imply that communities have adaquate "INPUT.")
This is what we wrote about it including what he said:
The Atlantic Yards megadevelopment may have more to do with Bloomberg’s desire to own the future than one might have thought when Bloomberg proclaimed his goal of a third term. After the public finished speaking at the bill signing hearing, Mr. Bloomberg unfolded his arms to announce that he was going to sign the bill. In his brief statement before signing, his reasons for signing the bill included the following:
Bloomberg: “You know that I have fundamentally changed my opinion in terms of how long someone should be in office. I have not changed my opinion in terms of the value of term limits. I have made a commitment that I will appoint a charter review commission* to look at the issue of whether two or three terms is appropriate and to put on the ballot the ability for the public to either reaffirm what we have today or to change. There is no easy answer and nobody is irreplaceable, but I do think that if you take a look at the real world, of how long it takes to do things; we live in a litigious society, we live in a society where we have real democracy and lots of people have the ability to INPUT their views and approve or disapprove projects. I just think that three terms makes more sense than two. . . . I feel that this time the public should have a choice and while I still am in favor of term limits it is seriously something that everyone should think long and hard about.”
For Affordable Housing: If you can get it, Shaun Donovan made a speech on April 21, 2009 HUD that made mention of the multifamily foreclosures and includes the following: "We have had far too many unscrupulous financial institutions, brokers, and others that led folks down the wrong paths when it comes to lending, and that have taken away the American Dream for many families...". Also Sen. Chuck Schumer has made several press conferences including one covered by WNYC, about efforts by his office to stop Fannie Mae from their abandonment and flipping of debt on multifamily rentals that (UHAB thinks) should continue to be rent-protected. (See news article links above.)
Another good clip might be from Bloomberg's original "New Housing Marketplace" announcements back in December, 2002, which promised to create some 64,420 units of housing. It would be good to have a specialist offer forth the information about de-stabilized affordable units lost. Tom Waters of CSSNY might be good for that.
See: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Remembering; Not Forgetting in Chinatown http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/11/remembering-not-forgetting-in-chinatown.html
Links to Research Materials
Do you have any readings, videos or any other relevant material to recommend?
Affordable Housing:
Center for an Urban Future - March 2008 - "Affordable Housing Gaps in High Cost Urban Areas" http://www.nycfuture.org/content/articles/article_view.cfm?article_id=1181&article_type=0
What Else?
Use this space to offer any other suggestions or ideas that may not fit into the above categories.
Subway Emergency Exit Alarms
Can we please have a discussion about the alarms that are set off when people open the service gates in the subway? Every day, without fail, this alarm is tripped as I exit the subway and there is zero enforcement to prevent this. What is the point of an alarm if violators are met with complete impunity?
Bloombergian development
For a great overview of a lot that is going in terms of Bloombergian NYC development (or development failures) and how interrelated the concerns can all be see:
Monday, February 23, 2009 UN-FUNNY VALENTINES ARRIVING LATE: YOUR COMMUNITY INTERESTS AT HEART
Or here is a follow-up: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Getting Bloomberg Out of The Way to Honor Moynihan
Coney Island
Bloomberg no doubt hopes that his recent announcement about the Coney Island Aquarium shark tank will serve to distract attention from the fact that his administration just forced through a plan that is assuredly calculated to destroy the adjoining Coney Island amusement area. See: Wednesday, July 1, 2009,Noticing New York’s Testimony at Today's City Council Hearing on Coney Island, Tuesday, July 14, 2009,City’s Coney Island Plan: Our Skepticism of Times Editorial Credulity, Wednesday, July 15, 2009,The Jane Jacobs Way for Coney Island, Friday, July 10, 2009,This is the Coney Island the Bloomberg Administration Doesn’t Want the City to Have!.
Upzoning in Downtown Brooklyn and Harlem
Also worth noting are two similarly themed documenaries on upzoing, "Some Place Like Home" about the Downtown Brooklyn rezoning and the "125th Street Rezoing" about the "river to river" upzoing in Harlem. The adminstration is also now moving forward to take actions that will probaly spell the end of the Garment Center in Manhattan. The two documentaries provide unflattering portraits of the Bloomberg amdinstration including, similarly, a fair amount of deception. They also discuss ways in which it is turning out that there are unanticipated consequnces to the upzonings. Landlords are now trying to lure evicted tenents back into their former spaces. Unfortunately, some of those tenents succumbed economically when they were evicted.
Bloomberg's Refusal to Comply With and Enforce the Law
The mayor has consistently refused to obey laws with which he disagrees, or have the police enforce them. Some examples:
Schools -
- The Administrative Code requires unobstructed exits, yet in many (most) schools entrances / exits are blocked by various "security" features, such as large "teachers" desks.
- The code prohibits "smoke stop doors" leading to stairs from being held open except by someone actually passing through the doorway.
- The code prohibits "smoke stop doors" in hallways from being held open except with certain equipment that automatically releases the door if the fire alarm or a local smoke detector is operated.
Parks -
- Almost all vehicular signs violate section 1680 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (V&TL), and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). In addition, many parking regulations violate V&TL section 1683 (8).
Transportation -
- Circular bus stop signs violate V&TL section 1680.
- Street signs placed by Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) typically violate V&TL 1680.
- The signage in the new mini-malls at Times Square and Herald Square also violate section 1680.
- The yellow period of traffic signals violate federal and state standards. In some cases, it is actually impossible for an average driver to stop before the light turns red!
Any one of these items would be interesting, but taken together with the Administration's refusal to even address the issues is a sign of utter contempt for the law and the public. It's a statement of "my way or no way."
== Is Bloomberg the Berlusconi of NYC? ==
With the risk of sounding conspiratorial, I have noticed a lot of "fluff" pieces on the mayor in most NYC newspapers. Just as an example, a recent NYT piece served to point out that Mike is just an ordinary guy who loves hotdogs and, as a result, battles with his weight. Really, is that news? I am not arguing that the mayor is bribing editorial staff, but simply that he is so powerful that he gets receives a pass from really hard-hitting journalism. I think this would be a great and provocative segment and you could easily get experts to argue it from both sides. Thanks! Sarah in NYC.
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