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August 15, 2007
Easy Does It for Pat Foye
Spitzer’s downstate chair of the Empire State Development Corporation is taking his time on the likes of Moynihan Station and Atlantic Yards. And, please, call him ‘Pat’
The NY Observer
By Matthew Schuerman
Governor Spitzer's appointee for Downstate Chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation explains why he's been pretty hands-off with Atlantic Yards and what's in store for the "Atlantic Yards Community":
THE ONE PROJECT THAT HAS NOT received the Foye treatment is the one that a sizable percentage of New Yorkers would like to see seriously gut-renovated: Atlantic Yards. Mr. Foye has previously explained to reporters that he has not taken as hands-on an approach with the Brooklyn complex as he has with Javits and Moynihan because it is further along, and because it is more of a development by Forest City Ratner Companies than by the state.
The project’s critics counter, however, that state and city taxpayers are contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in direct grants and tax benefits. In addition, Empire State Development is trying to invoke eminent domain to take people’s property and will actually own the entire 22-acre footprint, leasing the parcels to Forest City for a few dollars, according to the General Project Plan approved in December.
Mr. Foye has proposed some oversight, especially after a parapet atop one building collapsed while asbestos workers were doing preparatory demolition work in April. However, of several oversight measures proposed in May, Mr. Foye acknowledges that only two have been undertaken so far. Empire State Development has met with public officials once in a group and seven other times with individual officials or community groups, according to the agency. Also, it has met twice with an “interagency working group.”
“They have been responsive to a certain degree, more responsive than the previous administration. That’s for sure,” said City Council Member Letitia James, an Atlantic Yards opponent. “They give the appearance that they want to address [our] concerns but there has been no follow-up.”
Mr. Foye said it is a “short-term priority” to determine whether to request formal bids for an “owner’s rep,” a firm that would represent the state on construction matters. As for an ombudsman to hear community complaints about the construction, he expects to hire one by the end of September.
NoLandGrab: From the outside looking in, it's really hard to tell if any of these changes have made a difference. Sure, it's nice to get a heads-up when your neighborhood is about to be steamrolled.
UPDATE:
The following clarification was issued by The NY Observer.
CLARIFICATION:
An article in the Aug. 20 Observer stated that Patrick Foye, downstate chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, said he “has not taken as hands-on an approach” with Atlantic Yards as with the Javits Convention Center and Moynihan Station projects. Mr. Foye has said that he has taken a different approach, as explained elsewhere in the article, but has not characterized it as any less vigorous.
Posted by lumi at August 15, 2007 7:14 AM