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September 15, 2011
Downtown Brooklyn economic development czar stepping down for state job
The Brooklyn Blog (NYPost.com)
by Rich Calder
The head of the development corporation created by Mayor Bloomberg to spur economic development in Downtown Brooklyn is leaving for a top-ranking job at the Empire State Development Corp., sources said today.
Joe Chan, president of the public-private Downtown Brooklyn Partnership since its inception in 2006, had been making $220,000 annually but recently took a pay cut to slightly below $180,000 to reflect the current economic downturn, sources said.
...The Partnership is also now running the Fulton Mall, Court-Livingston-Schermerhorn and Metro Tech business improvement districts.
However, Comptroller John Liu ripped the Partnership in a recent audit for keeping shoddy payroll records, poorly documenting private donations and snubbing competitive-bidding laws. The Partnership has denied the findings.
Related coverage...
Atlantic Yards Report, Post: Atlantic Yards booster Joe Chan to leave Downtown Brooklyn Partnership for ESDC
Assuming Chan will have a top job under CEO Kenneth Adams, that would make two Atlantic Yards-supporting Brooklynites at the top of the agency overseeing Atlantic Yards.
The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, presumably influenced by Mayor Mike Bloomberg and member Forest City Ratner, has been a reliable cheerleader for Atlantic Yards, and once was (and perhaps still is) under investigation by the state Attorney General's office for improper lobbying.
Posted by eric at September 15, 2011 11:44 AM