In my coverage of the July 22 community information session sponsored by the Empire State Development Corporation, I did not report on Forest City Ratner executive MaryAnne Gilmartin's explanation that interim surface parking--including 1044 spaces on the southeast block of the project site--would be extended well beyond arena-goers.
Moderator Craig Hammerman read a question: "Will the interim surface parking lots be used only for arena uses? If not, who else will have access to them and at what times of day?"
"They're available for the arena and they also will be managed by a third-party parking provider," Gilmartin responded. "The expectation is that, if there's demand for that parking that could be satisfied through making it available to the public, that would be the plan. So, again, at arena event nights, the parking would be targeted for arena use, but again there are many other hours and many other periods of the year when that parking could be and would be made available to others."
(Videography by Jonathan Barkey)
From the Response to Comments
The Response to Comments document provided to ESDC board members before their September 17 vote to re-approve the project, explained:
Moderator Craig Hammerman read a question: "Will the interim surface parking lots be used only for arena uses? If not, who else will have access to them and at what times of day?"
"They're available for the arena and they also will be managed by a third-party parking provider," Gilmartin responded. "The expectation is that, if there's demand for that parking that could be satisfied through making it available to the public, that would be the plan. So, again, at arena event nights, the parking would be targeted for arena use, but again there are many other hours and many other periods of the year when that parking could be and would be made available to others."
(Videography by Jonathan Barkey)
From the Response to Comments
The Response to Comments document provided to ESDC board members before their September 17 vote to re-approve the project, explained:
As discussed in the Technical Memorandum, under the MGPP, up to 100 of the 350 parking spaces planned for the Arena block would instead be accommodated on Block 1129. This would bring the number of parking spaces on Block 1129 to approximately 1,044 at the end of Phase I.Another comment:
Private operators could increase the capacity of the interim surface parking lots above what was analyzed in the FEIS to accommodate park-and-ride or construction worker demand.The response:
The MGPP [Modified General Project Plan] does not change the manner in which the on-site parking spaces will be used, with the exception of the relocation of 100 parking spaces from the Arena block to Block 1129.... The MGPP relocates 100 parking spaces from the Arena block to Block 1129, increasing the size of the parking lot on Block 1129 to 1,044 spaces. As the Technical Memorandum concluded, this change to the size of the parking lot on Block 1129 is not expected to result in significant adverse impacts that were not previously identified in the FEIS. There is no park-and-ride programmed under the MGPP for any of the parking lots on the Project Site.So, if it's not programmed, is it thus banned? Or would it be made available to satisfy demand during "many other hours and many other periods of the year"?
I & others have noted in testimony to the ESDC that there would be nothing to keep each parking space from being mechanized with lifts like you see all over Manhattan. That would not have been possible in the underground residential parking as originally specified back in 2006!
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