Five months later, there's still time (until end of September) for Atlantic Yards CDC to "meet quarterly" and ask about project timetable
The Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation (AY CDC), according to a June 2014 document from Empire State Development establishing it, "shall meet not less than quarterly."
So, even though it's been five months--nearly two quarters--since the last meeting in March, which was the second meeting in 2018--there's still time, until the end of September, to meet that overall requirement. And though the AY CDC has been mostly toothless, it has added a measure of transparency, and put representatives of the developer on the spot.
And that upcoming meeting would be an appropriate time to ask representatives of the developer, Greenland Forest City Partners, several questions:
Past 2018 meetings
The AY CDC met 3/27/18, as I reported, with less than 24 hours notice, apparently to get the gubernatorially controlled board to officially recommend--to the parent Empire State Development E(SD), also controlled by the governor--the renewal of a consultant's contract.
That led Brooklyn Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, via a staffer to warn of "a chilling effect on community input," given such short notice.
As the meeting closed, Marion Phillips III, an ESD executive who serves as AY CDC president, called it an issue of scheduling.
The meeting was re-scheduled, just before the ESD meeting, after a previously scheduled meeting, with four days notice, was unable to go forward due to a lack of a quorum.
The AY CDC also met 1/17/18, as I reported, just after Greenland Forest City announced a restructuring of their deal, with Greenland USA agreeing to buy all but 5% of Forest City's 30% of the project, going forward.
Greenland representative Scott Solish said, in response to a question by AY CDC board member Barika Williams about an updated map showing the buildout timetable (below is a 2014 version), "it'll probably be later this year."
Scheduling the next meeting
As I wrote in July, after a bi-monthly Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Quality of Life meeting, AY CDC Executive Director (and ESD Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Project Manager) Tobi Jaiyesimi was asked about the next AY CDC meeting.
“We don’t have a date for next AY CDC meeting yet, but please forgive me if it’s with a week’s notice, or it’s two weeks’ notice," she said, "it’s because there are a number of logistical hurdles that I need to go through before… the team can distribute it publicly.”
So, even though it's been five months--nearly two quarters--since the last meeting in March, which was the second meeting in 2018--there's still time, until the end of September, to meet that overall requirement. And though the AY CDC has been mostly toothless, it has added a measure of transparency, and put representatives of the developer on the spot.
And that upcoming meeting would be an appropriate time to ask representatives of the developer, Greenland Forest City Partners, several questions:
- why they revised the estimated full project completion date to 2035, from 2025?
- why, if Forest City had revised its financial outlook to 2035 back in November 2016, the joint venture didn't change its estimate until May 2018?
- how the joint venture plans to fulfill its obligation to finish the affordable housing by 2025 (more middle-income units? 100% affordable buildings? more subsidies? extended deadline?)
- what's the estimated overall timetable for each future building?
- could is the promised middle school actually start in July 2019?
Past 2018 meetings
The AY CDC met 3/27/18, as I reported, with less than 24 hours notice, apparently to get the gubernatorially controlled board to officially recommend--to the parent Empire State Development E(SD), also controlled by the governor--the renewal of a consultant's contract.
That led Brooklyn Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, via a staffer to warn of "a chilling effect on community input," given such short notice.
As the meeting closed, Marion Phillips III, an ESD executive who serves as AY CDC president, called it an issue of scheduling.
The meeting was re-scheduled, just before the ESD meeting, after a previously scheduled meeting, with four days notice, was unable to go forward due to a lack of a quorum.
The AY CDC also met 1/17/18, as I reported, just after Greenland Forest City announced a restructuring of their deal, with Greenland USA agreeing to buy all but 5% of Forest City's 30% of the project, going forward.
Greenland representative Scott Solish said, in response to a question by AY CDC board member Barika Williams about an updated map showing the buildout timetable (below is a 2014 version), "it'll probably be later this year."
Scheduling the next meeting
As I wrote in July, after a bi-monthly Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Quality of Life meeting, AY CDC Executive Director (and ESD Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Project Manager) Tobi Jaiyesimi was asked about the next AY CDC meeting.
“We don’t have a date for next AY CDC meeting yet, but please forgive me if it’s with a week’s notice, or it’s two weeks’ notice," she said, "it’s because there are a number of logistical hurdles that I need to go through before… the team can distribute it publicly.”
Let's not forget that the meeting with 23 hours notice was to set a course forward for the state's outside contracts to oversee the project. ESD execs were facing some strong charges about the adequacy of that oversight infrastructure. The community had asked the board to create an opportunity for public input (why is that so hard to deliver?) into those contracts. The community also went to our local elected officials for support.
ReplyDeleteThe short notice made it impossible for all but one community member (one who spoke in support of ESD) to make the meeting. So really there are two major issues to address at the next AYCDC meeting. And if ESD can't deliver the project and its benefits on the timetable it promises, and its oversight of the implementation of the project is inadequate and/or compromised as well, what is their skill and focus directed towards? And why is there so little outrage from local elected officials?