In latest city lobbying report, real estate firm Cirrus reports targeting Mayor's office, NYC EDC, and NYCHA. That suggests it's (also) looking beyond Atlantic Yards.

I wrote July 11 (link) that Cirrus Real Estate Partners, which is expected to lead a pending joint venture to develop the rest of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, has not only used its own staff to lobby, but last month hired the major lobbying firm Bolton-St. Johns.

Cirrus's reports on state lobbying, from March through June, indicate--as I've previously reported--that it has lobbied Attorney General Letitia James, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, state Sen. Jabari Brisport, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, and various ESD executives, regarding state land use, entitlements, and tax abatements.

Those are key to the finances of the future project.

Cirrus's lobbying report to New York City indicates that, in March-April, its staffers lobbied three people in the Mayor's office (Senior Advisor Nate Bliss, Seth Bynum, Leila Bozorg), Comptroller Brad Lander, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Members Shahana Hanif and Crystal Hudson.

That clearly was related to Atlantic Yards. 

Beyond Atlantic Yards

Interestingly enough, the May-June report, as shown below, likely is related, at least in part, to other projects the firm is contemplating. Those lobbied include two representatives of the New York City Housing Authority, which has nothing to do with Atlantic Yards.

It is plausible, though, that the five people lobbied in the Mayor's office and three in the New York City Economic Development Corporation might be related to Atlantic Yards, as well as other projects.

Cirrus is a self-described "real estate investment management firm. A Cirrus entity, Cirrus Workforce Housing Advisors, was announced by the Mayor's office in March 2024 as part of a partnership to build "workforce housing," using $100 million raised from Cirrus and from pension funds affiliated with building trades unions, with a goal of $400 million.

So it's looking at a lot, including a partnership with Resorts World New York City to build "up to 50,000" new workforce housing units. That total offers a lot of wiggle room.

Campaign contributions

Note: I couldn't find evidence of many campaign contributions from Cirrus principals/lobbyists, though Kevin Gallagher, Stephen McInnis, and Kevin Khanna each gave $250 last Nov. 14--probably a fundraiser--to Northeast Queens Republican Council Member Vickie Paladino.