All posts by Rachel

About Rachel

As a resident of Battery Park City, Rachel is always keeping her ear to the street -- if its south of Chambers. The best part of living in BPC is endless and eclectic music and events in and around the area. The sunsets too aren't so shabby!

Ground Zero Mosque

Another Hurdle for Park51 Mosque: Con Edison

Buildings, News, Real Estate, , , , , , , , , ,
Ground Zero Mosque
The planned location of the Ground Zero Mosque.

After clearing a vote against landmark status for 45-47 Park Place, another hurdle has emerged concerning the development of what has been dubbed “The Ground Zero Mosque” or the Park51 Mosque.

The mosque which is slated to be located at 45-51 Park Place, built on two parcels of land, is only half owned by the developers spearheading the project according to the NY Post which first broke the report over the weekend. The building at 45-47 Park Place, which had been undergoing landmark status hearings is owned by Soho Properties, the developers of Park51 — whilst the building at 49-51 Park Place is not. Park51 is named after the address 51 Park Place, the address in scrutiny.

More surprisingly, the owner of the other parcel of land is actually Con Edison. This information took even Community Board 1 proponents by surprise who had not heard of this revelation through its own hearings.

According to the article, “Sharif El-Gamal, the head of Soho Properties, first came forward in 2006 seeking to buy the empty building at 45-47 Park Place, said Melvin Pomerantz, whose family owned the property.

Pomerantz said El-Gamal eventually raised $4.8 million cash for 45-47 Park Place. El- Gamal paid an extra $700,000 to take over the lease with Con Ed for the building next door. The lease expires in 2071.”

The discrepancy emerged because the two buildings were connected years ago, as it housed a former Burlington Coat Factory and was generally assumed ownership for that entire parcel was under one ownership, without the Community Board #1’s knowledge that Soho Properties would be developing half of the site under paying a $33K a month lease to Con Ed.

Con Ed is appraising the property for a potential sale, “The utility is now doing an appraisal to determine the property value, and it would be up to El-Gamal to decide whether to accept the price, the utility said. The price is estimated at $10 million to $20 million.

“We are following our legal obligations under the lease. We will not allow other considerations to enter into this transaction,” Con Ed said.

The sale proposal will go to the Public Service Commission, where it could possibly face a vote by a five-member board controlled by Gov. Paterson,” according to the same article.

Do you think that this will be a significant hurdle for the Park51 Mosque?

225 Rector Place

Rector Square Apartments Up For Bulk Sale

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225 Rector Place
Yair Levy accused of raiding the coffers of 225 Rector Place.

The bank which owns nearly 230 apartments at Rector Square has announced that it will be planning a “bulk sale” of the apartments in September according to reports from Independent.ie.

The Anglo Irish Bank has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Rector Square’s developer Yair Levy and won an order of foreclosure on the Rector Square building.
Yair Levy seems to have ground accustomed to legal problems, after Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and unit owners of the building have both filed suits against Levy’s company YL Real Esate, for mishandling the operations of the Rector Square building. YL Real Estate has defaulted on $165 million in loans.

According to the same report, Units initial sold for $1000 per square foot  are now valued at $400 per square foot. It is not clear what the foreclosure rate for the units will be when the parcel of units go up on the block in September.

Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

Landmark Commission Issues 9-0 Vote Against Landmark Status

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Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts
Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

UPDATED:Developers of the Ground Zero mosque have recieved a green light from today’s Landmark status vote on 45-51 Park Place, the slated address of the Park51 mosque.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-0 against granting landmark status to the former Burlington Coat Factory building, clearing the way for the Cordoba Initiative to develop their Park51 mosque.

The vote was seen as the biggest hurdle for the Cordoba initiative’s plans on building a Muslim community center 600 feet from the World Trade Center site.

However, according to the New York Post, should the vote clear the way for the dubbed “Ground Zero Mosque,” a lawsuit is set to be filed immediately against the landmark vote on behalf of 9/11 first responders.

“We believe the Landmarks Preservation Commission would have allowed politics and mayor’s fervent support for the project to replace the deliberative process,” said Jack Lester, an attorney for 9/11 responder Tim Brown according to the same article.

The next step for the developers would be to solidify the $100 million dollar price tag for construction costs. Imam Feisal Abdul Raif, one of the developers of the mosque is said to solicit funding from the Muslim communities, foundations as well as Muslim nations for funding.

How do you feel about granting the site landmark status? Should this stop the building of the mosque?

ADL does not stand for mosque at Ground Zero

Anti-Defamation League Defames Mosque at Ground Zero

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ADL does not stand for mosque at Ground Zero
ADL does not stand for mosque at Ground Zero

In recent weeks, opponents and proponents have come out voicing their opinions and choosing sides in regards to the Cordoba Initiatives’s mosque at Ground Zero.

The Anti-Defamation League has taken a surprising stance in the lines drawn concerning the development of Park51, and has issued a statement today on their official site.

Their statement reads:

New York, NY, July 28, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued the following statement regarding the proposed Islamic Center near Ground Zero in Manhattan:

We regard freedom of religion as a cornerstone of the American democracy, and that freedom must include the right of all Americans – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faiths – to build community centers and houses of worship.

We categorically reject appeals to bigotry on the basis of religion, and condemn those whose opposition to this proposed Islamic Center is a manifestation of such bigotry.

However, there are understandably strong passions and keen sensitivities surrounding the World Trade Center site. We are ever mindful of the tragedy which befell our nation there, the pain we all still feel – and especially the anguish of the families and friends of those who were killed on September 11, 2001.

The controversy which has emerged regarding the building of an Islamic Center at this location is counterproductive to the healing process.  Therefore, under these unique circumstances, we believe the City of New York would be better served if an alternative location could be found.

In recommending that a different location be found for the Islamic Center, we are mindful that some legitimate questions have been raised about who is providing the funding to build it, and what connections, if any, its leaders might have with groups whose ideologies stand in contradiction to our shared values.  These questions deserve a response, and we hope those backing the project will be transparent and forthcoming.  But regardless of how they respond, the issue at stake is a broader one.

Proponents of the Islamic Center may have every right to build at this site, and may even have chosen the site to send a positive message about Islam.  The bigotry some have expressed in attacking them is unfair, and wrong.  But ultimately this is not a question of rights, but a question of what is right.  In our judgment, building an Islamic Center in the shadow of the World Trade Center will cause some victims more pain – unnecessarily – and that is not right.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

What are your thoughts on the ADL’s stance, are their views surprising to you — or expected?

LMDC Con Edison Utility Fight

Con Edison & LMDC in September 11 Funding Struggle

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LMDC Con Edison Utility Fight
LMDC and Con Ed struggle for September 11th Funds

In a vote yesterday, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) will allocate nearly $200 million dollars initially earmarked for a variety of utility costs around the World Trade Center site allocated instead for quality of life programs in the downtown area.

The variety of utility costs include those associated with the World Trade Center Memorial, transportation, cultural institutions, affordable housing and other programs.

Another vote will be scheduled to appropriate specific costs from the funding from this decision.

Con Edison is unhappy with the decision, as the utilities company was the sole recipient of the $200 million funding for the rebuilding of their infrastructure after September 11th.

Con Edison’s current costs of rebuilding amount to  $186 million, but has already received $161 million for those costs. Con Ed claims without the subsidies, the Public Service Commission can allow Con Edison to increase energy costs to its customers.

Julie Menin, chairwoman of Community Board 1 and an LMDC board member, “It’s the first step in what will result in a very large amount of funding going to the Lower Manhattan community, and that’s what Congress intended,” according to a report in Crain’s New York.

The vote is seen as a win for the community groups, but is not over yet as representatives from the Mayors office and LMDC have meet with Con Edison to hammer out utilities deals.

Besides the World Trade Center Memorial, reports have been unclear as to who these community interest groups are. One mentioned group would be the 3LD theater on Greenwich street, which has faced bankruptcy in recent years.

The LMDC is charged with allocating almost $800 million in September 11th funds before the corporation is formerly shut down.

battery-park-city-dog-leash-law

Battery Park City Dog Owners On A Short Leash

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battery-park-city-dog-leash-law
Battery Park CIty dog owners are on a short leash

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but dog owners are not best friends with the Parks Department these days.

The Parks Department have been stepping up their efforts to enforce leash laws, prohibiting unleashed dogs to run in public areas during all hours — in stark contrast with laws which had previously allowed unleashing during certain hours and were relatively unenforced.

Dog owners are up in arms with the unclear rules and have called the new enforcements “confusing.” According to a report in the Downtown Express, “The Parks Department said there is no confusion about the law which was codified back in 2007, shortly after the city’s then Board of Health voted in favor of the informal ‘courtesy hours’ policy, which allowed dogs off leashes in designated areas of City parks between 9PM and 9AM.”

Battery Park is not included as one of the places that allows for leash-free dogs.

Violations of this rule are costly: non-compliant dog owners can be forced to pay $100 fines for unleashed dogs.

However, according to Jeff Galloway, longtime founder of the Battery Park City Dog Association, enforcement of the rule has been arbitrary. In an email sent to Battery Park City residents, Galloway states, “Off-leash privileges in Battery Park have resulted in no damage to the Park and, to the contrary, have greatly enhanced the quality of life for local residents, by providing a much-needed recreation area for local pets and by making the Park safer for all residents during the hours in which off-leash use had been permitted. The Financial District is fast-becoming a vibrant residential area; if Battery Park becomes off-limits, Financial District residents will have no place in their own neighborhood to take their dogs. Many BPC residents would love to have an off-leash area as well, and Battery Park is conveniently located for BPC residents.”

Community Board 1 is in recess for August, but have invited the Parks Department to discuss the issue when the board reconvenes in September. For those interested in supporting the Downtown Dog Owners initiatives to keep unleashed hours in Battery Park, sign the petition online.

How do you feel about dog owners unleashing pets in Battery Park during designated hours?

Woody Harrelson and Justin Timberlake film Friends with Benefits in Battery Park City

Movies Filmed In Battery Park City

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Woody Harrelson and Justin Timberlake film Friends with Benefits in Battery Park City
Filming of "Friends With Benefits" (Credit: Wenn Images)

As the filming for Justin Timberlake’s “Friends With Benefits” have taken over our neighborhood the last couple of days, it had our team thinking…

What other movies have taken over our esplanade in this way?

At first thought, we remembered Barbra Streisand’s ‘Prince of Tides,’ and then before we knew it an entire list was cobbled together.

So to help you at your next neighborhood cocktail party, we present:

(Some) Movies Filmed in Battery Park City List!(In seriously no particular order!)

1. ‘Prince of Tides’ (1991) starring Nick Nolte and Barbra Streisand – scenes were filmed in and around the esplanade.

2. ‘Hackers’ (1995) starring Angelina Jolie (before Brad) – scenes filmed at the then new Stuyvesant High School

3.  ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps’ (2010) starring Shia LeBouf and Michael Douglas – scenes filmed in and around the Bowling Green area.

4. ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ (2010) starring Nic Cage – scenes filmed in Battery Park.

5. ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ (2010) starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt – scenes were filmed at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park

6. ‘P.S. I Love You’ (2007) starring Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank

7. ‘Boomerang’ (1992) starring Eddie Murphy

8. ‘The Good Guy’ (2009) starring Alexis Bledel (Thanks to FB friend Ellen!)

9. ‘Hitch’ (2005) starring Will Smith (Thanks to FB friend Honey!)

10. ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ (1985) starring Madonna (Thanks to FB friend Fern!)

11. ‘Men In Black’ (1997) starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones (Thanks to FB friend Laura!)

12. ‘I Am Legend’ (2007) starring Will Smith (Thanks to FB friend Tom who also honorably mentions ‘Working Girl’ starring Melanie Griffith)

13. ‘Inside Man’ (2006) starring Denzel Washington and Clive Owen (Thanks to Roberta!)

Any others we might be missing? Let us know!

World Trade Center Site Time Lapse Video Screen shot

Metamorphosis of our Neighborhood (VIDEO)

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We’ve all seen the images of what the Freedom Tower and World Trade Center Memorial pool will look like from images strewn against the chain link fences at Ground Zero. However, Myfoxny.com has a video from Brookfield Properties, the owners of the World Financial Center, depicting time lapse change in our neighborhood.

The video itself is stunning and could also help us residents to imagine the metamorphosis of our neighborhood once construction is finished in 2012-2013.

What is strikingly poignant is the real visual loss of commercial real estate space in our area. How do you feel about the architecture of the site? Do you think the loss of business real estate will help or hurt our community?

Check out the video below:

Slated World Trade Center Graphic

Ground Zero Rebuilding Hinges On Tenuous Deals

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Slated World Trade Center Graphic
Proposed World Trade Center Site (Courtesy: Renewnyc.com)

Although rebuilding efforts at the World Trade Center site look promising, the deals that are backing construction are tenuous as best, the New York Post is reporting this morning.

According to the article, “The Port Authority’s 1 WTC is pushing skyward, and Larry Silverstein’s 4 WTC should start major construction soon. The towers together would restore about half of the Twin Towers’ 8.8 million square feet of office space.”

However, two impending deals between Silverstein, Durst and the Port Authority could potentially fall through, leaving the World Trade Center site with just its memorial pool, empty space and a near empty office building.

Silverstein still needs to iron out details on converting nearly $1 billion in Liberty bonds into a construction loan. The funds, which are currently in escrow, must be converted soon if development is to be finished by 2013. Durst, who was just announced as the latest developer on the 1 WTC site, is still hammering out a deal which would ensure a partnership stake on his development.

Gee! We thought there was real no holds barred progress happening. To find out more about the intricacies of the details read the announcement here.

How do you feel about this? Does this surprise you or should this be no cause for concern?

Bernard Kerik Tweets from Prison

Bernard Kerik Tweets About Ground Zero Mosque … In Jail?!

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Bernard Kerik Tweets from Prison
Bernard Kerik's opposition of mosque is released from prison.

Everyday another notable figure has come out in support or against building a mosque at Ground Zero. Today’s person of dissent is former New York City Police Commissioner, current inmate Bernard Kerik. This has left several people baffled — since most inmates are not allowed Internet access.

That did not stop Bernard Kerik to update both his twitter and his personal blog to oppose the development of Park51 by the Cordoba Initiative:

“Supporting the building of a Mosque just 600 feet from Ground Zero is absolutely outrageous, and for those politicians that are doing so under the guise of the First Amendment and Freedom of Religion, I would suggest that for once you not worry about being politically correct.

Think of the victims and the families they left behind on 9/11; the security implications for the surrounding area, the involvement in the project of those with questionable backgrounds and most importantly, the perception it will create in those countries and with those groups that sponsor Islamic terror. For them… this is the trophy that will stand as a symbol of victory.

This has nothing to do with religion… It’s just the right thing to do. Allowing this project to move forward is insensitive at best and should not be permitted.”

His twitter left a link pointing to a YouTube video produced by Frank Gaffney regarding the building of the mosque and an open message to America.

People speculate that Bernard Kerik has limited access to email approved family members, who in turn might have posted the items for him on his blog and Twitter account.