Builders Weigh Cost of Bloomie's Wrath

Unsurprisingly, builders yesterday were wary about making an offer for the air rights for the West Side railyards, which the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has opened up for the next month to public bidding. While "licking their chops" at the prospect of such a large parcel of land on the isle of Manhattan, it's clear to developers that dousing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's dreams of a Jets stadium (and the possibility of the city hosting the 2012 Olympics) would carry serious repercussions for anyone who might desire a city permit in the near future.

Bloomberg, for his part, took the opportunity yesterday to blast Cablevision owners Charles and James Dolan (who last week offered $600 million for the railyards site, presumably to keep a nearby stadium from competing with their Madison Square Garden) as selfish monopolists and bad businessmen. The mayor said that the Jets' offer of $100 million for the rights was the only "legitimate" offer, and that he was confident the team would prevail in the open bidding.

The MTA's position is a tough one. Chairman Peter Kalikow has said repeatedly for the past six months in public hearings that his cash-strapped agency can't and won't cut a sweetheart deal for the Jets on the development rights, which the agency believes are worth $300 million. Nonetheless it took a lot of courage (noted rightly by Juan Gonzales in the News) to open the site to a public bidding process, even if some critics doubt the process will really be fair. According to the Post, the MTA's offer to open up the site to bids has caused the Jets to start rethinking the move, opening talks with New Jersey about the possibility of staying at the Meadowlands.

Image by Rachelle Bowden from her trip on the High Line

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February 17, 2005 11:23 AM

Comments [rss]

JJ

keri, why do you think your city and county are bankrupt? because you guys don't make enough money to pay your bills and the rest of the state is tired of supporting your pointless non-income-generating asses. you guys aren't pulling your weight, and with the decline of upstate industries, the state has become even more dependent on the income-tax generated by NYC. NYC has provided a large net subsidy to the state since the 80s. don't be stupid.

Amanda

"self ritious."

Well, it seems that perhaps the New York City school system may have sent off some of its best teachers to Western New York, along with all those billions. Well, Ben, maybe it was a good trade off...Keri mentions a major power plant that is over there in Niagara County, in Western NY, that I do believe, over the years, has sold off quite a few kilowatts of electricity to you guys, giving you a much lower cost per month for electricity, than those who live in Western NY, and also buy thier electricity from this plant. Imagine that! Niagara Falls and two of the world's major producers of electricity right in thier own backyard, and they pay more for it, that you do, across the state . But then, they do grab all those billions from you, so it evens out.

As someone who's lived in both Buffalo, and Manhatten, I know she has a valid point. Based on what is going on in Erie County right now, I wouldn't live back there for anything. It doesn't matter what got given to WNY from NYC in the past. What matters, is that in that part of the state, due to years of giovernment mismanagement, patronage jobs, and corruption, people are taxed to the hilt, there are NO jobs to be had at a living wage, county social services have been cut. They would love to watch the Bills kick some Jets butt in a nice new stadium, would no doubt love to see the Olympics come to NYC, but they simply have other priorities right now, like knowing that criminals will not be set free because no ADA's were available to try them, that if they need a cop, one will be there, that public libraries will not be shut (that was an early proposal, to close COMPLETELY, all county libraries..it got rejected so vociferously by the citizens, that some feared if the county legislators went ahead with this plan, a few would be found face down in Lake Erie), that if their kid is to be given medication during school hours, a nurse will dispense it and not a teacher with only basic first aid training, and of course, least anyone else say it first, that the roads get plowed and salted in winter.

ben

Keri, NYC give billions more to the rest of the state than it ever gets back. Maybe NYC should pull whatever money is going to western NY. Get all the facts before you become self ritious.

Keri

So, you all want a nice new stadium, and expect us here in western new york to help pay for it. HA! Erie County and the city of Buffalo are bankrupt, the Erie County Sheriff's department is pulling half its road patrols (remember, Buffalo and Erie County are on the border with Canada, there's Robert Moses Power Plant just up the road, and all those terrorists...), the DA is getting its budget cut by $1 million, the Buffalo Zoo is shutting down Mondays and Tuesdays and raising admissions, the crime lab is shut down, 3 of 4 DMV offices are getting closed, about 3,000 Erie County workers are loosing their jobs, county parks are now closed...but you want a new stadium in Manhatten.

You want it, YOU pay for it!

praxis81

Hey Gothamist- according to the Voice, the MTA appraised the site's value as 900, not 300 million. What kind of a deal would you call 100 million for the Jets now?

MT

The Port Authority should use the site for an effort along the lines of a WTC. Maybe develop a grand office space with another super skyscraper right on the river. Instead of just the one Freedom Tower, they can take the opportunity and build a beautiful architectural landmark and redeem themselves from the horribly squandered opporunity at Ground Zero.

Captain Obvious

Jenny, the problem is that everyone knows Bloomberg is out including Bloomberg. Getting a stadium built is a classic way for a politician to go out in style and leave a mark on the city. So everyone is concerned because you merge that mentality with Bloomberg's tendency to be a pricky businessman and the agressiveness is just too much.

And at this point if the International Olympic Committee can't see that this is going to be a pain to get going in NYC, then I don't know what will send the message.

I say bring the Olympics to Moscow. That would be a great place for them.

jenny

why are people so worried about Bloomie? The guy is going to be out of office by next year the way things are going now. And if you can afford the rights to the rail yards, can't you also afford to set up a 527 for Bloomie's opponent?

Matt

I think Bloomberg is the bad businessman here, assuming "bad" means corrupt. The last thing Manhattan needs is a stadium on the Upper West Side. Put it in Queens, keep it in Jersey, just keep it OUT of Manhattan! How about more housing? More open space for ALL (not just the paying) public to enjoy? Let's funnel these tax dollars back into our schools and after-school programs, not the Mayor's ill-fated wet dream of 2012 NYC Olympics.

Captain Obvious

Hooray for reverse political corruption winning! Bloomber and Doctorow are bullying people left and right. The MTA needs money. And the city/state doesn'tr help them. So as bad as the MTA is, the MTA knows it needs to take a stand. And does it.

I hope the 2012 Olympics never happen here. And I hope someone other than the Jets builds over the yards! For more information on the MTA rail yards and how it's always been a point of development ire, check out this article from the Vilage Voice,

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0507,robbins1,61116,5.html

"It is a rare instance in which a blue-ribbon member of the development fraternity, never known for outspoken courage, has broken ranks to denounce one of City Hall's most sacred cows. While most builders have remained mum on the subject, Ravitch has been speaking out forcefully against the stadium, arguing that the proposed deal shortchanges both the MTA, which owns the site, and taxpayers."

MT

Speaking of the Highline. Does the stadium plan call for demolishing a piece of the newly landmarked structure? In every rendering I've seen of the stadium, you can't see the stretch of High Line that goes along West St between 33rd and 34th streets. Has anyone else noticed this?