Sometimes we think deputy mayor Dan Doctoroff is a little nuts. Take for instance his newest brain-child: The New York Harbor District. Whereas most official districts in the city are defined by geographic proximity and commercial interests the Harbor district, which recently formed an advisory board and is seeking a director and consultants to help define it, will include Governors Island, the Statue of LIberty, Ellis Island, parts of the Brooklyn waterfront and Battery Park City.
While there are probably some good economic reasons for such a district (shared branding and maintenance expenses being the biggie) we're not so sure about this. The areas in question cover a large swath and will have to interact and work with the city, the state, the National Park Service and Jersey. So, what's this really about then? The Times hints that at the core of it is the upcoming contract bids for the ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands. Doctoroff has made it clear that he wants to have ferries going to those destinations from more places in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
At this point though we'd be just as happy if Doctoroff would actually get one of his grand projects done (like, say, develop Governors Island?) rather then keep announcing new bureaucracies. But that's us, what do you think of a Harbor District?
New York Harbor by seth_holladay via Contribute.
