Here is the latest press release regarding Willets Point redevelopment.
Willets Point land and business owners along with hundreds of their employees will hold a protest outside Queens Community Board 7 prior to their vote on the City's redevelopment plan for Willets Point on Monday, June 30. They will be joined by supporters from the Castle Coalition and Institute for Justice who oppose Eminent Domain abuse.
The Willets Point Industry and Realty Association (WPIRA), a group of land and business owners who have been operating various industrial and manufacturing family businesses for 30-70 years at Willets Point, continue to combat the City's campaign of misinformation to get approval on the redevelopment of Willets Point without a formal plan or identification of a developer.
Key Points In City's Continued Misrepresentation of the Willets Point Redevelopment Plan:
• The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) continues to claim that the entire 65-acre site is contaminated and requires environmental remediation. WPIRA owns approximately 45% of the land in Willets Point and many of their sites have already been remediated. It has not been proven that Willets Point needs to be seized and capped with 6-10 feet of fill in order to address contamination.
• Willets Point is NOT blighted, it has been intentionally neglected by the City of New York for decades and former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman is partially to blame. In 1991, at the request of Shulman, The New York City Public Development Corporation commissioned a study of Willets Point. The report stated, among other things that:
- "The area desperately needs a renewed infrastructure." - "The lack of adequate infrastructure is the most obvious impediment to the success of Willets Point" - "Willets Point has no sanitary sewers and the few storm sewers that exist are collapsed or perpetually clogged."
Shulman ignored the advice of the experts and the pleas for help in installing infrastructure from her constituents. Because of Claire Shulman's inaction during her tenure as Borough President, the City of New York today intends to spend upwards of $3 billion dollars to redevelop the area during an economic downturn.
• The EDC continues to misrepresent its efforts to relocate businesses. At a Community Board 7 meeting on June 23, Board Member Joe Sweeney reprimanded the EDC for not reaching out to the business owners in a more effective and timely manner. While the EDC has publicly touted agreements, the track record is weak in that after 4 years they have been able to sign a contract with only 2 of the estimated 260 businesses in Willets Point. Furthermore, the contracts are contingent on the approval of the City Council to pass the City's $3 billion redevelopment plan.
• At the moment, the City has no definitive plans to address the impact on increased traffic and transit congestion in the Borough that would lead to virtually stagnant conditions on major roadways in and out of Willets Point and neighboring Flushing. The City's own Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Willets Point stated that the plan would create immitigable traffic congestion on the Van Wyck Expressway.
• WPIRA employs over 1500 highly-skilled workers who are paid above-average wages and benefits. These 9 businesses alone generate close to a billion dollars in economic activity and millions in tax revenue for the city.
City Council Members continue to express their disapproval of the City's plan:
• On June 23, 2008, Queens Council Members Tony Avella, Hiram Monserrate and John Liu urged Community Board 7 to vote against the plan.
• On April 21, 2008, 29 New York City Council Members sent a letter to Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber about the redevelopment plan for Willets Point and wrote, "This plan is unacceptable, and we wish to inform you that without significant modifications, we will strongly oppose it, leaving no chance of moving forward."
• On March 13, 2007, Council Member Melinda Katz wrote to Deputy Mayor Lieber stating her previous request that "the certification of the project be postponed until such time that agreements in principle can be reached on the outstanding issues with all concerned parties." Katz requested a postponement of certification to allow the negotiations to continue."
DATE: Monday June 30, 2008
TIME: Rally – 6:30PM Community Board 7 Public Meeting & Vote – 7PM
WHERE: UNION PLAZA CARE CENTER 3323 UNION STREET, FLUSHING, NY 11354
I would like to see just how much of that nearly $1 billion in economic activity that the WPIRA claims. It's been my experience that the crime families (I mean legitimate businessmen), offer some VERY steep cash discounts. I'm sure they report all that income.
We were in Shea Stadium last night to witness the Mets salvage job of the Mariners series. It's been a long time since we witnessed a bona fide drubbing from Loge13, as the Mets won 8-2.
It helped that Mariners starter Batista was just awful and for a change, the Mets took advantage. After his first off-day of the season, David Wright hit two home runs in the first two innings.
Jose Reyes started the game with a walk, then stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, finally scoring on a Castillo groundout. Jose then hit a three-run homer in the third.
A great night made even better by the fact I got to share it with both Kingman parental units. I attended the game with the Kingman Matriarch, then got a call that Kingman Senior had been offered a ticket in Loge 17! (As far as I know, that section has no blog). Nice weather, fine company, a rare victory. That's what Loge13 is for.
And here is the view of Citi Field from Loge 13 last night:
Compare that vantage to Citi Field, July 25, 2007:
Coming up: a few key dates in the Willets Point development battles. Here is a press release I received from the WPIRA. Loge13 takes no sides: we’re just posting the news:
The battle is heating up between Willets Point business and land owners and New York’s City Hall and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The Willets Point Industry and Realty Association is fighting mad and fighting back. The ten business and land owners who make up the WPIRA are planning protests outside of the next two Community Board 7 meetings; the first one will be tomorrow, June 18th. And they are buying full-page ads in three of the Queens weekly newspapers this week. The ads will run in the Thursday editions of the Queens Chronicle, the Queens Ledger and the Queens Courier.
The purpose of the ads is to raise awareness about the additional congestion on the roads and public transportation if Willets Point is redeveloped the way Mayor Bloomberg proposes. As you probably know, New York City’s $3 billion redevelopment plan calls for 1.7 million feet of retail space, 500,000 square feet of office space, a hotel, residential housing units and a convention center. But first, the city must acquire the land. According to WPIRA, The City of New York is proposing to rezone Willets Point, condemn it and evict the existing businesses through the use of Eminent Domain.
If the City is successful in replacing the current businesses in Willets Point, the already crowded streets and highways in Queens will have more traffic and there’ll be more people jammed into the already overcrowded subways and buses. Further, the mayor is talking about an increase in fares. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) points out “The substantial increases on the Van Wyck Expressway in both directions would be due to traffic entering from and exiting to the new access ramps connecting the highway to the Willets Point Development District.” It goes on to say, “The congestion on the Van Wyck Expressway would in turn worsen levels of service on the ramps that provide access to and from the mainline.”
On June 30th, there will be a public hearing and the Community Board is expected to vote on the proposal. WPIRA will be out in force before this meeting as well. The Willets Point business and land owners are seeking support from their neighbors, friends, and business associates to stop this plan, to save their businesses and jobs.
Here is another view of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda:
There was some lively chatter in the latest Willets Point post about where all the businesses should go should the Iron Triangle be taken over by the city. The term "eye sore" gets used alot to describe the business district of Willets Point. Good news: I have the solution. And it came to me Wednesday as I stared out beyond the outfield walls of Shea and DIDN'T see the alleged eye sores. Here's my proposal (pay attention Mr. Mayor)...
Keep Shea!
You can't see Willets Point anymore because Citi Field is in the way. But move into Citi Field, Mets, and fans will once again see Willets Point. So it's elementary, my dear Wilpons. Stay at Shea. We can turn Citi Field into a mall. Better yet, we can move some of the Willets Point businesses into Citi Field. We still won't be able to see them and now the employees will have a sewer system. Everybody wins.
For Mets fans, the big question of 2008 is this: who will last longer, Shea Stadium or Willie Randolph?
According to the Loge13 Doomsday clock, Shea Stadium has 124 more days left in its natural life. Our blessed shrine will get a reprieve if the Mets make the post season, [I will wait for the laughter to subside]
What we don't know is how many days are left ticking on the Willie clock. And where is that darned clock? In Omar's office? Fred's? Jeff's? Who's in charge anyway?
I have avoided posting much about Willie lately here on Loge13. I enjoyed the notoriety of being the only Mets blog alive that hadn't written on the subject and frankly, blogging is boring when you write about what everyone else is saying.
And what is there to say? Randolph is a bad field manager. Anyone who has sat next to Ron Hunt in Loge13 has heard this said many times since 2005. And the problems go way beyond Willie. Anyone who watched last night's 7-3 embarrassment can see the issues on the field. Delgado's listless approach to the game. Castillo's hobbled hitting. The Pelfrey Experiment (A.K.A. the 7th pitcher in a 5-man rotation). Anyone who thinks Jerry Manuel or Lee Mazilli (or Gary Carter) can fix this may not be thinking through all the issues.
But as I pondered the Mets this weekend while on vacation, things started to get more clear. And the bizarre press conference Monday afternoon brought it home. Omar gathered the media and Willie in one room to once again give the Met manager a tepid endorsement. He's our guy, Omar said, but with enough loopholes that the average person could come away convinced Willie is NOT our guy. How is that fair to the manager? What kind of message does that send to the destructive forces in the clubhouse? Omar could have said, "Willie is our guy. And if these players don't start showing some life, some leadership, some passion on the field, they are gone." But he didn't. He could have said, "Willie has until the All Star Break. Then we will re-evaluate." He didn't. Omar took no stand, and just let a problem that has dragged out for over a week/month/year continue to drag out.
And so I say: what has happened to this organization? The answer lies out beyond the outfield walls, hovering like a UFO from the planet Shopping Mall. Citi Field is what has happened to this organization. Management is too engrossed in next year that they have let this year slide. And along the way, they have forgotten how to deal effectively and benevolently with employees and fans. Show Willie support or don't. Praise your players when they perform and take them to task when they don't. Even Hank Jr. knows that (and by the way, The Spankees have just won 5 of 6). Our owners? They refuse to take their manager's call, making sure the press knows about this multi-time zone silent treatment. Nice.
And this lack of consideration is being applied to the folks in the stands too. It is now May 27. Partial season ticket holders at Shea Stadium STILL don't have any hopes for tickets in Citi Field. Yankee partial season ticket holders are picking out their seats. How does that show any respect to fans who have given their financial and moral support to the Mets for decades? Despite the state of the Mets, I'll be at Shea tomorrow night and I'd be in the stands next year if allowed. But that's not how this team operates. This operation prefers to let everyone dangle. And that's the problem.
As for who holds the Willie clock? The answer is: Willie. And it's set to June 3: the day Pedro is scheduled to return. Martinez has the gift of leadership, of cutting through clubhouse politics with his bonhomie and his mini-me's.If Pedro can't turn this team around, no one can.
I think this is the lowest point in Mets history. In all my years I've never seen the club in as poor a standing with the media and fans. I blame the Wilpons! Willie, who I am not a fan of, deserves better treatment. This all started when they had a press conference after last season to announce that he was returning, with two years on his contract and they had the balls to have Willie attend the conference, just like yesterday. Why was he there? Does Omar wear Teflons sports jackets? Let's get this train back on track - release Delgado, bench Jose for enough time for him to realize how lazy he is playing, trade Beltran (as if anyone would take him - unless we absorb half his blotted contract). I can accept the many losing years we've had, we knew we were going to stink. But this is a new low, our clubhouse has become a country club. No one is afraid of losing their jobs, which is never good in sports. Think that with all that's going on that's negative, there have been no changes in the lineup or roster! What other club would remain pat in this situation?
Ron, I understand your disappointment, but the lowest point in Mets history? That began the day in 1977 when they dumped Seaver and continued until the Payson family sold the team. Remember those night games when they closed the entire upper deck? The Triple A roster impersonating as a major league team? All those last-place finishes? Shea was falling apart for lack of maintenance, and there was no brand-new ballpark beyond the outfield fence about to open. Now, those were truly depressing days (especially since the Yankees were kicking ass up in the Bronx.) What we have now is discouraging, but it can be salvaged. Back in '77-'78-'79 there truly was no hope.
Bobster, while I agree there was no hope from 1977 and on (I still remember calling Sportsphone on 6/15/77 from the Flagship diner on Queens Blvd to hear about the Seaver trade) the fallout from the M.Donald Grant / Dick Young / Seaver thing was coming for sometime. And the subsequent down years as least lead to the selling of the team, but we knew the team was going to stink.
We all had high expectations this year and not only are they playing poorly but between the clubhouse friction, the self inflicted wounds from teammates and the manager, and the lack of leadership from the players, front office and ownership, I think this is a new low. And I don't see it getting better. Pedro may be our only hope.
Here is the latest press release regarding Willets Point redevelopment. 
Coming up: a few key dates in the Willets Point development battles. Here is a press release I received from the WPIRA. Loge13 takes no sides: we’re just posting the news:
I would like to see just how much of that nearly $1 billion in economic activity that the WPIRA claims. It's been my experience that the crime families (I mean legitimate businessmen), offer some VERY steep cash discounts. I'm sure they report all that income.