PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

March 28, 2008

www.gvshp.org

Dear Friend,
 
I want to share with you the fantastic news that yesterday the Hudson River Park Trust voted to REJECT the Related Companies' proposed mega-entertainment complex for Pier 40, known by many as 'Vegas-on-the-Hudson.'  This is a tremendous victory for the community, and especially for the Pier 40 Partnership (P40P), which spearheaded the effort to defeat this plan and present a more community-friendly alternative.  The Trust has given P40P 90 days to work with another applicant to come up with a viable proposal to submit. While there is still much work to be done to make this a reality, which will require close cooperation between the community, elected officials, developers, the partnership, and the Trust, the rejection of the Related Companies' plan is extremely welcome news.  GVSHP is proud to have been part of a community-wide coalition which fought hard to ensure that development of the type and scale proposed by Related never found a home on Pier 40.
 
Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

March 19, 2008

www.gvshp.org

Dear Friend,

I thought you might be interested in a letter to the editor I wrote which was published in this week's Crain's NY in response to their recent editorial supporting the Related Companies plan for Pier 40 and the St. Vincent's/Rudin condo and hospital development plan -- see http://gvshp.org/documents/CrainsStVin3-08.pdf.

Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
    
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

February 6, 2008

www.gvshp.org

Dear friend,

Last week, the Hudson River Park Trust voted neither to adopt the Related Companies' "Vegas-on-the-Hudson" proposal, nor to formally reject it and close out the RFP process.  Similarly, they did not vote to either reject or move forward in their consideration of the Pier 40 Partnership's proposal for a conservancy which would retain the existing recreational and parking facilities on the pier and generate income to restore the pier and support the park, as required by law.

So the good news is that the Trust has not approved the Related plan, but the bad news is they have not rejected it yet either.  This in spite of the fact that the Related plan, among the many other problems with it, would require amending state legislation to grant Related a 49-year lease on the pier -- 50% longer than the current 30 year limit.  The Pier 40 Partnership proposal is still very much alive and in the mix, and enjoys strong support from much of the community.
 
GVSHP is continuing to work with the Pier 40 Partnership, other community groups, and the Pier 40 Working Group to advocate for uses on Pier 40 that would be compatible with the scale and character of the park and surrounding neighborhoods.  We will let you know information about next steps as soon as it is available.

For more information, see updates below.


Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
    
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

January 28, 2008

www.gvshp.org

The Hudson River Park Trust will be voting on the fate of Pier 40 this Thursday, January 31st, at their meeting which begins at 4 pm at the Jewish Museum, 36 Battery Place in Battery Park City.  WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO ATTEND THIS MEETING, SO THE TRUST KNOWS HOW STRONGLY WE FEEL ABOUT REJECTING THE RELATED COMPANIES' MEGA-DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL FOR THE PIER, AND THE NEED FOR A COMMUNITY-FRIENDLY PLAN LIKE THAT PROPOSED BY THE PIER 40 PARTNERSHIP.  Thank you to everyone who came to the rally on Sunday -- there were hundreds of you, and it was a tremendous success!  (for more information, see updates below)

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman addressing the crowd at the rally for Pier 40, January 27th.
GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman addressing the crowd at the rally for Pier 40, January 27th.

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

January 25, 2008

www.gvshp.org

Dear friend,
 
There will be a rally to show support for community-compatible park uses on Pier 40 this Sunday, January 27th, at noon, at the pier's courtyard fields (see flyer at www.pier40.org/Pier40Hearing.pdf -- Pier 40 is at Clarkson Street).  A decision by the Hudson River Park Trust on the current development proposals for the Pier is expected on January 31, so it is CRITICAL that we show strong support for maintaining a pier which is compatible with our park and our neighborhood.  You can also help by signing an on-line petition to the Trust at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/RallyForPier40/.

For more info, see below. 

Best,
 
Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

PRESERVATION ALERT

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

January 16, 2008

www.gvshp.org

Dear friend,
 
I apologize for the short notice, but I wanted to be sure you were aware of a very important meeting tonight regarding the future of Pier 40, located between Leroy and King Streets in the Hudson River Park.   The Hudson River Park Trust is currently considering proposals for development of this enormous pier.
 
The Pier 40 Partnership (P40P), a consortium of neighborhood residents and community leaders, will be making a presentation to the Waterfront Committee of Community Board #2 regarding their feasibility study for an alternative approach to development of Pier 40 (for the study, see www.drop.io/pier40partnership).   P40P has been reaching out to and meeting with neighborhood groups, and looking for ways to restore and operate the pier which are compatible with the concerns and desires of the community. 
 
As you may recall, the Related Companies has proposed a massive entertainment complex for Pier 40 dubbed by many "Vegas-on-the-Hudson," which would likely generate an enormous amount of traffic and have a huge impact upon the adjacent neighborhoods (see below).  GVSHP and many groups staunchly opposed the Related proposal, and the Pier 40 Working Group (a community advisory group to the Hudson River Park Trust) recommended the Related proposal be rejected.  They instead urged that the direction suggested by P40P be pursued, which would involve retaining much of the current mix of recreational and parking uses on the pier, while funding its needed renovation and generating income to help build the remainder of the Hudson River Park .
 
GVSHP also strongly supports this position.  The very responsible direction being promoted by the Pier 40 Partnership would be vastly more compatible with our neighborhoods, as well as with the park. 
 
To find out more about this proposal, or voice support for it and opposition to the Related Companies' "Vegas-on-the-Hudson" proposal, please come to tonight's meeting:
WATERFRONT COMMITTEE
Chair:
Arthur Z. Schwartz
DATE: Wednesday, January 16, 2008
TIME: 7:30 PM
PLACE:

Church of Our Lady of Pompeii
25 Carmine St. Father Demo Lower Hall

Agenda

1)

 Recommendations of the Pier 40 Working Group and a presentation of the feasibility study done by the Pier 40 Partnership
 
 I hope to see you there, and work with you to ensure the right kind of future for Pier 40.
 
Best,
 
Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
    
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm

PRESERVATION ALERT

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

September 14, 2007

www.gvshp.org

JOIN GVSHP IN URGING NEW HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST CHAIR TO REJECT "VEGAS-on-the-HUDSON"

Urge New Hudson River Park Trust Chair to Reject "Vegas-on-the-Hudson":  This summer, the Pier 40 Working Group of the Hudson River Park Advisory Board voted overwhelmingly to reject Related Companies' plan for a huge "Vegas-on-the-Hudson" style development on Pier 40 (see below).   This summer Governor Spitzer also appointed Diana Taylor as the new Chair of the Board of the Hudson River Park Trust, the body which, along with the City Planning Commission and the City Council, must ultimately approve this proposal in order for it to become a reality.  A decision by the Hudson River Park Board on the Pier 40 is expected as early as this fall.  GVSHP recently wrote to the new Trust Chair Diana Taylor to welcome her to her new position, and to strongly urge her to reject the Related Companies' mega-development plan for Pier 40, which we believe would have such a negative impact (see www.gvshp.org/documents/Pier40DianaTaylorLet09-07.pdf).
 
Please join us in urging Chair Taylor to do right by our pier, our park, and our neighborhoods.
 
HOW TO HELP: 

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

August 27, 2007

www.gvshp.org

END-of-SUMMER PROGRESS REPORT ON:
Pier 40 -- No to 'Vegas on the Hudson':

GVSHP and a wide array of community groups have opposed plans by Related Companies for an enormous "Vegas-on-the-Hudson" style development on Pier 40 at Clarkson Street (see below).  In May, we helped in generating more than 1,500 residents who turned out to oppose the plan at a public hearing.  Now the Pier 40 Working Group of the Hudson River Park Trust Advisory Council, with a near-unanimous vote, has called for rejection of this proposal (see www.gvshp.org/documents/pier40wkggrprecs.htm).  While ultimately the Hudson River Park Trust will make this decision, the Working Group's recommendation is expected to carry considerable weight with the Trust, which is expected to reconvene in the fall to review the proposals. 

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.

 

PRESERVATION ALERT

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

June 15, 2007

www.gvshp.org

DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS ON PIER 40/"Vegas-on-the-Hudson" DEVELOPMENT June 19 -- Please write!

Pier 40: The deadline for comments on development plans for Pier 40, the giant pier stretching from Leroy to below Houston Streets on the Hudson River waterfront, is June 19.  GVSHP is very concerned about plans for enormous commercial development on the pier that would generate huge amounts of traffic, serve largely as a tourist attraction, overwhelm the Hudson River Park, and encourage inappropriate development in the neighboring communities -- such as the plan by Related Companies for its 'Vegas-on-the-Hudson' development. We were also concerned to read recent comments by Hudson River Park Trust President Connie Fishman that the only concern expressed by neighborhood residents about Pier 40 development concerned the ball fields, and by Related spokesperson Jay Kriegel that the area around Pier 40 is 'not a traffic hot spot' (CLICK HERE for Villager editorial).  Clearly the Hudson River Park Trust, which will decide the fate of Pier 40, and Related Companies still need to get the message.  

HOW TO HELP: 

  • WRITE TO THE HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST BEFORE JUNE 19 URGING THEM TO REJECT RELATED COMPANIES' PROPOSED MEGA-DEVELOPMENT FOR PIER 40 -- CLICK HERE for a sample letter you can use.

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

April 26, 2007

www.gvshp.org

GVSHP COMES OUT AGAINST 'VEGAS-ON-THE-HUDSON' PLAN FOR PIER 40 Public Hearing May 3rd at 7 pm -- PLEASE ATTEND!  

GVSHP Calls for Zoning Protections for Adjacent Areas

GVSHP OPPOSES 'VEGAS-ON-THE-HUDSON' PROPOSAL:  GVSHP has come out against Related Companies' proposal for a 600,000 sq. ft., 10,000-seat, nearly $700 million multi-venue mega-entertainment complex on Pier 40 at Clarkson Street.  Dubbed "Vegas-on-the-Hudson" by critics, GVSHP believes that Related's 'Performing Arts Center' (PAC) proposal, which they describe as a "downtown Lincoln Center," would overwhelm both the Hudson River Park and the surrounding West Village, Hudson Square, and SoHo neighborhoods, and attract an almost-entirely tourist clientele which would arrive largely by automobile.  The PAC proposal would require approval not only by the Hudson River Park Trust, but by the City Council and the City Planning Commission, since the massive project would require zoning changes to get around the current 30 ft. height limit for this location (the PAC buildings could go as high as 160 feet).  CLICK HERE for GVSHP's letter to City and State officials who will be part of the decision-making process for this proposal.  See coverage of this issue in the April 26th New York Sun for additional information.

While GVSHP has historically not gotten involved in Hudson River Park development issues, the unprecedented scope and impact of the PAC proposal, particularly upon the neighboring inland areas, prompted us to act in this case.  GVSHP is concerned that the Pier 40 plan, combined with the pending approval of Donald Trump's 45-story "condo-hotel" at nearby Spring and Varick Streets, has the potential to turn the neighboring area into a high-density, high-rise, high-traffic-generating regional entertainment zone, and we have thus repeated our call (made since the Trump proposal first came to light) to consider zoning changes for the area to prevent inappropriate development.  

GVSHP is working with a coalition of community groups opposing the PAC Plan for Pier 40, including the Pier, Park, and Playground Association.  CLICK HERE and HERE  for more information about the PAC proposal.

HOW TO HELP: 

  • COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS ON PIER 40 next Thursday, May 3rd, at  7 pm, at P S 41, 116 West 11th Street (btw. 6th and 7th Avenues) and SHOW YOUR OPPOSITION TO 'VEGAS-ON-THE-HUDSON'!   

 

 To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.