CB5 4/22/21 Newsletter And Chairs' Corner Chair's Corner

Press release from Manhattan Community Board 5:

May 6, 2021

Chair's Corner
A note from CB5 Chair Vikki Barbero

CB5’s activities this month ranged from a presentation from the Union Square Partnership regarding their Vision Plan for Union Square to our supporting a bill from Council Member Rivera (titled “The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act”), which provides opportunities for community-based non-profits to purchase residential buildings and land to create affordable housing. We also supported two bills from Council Member Powers having to do with noise complaints asking for more transparency and clarity. You can read those resolutions of support here.

Our almost all-consuming issue this month, however, had to do with our ongoing quest for a better plan and planning process for the improvement of Penn Station. It is being managed by the New York State Empire State Development Corporation (ESD) and you can see the plan on the ESD website. CB5 has now joined with local elected officials and Community Board 4 to lead the effort for a more comprehensive, transparent and community engaging process.

In early March, CB5 issued our response to the Empire Station Complex Draft Environmental Impact Statement. At the end of March, CB4 and CB5 released a joint statement to “Hit Pause on Empire Station Complex” to bring to light the adverse impact of the ESD plan which includes the demolition of entire city blocks. We called on the Governor to genuinely engage the community, elected officials, and other essential project stakeholders to create a new comprehensive plan. Our elected officials, at the city, state and federal level, joined our call with their own letter to the Governor. This community coalition has successfully advocated for a much stronger public process and tied any public monies currently allocated to the project in the NY State budget to transportation improvements only. We are grateful for all the support from our representatives and our neighbouring Community Board.

Due to Penn Station’s status as the busiest rail and transit hub in the nation, it affects not only our district but the entire borough, the city, the state and the nation as well. I believe we now have the attention on the matter that it deserves and as we work for a more thoughtful and comprehensive plan, we will keep you informed throughout the process. We will post notices on our website and send out information on public hearings and comment opportunities through this newsletter as it becomes available.

I hope to see you at our upcoming meetings.
Vikki

For CB5's full newsletter published April 22nd, 2021, visit:

https://mailchi.mp/cb5.org/cb5...

This press release was produced by Manhattan Community Board 5. The views expressed here are the author’s own.