They haven’t repaired streets; they haven’t repaired the sidewalks. They don’t collect trash.

If I’m not mistaken, commercial areas all over the city are responsible for getting their trash picked up.  It doesn’t seem to me like Willets Point is the only area in the five boroughs in which businesses have to hire private companies to pick up their trash.  In addition, it’s usually property owners who are responsible for repairing their sidewalks, and there are plenty of sidewalks in Willets Point that are nearly non-existant because they have not been maintained for decades.

I recommend reading the interview, but the arguments presented certainly didn’t change my mind.

Well someone felt like being negative today…  I can’t say I’m too concerned at this stage that the plan is doomed, but it would be a real shame if it is ultimately defeated by the City Council.

Voting down this plan at its last stage - the City Council - would kind of be like giving up six runs to your archrival in the 9th inning.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced that it has signed another property acquisition and relocation agreement with a business with which it had been negotiating at Willets Point, Queens.  The deal is the fourth such agreement in recent months as the City proceeds through the Uniformed Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).

Flushing Towing has agreed to have NYCEDC acquire 4,000 square feet of industrial land.  The sale is contingent upon ULURP approval of the Willets Point Development Plan.

“Our efforts to negotiate with each of the businesses and landowners at Willets Point continue to show results,” said Seth W. Pinsky, President, NYCEDC. “We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Flushing Towing and we remain committed to reaching more as we move through the approval process.”

“I’m happy with my agreement and to have the opportunity to move my business,” said Carlos Canal, owner of Flushing Towing.  “I now have a future I can look forward to.”

Under the City’s plan, the 62 acre site, which includes the property on which Flushing Towing had been operating will be remediated and prepared to be part of a new mixed-use community that will include housing, restaurants, stores, parks, and a school. The project will also provide 18,000 construction jobs and more than 5,000 permanent jobs.

NYCEDC has been engaged in active relocation and property acquisition negotiations with many businesses and property owners of all sizes at Willets Point since announcing its redevelopment plans last spring, holding well over 100 meetings with such businesses and owners during this period.

Please visit the NYCEDC website for more information on the Willets Point Redevelopment plan: http://www.nycedc.com/willetspoint

Another piece of good news regarding this development project.  It’s good to hear from these businesses, which all seem pretty satisfied with their sales and relocations.  The opponents of this project would have you believe that the city is forcing every business to leave Willets Point with little to no compensation. and that seems like it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I’m sure we’ll hear about a few more property sales as time goes by.  Each one is an important step in this whole process.

According to the article, members of the Willets Point Industry and Realty Association gave the bulk of the aforementioned $37,500.

Councilman Monserrate is currently running unopposed for a seat in the State Senate.

Although the article might insinuate that Councilman Monserrate is fighting the Mayor’s plan because of the money he has received from these businesses, I’m not really sure that’s the case. I can’t come up with a good reason why he’s defending the area as it currently stands, but these donations were probably so large because he has been the most vocal defender of the area as it currently stands. That being said, I highly doubt he changes his mind on this issue after receiving this money.

After the plan goes before the community board, it goes to the Borough President for 30 days, the City Planning Commission for 60 days and the City Council for 50 days.

Stay tuned, things are looking good.

I wish I could have been there, but it definitely sounds like there was plenty of support for the project during the hearing, despite the opposition staged outside of the Borough President’s Office.

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall’s report on the proposal is due next, and all indications say she’ll continue to support the plan as she has all along.

Hope to have some more good updates next week.  Enjoy the weekend, and Let’s Go Mets!

The good news just keeps coming in…

The article portrays Willets Points as a tough decision because these council members may risk the support of labor groups or antagonize elected officials who support the plan.

The following is a great quotation from Assembly Member Nettie Mayersohn:

“I am so glad they are finally going to do something about the area,” said Mayersohn.

Reflecting on shop owners and housing advocates who have protested the plan, she added, “I have no idea why anyone is opposed to it.”

I have no idea why anyone is opposed to this plan, either.  This City Hall article is a great, concise read.  The claims made by the opponents of the plan seem to be a far reach, and even the most ardent opponent of the plan, Councilman Monserrate, sounds willing to make some compromises on his stance regarding the development project.

Also, as previously mentioned in a comment by a reader of DWP, Fernando Ferrer is being paid to come out against Mayor Bloomberg’s plan.

This is another in the series of votes that will be an important part of this project happening.  Once again, the meeting is occurring at a time when I cannot attend.  If you have any way of getting to the meeting, though, I really urge you to go out and speak from the perspective of a Mets fan.  Another passed vote would be another important victory for the Mayor’s plan.

For information on Queens Borough Hall, go here.  I’m not an expert on traveling there, but it looks to me like taking either the E or F trains to Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens is pretty much the only good way to get there.

In addition, the Politicker has a release from Fernando Ferrer, the 2005 Democratic Candidate for Mayor, stating he’ll join Councilman Hiram Monserrate outside of Queens Borough Hall in calling for the plan to be voted down.

Disagreeing with Mayor Bloomberg just for the sake of disagreeing is silly.  Honestly, I’m a little bit surprised that people are still jumping on the bandwagon fighting the plan.  With your help at this public hearing, hopefully this vote will follow along the lines of the Queens Community Board 7 vote.