In-person Community Briefing: Center For Climate Solutions On Governors Island – Oct 26 in Battery Park City. (There will be a repeat on Nov 14.)
For details and to register visit:
https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/events/community-briefing-center-for-climate-solutions-on-governors-island
When Governors Island was turned over to NYC in 2003, people worked very hard to have it be a public place and not fall into the hands of private developers. The resulting 2003 Deed set out to “ensure the protection and preservation of the natural, cultural and historic qualities of Governors Island,” so that the Island would serve as “an educational and civic resource of special historic character and as a recreational and open space resource.”
The intent was:
– Not to essentially privatize the island by turning it into a research campus
– Not to serve the city’s economic engine. “One billion dollars and 7,000 Jobs”? Really? Where is the data behind that? And the GI deed requires that any income generated on Governors Island, “shall be applied solely” to the operation of Governors Island. Governors Island’s purpose is not to serve as a cash cow for NYC.
The drastic 2021 upzoning of the south portion of GI wasn’t necessary to bring in a “Center for Climate Solutions”, but the center was needed to sell the upzoning. Simply extending the special zoning applied the GI historic district in 2013 would have been more than adequate.
The main function of the “Center for Climate Solutions” is not climate research or supporting GI. It’s about providing an “anchor tenant” with which to attract major developers. The other main developer incentive is the excessive building heights allowed by the awful 2021 upzoning, which is currently under legal challenge.
#GovernorsIsland #DefendGI #LessIsMore #MagicIsland