BP Adams, CM Williams Respond To Selection of NYC As Site for Amazon HQ2
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and City Council member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) responded to yesterday’s announcement that Amazon will establish a new corporate headquarters in Long Island City, Queens.
The decision followed a comprehensive, year-long selection process during which 238 cities across North America competed for the multibillion-dollar project.
In 2019, Amazon will occupy up to 500,000 square feet at One Court Square while working to construct four million square feet of commercial space on Long Island City’s waterfront over the next 10 years, with expansion opportunities for up to 8 million square feet over the next 15 years.
Through a $3.6 billion total investment, Amazon will draw from the local workforce in New York State to fill at least 25,000 new jobs by 2029 and up to 40,000 jobs by 2034 with an average salary of more than $150,000. The construction is expected to create an average of 1300 direct construction jobs annually through 2033. Overall, the project is estimated to create more than 107,000 total direct and indirect jobs, over $14 billion in new tax revenue for the State and a net of $13.5 billion in City tax revenue over the next 25 years. The project is expected to provide a 9:1 return on investment.
“I have long believed that there is a lot of potential in establishing a community-oriented partnership with Amazon, and I have unabashedly advocated for that since this international search was launched last year. However, I was dismayed to hear that the City and the State have signed off on a plan that has shut out the level of robust community review that New Yorkers expect and deserve,” said Adams.
“I will review the plan closely, with a keen eye on the commitment to sustainable local hiring and infrastructure investment both in Long Island City and surrounding communities — including neighboring north Brooklyn. What I can say with certainty is that economic development and community engagement cannot be seen as opposing forces. Amazon can very well have a positive impact on our community’s future, but our community must always come first,” added Adams.
“Last year, I signed onto a letter encouraging Amazon to consider New York City as a site for its new headquarters. This was intended to be the beginning of a conversation- I thought that it would have been irresponsible not to at least explore the possibility of adding thousands of new jobs. What I could not have thought was that the next response in that conversation would be a secret back room deal, reached to undermine and cut out all of the stakeholders in this issue,” said Williams.
Cumbo To Hold Thanksgiving Turkey Meal Giveaway
Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights) will hold a Turkey Meal Giveaway this week.
The giveaway will not only include a turkey but also mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
The event is slated for 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. Francis de Sales School For the Deaf, at 260 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
The turkey meal is free and open to the public, one meal per household and a proof of addressed must be presented on the day of the event.
Menchaca Announces Service Change To Sunset Park Ferry
City Council member Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) announced yesterday service changes to the Sunset Park Ferry service.
Starting this week, the Brooklyn Army Terminal/Sunset Park Ferry will be out-of-service for the next three to four weeks, for maintenance and renovations that will accommodate more vessels. As a result, ferries to Sunset Park are being rerouted to Bay Ridge.
A free shuttle bus will be available for ferry goers who need to travel from Bay Ridge to Sunset Park.
“We’ll keep everyone updated on the progress in the coming weeks. Thank you for your patience and let me know if you have any questions,” said Menchaca.
To see the schedule changes click here.
Cornegy To Host Third Party Transfer Town Hall
City Council member Robert Cornegy, Jr. (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) will hold a Town Hall this week on the City’s Third Party Transfer (TPT) program.
The Town Hall follows the continuing KCP series, which has found that the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) under the TPT program has seized four completely paid off properties – three of which are black owned and one of which is a co-op building in which six working-class Latinos own.
The program designates qualified sponsors to purchase and rehabilitate distressed vacant and occupied multi-family properties in order to improve and preserve housing affordable to low-to moderate-income households.
The event will include representatives from HPD, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Environmental Protection (DOP) and Department of Buildings (DOB).
The event is slated for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m, Thursday, Nov. 15, at Brooklyn Law School, at 250 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
