In the News: World Financial Center’s New Name

October 19, 2012 Community News, Construction, History, People, Real Estate

••• Two takes on the anti-Asphalt Green rally. First, the Broadsheet, toeing the party line: “An event billed as a ‘Rally for a Real Community Center’ drew a more than 50 community leaders and concerned residents to the corner of West and Warren Streets on Thursday afternoon. Waving signs emblazoned with slogans like ‘Revise the Contract,’ ‘Save Our Ball Fields,’ and ‘Community Benefits,’ the crowd and a succession of speakers gave voice to a series of demands.” A second “news source” (name redacted at its request) sees ulterior motives everywhere it looks.

••• “Brookfield Properties will rename the eight million-square-foot office complex it owns in Lower Manhattan several sources familiar with the company’s plans say. What is known currently as the World Financial Center will become Brookfield Place under the plan, in what appears to be an effort to distance the property’s image as a home predominantly for financial tenants at a time when leasing demand from that sector has been weak.” It’s like Melrose Place, but less sexy. —New York Observer

••• Eight of the 18 units at 37 Warren have been sold. —New York Daily News

••• “How would you like it if a freight train came rumbling across your front yard several times a day? You probably would not like it a bit. Yet that was just what confronted anyone living on Hudson Street between Beach and Laight streets a century ago.” —Tribeca Trib

••• “The Port Authority can finally start construction on the much-talked about retail at the World Trade Center. A $11.1 million construction contract with T.B. Penick & Sons Inc. was approved to today to begin work on the Cortlandt Way retail corridor.” —Curbed

••• “A Curbed operative also sends word that the MTA is finished with restoration of the historic Corbin building’s facade, but we have yet to check it out.” (I ran over there to take a photo but if it’s done it’s still behind a ton of scaffolding.)

••• David Bouley has a farm in Kent, Conn.—about a half mile from where Adam and I rent a house. Stop stalking me, David! —Wall Street Journal

 
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

6 Comments

  1. cami
    October 19, 2012 • 1:14 pm

    The Community Asphalt Green rally is baffling to me. Why were these issues not raised when Asphalt Green had applied to run the center? What was this rally’s purpose? How much real power does this group have? Apparently a lot. The Broadsheet might as well just sit this out. They forgot to include in their photos, one of a senior holding up a sign saying “Affordable Housing.” What? You just can’t take this seriously? Is Bob really behind all of these shenanigans? Seems like a public temper tantrum if that is the case. Or is BPC.tv just paranoid and conspiracy driven? Are there any real journalists in the neighborhood willing to dig a little or is everyone happy to continue covering ship arrivals, and the community calendar?

  2. Liz
    October 19, 2012 • 1:42 pm

    I wish it were paranoia, but as a resident and owner in BPC, i found it odd that there were all these delays and i believed the party line about the construction and permits. However, for the months of June, July and August all construction and permitting stopped. I found it odd considering the delay. I then started attending the Community Board 1 Meetings and BPCA Board Meetings and the collusion was obvious. In fact, because i was one of the only residents attending they are not even discreet about it.

    Go to the CB1 meeting on Tuesday at 6:00 PM; it will be an education.

  3. Jamie
    October 20, 2012 • 2:48 am

    If you want more information, come to our info session on Sunday, 10/21 at 10 am on the Terrace overlooking the BPC ball fields.

    Also attend the BPCA meeting at 10 am on Tuesday 10/23 on the 24th floor of One World Financial Center. It’s important that the Board and leadership know that BPC Residents are tired of the games. No more playing politics with the opening of our community center.

    Though my initial impetus – out of frustration and anger about Asphalt Green’s long-delayed opening – was to hold a rally of BPC residents, I felt it best to first inform community members so that we can better work together to let our voice be heard by CB1 and BPCA.

    Join the discussion here:
    https://www.facebook.com/BPCAsphaltRally

  5. Hudson River
    October 22, 2012 • 8:59 am

    First Brookfield renamed Liberty Plaza; now it’s the whole Financial Center! And they put a plaque to one of their buddies on the staircase they wanted to tear down. What arrogance. They have been mismanaging the food and retail there ever since the place was built; if their renovation succeeds it will be due more to the increased residential base than to anything they have ever done.

  6. Fred C.
    November 3, 2012 • 9:15 pm

    And now that Hurricane Sandy has destroyed Bob Townley’s monopolistic fiefdom, the neighborhood has no community center at all. Karma is a bitch, Bob. If he and Mark Costello had only stopped with the backroom shenanigans and allowed Asphalt Green to open, perhaps Sandy would have spared him.