PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tiffany Khan, Member of the Public, on 135th Street Residential Development
0:59:27
·
106 sec
Tiffany Khan strongly opposes the proposed 14-story development on 135th Street, citing concerns about the project's size, location, and potential environmental risks. She criticizes Council Member Eric Bottcher for misrepresenting community sentiment and questions the development's benefit to West Harlem.
- Emphasizes the small size of the lot and its location above Amtrak tracks
- Points out that Amtrak attorneys have twice stated that building on this lot is not possible
- Highlights that the site is in a FEMA flood zone, raising concerns about future hurricane impacts
- Argues that the development will primarily benefit Columbia University rather than the local community
Tiffany Khan
0:59:27
Good afternoon, everyone.
0:59:30
To the council member, Eric Bacher, have you actually read the resolution that committee board 9 sent in regards to this?
0:59:43
Can you hear me?
Kevin C. Riley
0:59:44
Yeah.
0:59:44
We can hear you, Tiffany, but you're you're testifying right now.
Tiffany Khan
0:59:48
The reason why I'm asking is because when you come out publicly and say it's very easy to oppose a development like this, it is deeply frustrating and a gross misrepresentation of how the community feels about this development.
1:00:04
I'm not gonna reiterate the points that Barry Weinberg just stated, but you should perhaps just take a walk through the neighborhood to get a sense of the size of this lot, which is about as wide as a brownstone, a small single family home, on one end.
1:00:20
And you're going to put up you actually, you, the developer, have the Audacity to propose a fourteen story building on this site above an Amtrak track The attorneys from Amtrak have twice told you you cannot build on this lot.
1:00:39
This is and and to degrade this as a matter of pretty views is absurd, it's false, and it shows how incredibly ignorant you are.
1:00:49
And it's also in a FEMA flood zone.
1:00:52
So when the next hurricane Sandy hits, it's going to be we, the taxpayers, that have to relocate those residents.
1:01:00
And let's be honest, more studios going to Columbia.
1:01:04
This is not benefiting West Harlem, and I am tired of people like you that are cramming this down our throats.
