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REMARKS
Council Member Bottcher's opening remarks on the Western Rail Yards project hearing
0:23:16
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3 min
Council Member Erik D. Bottcher delivers opening remarks for a hearing on the Western Rail Yards project, emphasizing the significance of the decision regarding this valuable land parcel. He stresses the need to maximize public benefit, ensure financial soundness, and gain community support for the project.
- Bottcher highlights the long-term impact of the decision on the neighborhood and city
- He questions the necessity of changing the 2009 rezoning plan and the viability of the proposed alternatives
- The council member emphasizes the importance of community input and leaving a positive legacy for future generations
Erik D. Bottcher
0:23:16
Good morning everyone.
0:23:18
Thank you so much chair Reilly.
0:23:20
I also want to thank housing committee chair Prina Sanchez who agreed to swap hearing rooms with us today.
0:23:27
They had us over at 250 Broadway and that would have been tight.
0:23:31
So happy that we're able to be here today to accommodate everybody.
0:23:36
Thank you to everyone for joining us for today's hearing on the future of the Western Rail Yards.
0:23:43
This is not just another land use application.
0:23:48
This is a decision about one of the most valuable parcels of land in New York City and therefore one of the most valuable in the world.
0:23:58
The choices that we make here will help shape our neighborhoods, our city, and the lives of New Yorkers for the next hundred years and beyond.
0:24:09
Because of that, the stakes could not be higher.
0:24:13
Our responsibility is clear to ensure that this extraordinary public asset is maximized for the public good, not for short term profits, but lasting public benefit.
0:24:28
This is not a decision we take lightly.
0:24:31
Today, under Chair Riley's leadership, we will conduct a fair, thorough, and robust hearing.
0:24:39
We'll hear from the applicant, from stakeholders and most importantly the public.
0:24:45
The people who will live with the consequences of what gets built here.
0:24:49
The applicant has argued that the 2,009 rezoning for this site, a plan shaped by years of hard work and negotiation has not stood the test of time and that the financing assumptions made back then did not materialize as expected and don't pencil out today.
0:25:09
We'll be exploring that aspect closely today.
0:25:13
We'll be asking is the current zoning truly unworkable and if changes are to be made, are the proposed alternatives financially sound, realistic, and truly in the long term interests of New Yorkers?
0:25:32
The fact that the applicant's proposal involves securing a casino license, a license that is by no means guaranteed, makes these questions even more urgent.
0:25:44
In a city as diverse and as passionate as ours, you'll never achieve full unanimity.
0:25:51
But for a project of this magnitude, there must be credible, substantial buy in from the community that will live with its impacts.
0:26:02
And at the end of the day, this is about making the most of an irreplaceable opportunity to build the housing we need, the open spaces we deserve, and the resilient, equitable city we aspire to leave for future generations.
0:26:20
New Yorkers are proprietary about our city Like, this is our city, and that's true.
0:26:28
But in another sense, we are just stewards of this great city.
0:26:33
We are here for a relatively short amount of time, and it's our job to care for our city, to cherish it, to pay it forward, and to leave behind a city that is even more wonderful, fairer, and more lasting than what we inherited, something that will stand the test of time.
0:26:56
Thank you again to everyone who is here today to share your perspective.
0:27:01
Your voices matter.
0:27:03
Your voices will be heard.
0:27:06
Let's get started.