Bronx Boro Prez Issues Protest at Yankees Parking Hearing

This morning a representative of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr., read a statement of protest ahead of an expected Tuesday vote on the city’s deal with the Yankees to subsidize the construction of three parking garages.

Testifying before the NYC Industrial Development Agency (IDA), which is poised to issue over $200 million in triple tax exempt bonds to the "Bronx Parking Development Company" for parking deck construction, Deputy Director for Planning & Development Paula Luria Caplan said Carrion has not received "vital information" regarding project financing.

Here is the testimony submitted by Caplan on behalf of Carrion, in its entirety:

The new Yankee Stadium project represents a remarkable achievement for the Borough of the Bronx and the City of New York. As this board is aware, the Borough President has been involved in this redevelopment project from its inception and has always insisted that both the community and its representatives are thoroughly engaged in this process.

The Borough President is deeply concerned that after repeated requests we still have not received vital information regarding the details of the Bronx Parking Development Company financing. Specifically, the Borough President’s office has requested the following:

A copy of the draft lease agreement;
A copy of the feasibility study;
An explanation of the increase in the deal size from $190 million to $218 million;
and details regarding the elimination of Lot D from the parking facility after 2010.

Finally, the Borough President is concerned as to whether this project can move forward on September 11th without the statutorily required approval of the Bronx Borough Board. In order to make an informed decision at the September 11th IDA Meeting, the Borough President must receive this information immediately.

Bettina Damiani of Good Jobs New York, who also offered testimony, said that it is unheard of for a borough president to resort to making such a statement at an IDA hearing, considering that each borough president has an appointee on the IDA board.

Complete coverage still to come.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Vote Postponed on Yankees Parking Subsidy

By Brad Aaron |
In an unusual move, the board of the New York City Industrial Development Agency (IDA) this morning postponed a vote on whether to issue tax-free bonds for parking facilities at the new Yankee Stadium. At a hearing last week, residents of the South Bronx, along with public advocates, protested the $225 million triple tax exempt […]

City Approves Subsidized Yankee Stadium Parking

By Brad Aaron |
Yes, the Yankees’ season is over. But on the bright side, this morning the city handed the team a nice consolation prize: $225 million in tax exempt bonds for parking deck construction at the new Yankee Stadium. Under the agreement, the city will give up some $2.5 million in taxes, with an estimated $5 million […]

Yankee Stadium Parking Garages “Almost Certainly” Coming Down

By Brad Aaron |
How long now before the Yankee Stadium parking fiasco becomes an unpleasant memory? In a brief Crain’s item published last Friday (hat tip to Tri-State), Marlene Cintron, president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, said that occupancy rates at the taxpayer-financed stadium garages are down from last year, and now stand below 50 percent. […]

Carrion Supports Congestion and Congestion Pricing

By Brad Aaron |
Last week AMNY ran a profile of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr., playing on the angle that he may make a run for mayor in two years. The piece is mostly flattering, but does make mention of Carrion’s controversial support for the new Yankee Stadium, which, as Streetsblog readers are probably sick of hearing […]

The Bronx Is Burning Over Subsidized Stadium Parking

By Brad Aaron |
The people of the South Bronx will organize against the subsidized construction of parking garages for the new Yankee Stadium, one resident said yesterday. At a sparsely attended public hearing in Lower Manhattan, Margaret Collins of Save Our Parks told the New York City Industrial Development Agency (IDA) that a "barely contained rage" is simmering over the traffic the new […]

Carrion Gets $30K Donation Following Yanks Walkway Deal

By Brad Aaron |
The Village Voice is reporting that Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion received $30,000 in campaign contributions from a firm that scored a $5 million air rights agreement for a pedestrian bridge to the new Yankee Stadium.  Last summer the city agreed to pay $5 million to construct part of a pedestrian walkway to the new […]