Waterfront Land Swap Deal Promises More Open Space

By [Roland Li] The New York City Economic Development Corporation and city"s Parks Department are pushing to convert portions of Robert Moses Playground to non-park space so that the United Nations can build a tower. In exchange, the city would get funding for waterfront development in the Midtown East area. In a June 6 town hall meeting at the Schottenstein Center on East 34th Street, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Madelyn Wils, executive vice president at the Economic Development Corporation, made a case for converting the playground from park space, a process known as alienation. The United Nations Development Corporation would sell tax-free bonds to fund the waterfront development and the building at Robert Moses Playground, between East 41st and 42nd streets and First Avenue and the FDR Drive. The sale of the U.N."s two current plaza buildings would also generate money. Benepe and Wils argued that it was a financially feasible choice that resulted in a large net gain in open public space in the area, despite the loss of the playground, and that now was a critical time to act. The proposal is the most recent push in a long-running effort to â??close the gap in Manhattan"s waterfront greenway. Currently, the eastern waterfront, between East 38th and 59th streets, lacks pedestrian and bicycle amenities, in stark contrast to the lush western edge of the island. East Midtown has one of the lowest percentages of park space out of any neighborhood in the city, and the community has been pushing for a waterfront park, particularly in the last three years. â??Everyone knows park space is something we want on the East Side, said Council Member Daniel Garodnick. However, the FDR Drive and deep waters of the East River make construction challenging. In addition, the city lacks funding for development, making a deal with the U.N. necessary to pay for the project, according to the EDC. The Parks Department and EDC are calling for a three-pronged approach, to coincide with the conditions in each section of the area. Northern development of a waterfront esplanade could use 22 existing outer detour road caissons, support structures for the temporary waterfront road that was used while the FDR was being repaired. But these caissons will only be available for a limited amount of time before state agencies require their removal and they become unusable, according to Wils. Using the caissons would save around $25 million in construction costs. The caissons would comprise a seven-block, 46,000-square-foot section of the park, from East 53rd to 59th streets, and cost around $50 to $65 million. The 55,000-square-foot U.N. Esplanade, spanning East 41st to 51st streets, would cost $70 to $85 million. Finally, Con Edison"s lease of its waterside pier, between East 38th and 41st streets, expires this summer. This three-block, 34,000-square-foot section requires replacement and repair and would cost $10 to $15 million, in addition to maintenance paid for by Con Edison. Street access to the waterfront would be built at East 37th, 42nd, 48th, 51st and 60th streets, costing an additional $32 to $58 million, according to Benepe. Some residents oppose the proposed land swap. In an area with so little public space, they argued, it was not worth giving up Robert Moses Playground for the mere possibility of more open space in the future. â??Giving up a park is not worth a promise, said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, though she added, â??This may be our only last chance, and I"m asking everyone to keep an open mind. The only certainty is that the process will take a long time, comparable to the battle over developer Sheldon Solow"s massive mixed-use proposal just south of the U.N., which was ultimately approved by City Planning in 2008, but has shown no visible progress to date. Residents are similarly wary of real estate transactions with the U.N., though elected officials insisted that any agreement would have specific and definite terms's including the creation of park space's defined through state legislation. At press time, Community Board 6"s full board was slated to discuss the waterfront at its June 9 meeting.