Nine Fifth Ave. co-ops sign secret deal with Met to narrow plaza expansion

Nine Fifth Avenue co-ops have signed a secret deal with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to downscale the museum’s expansion plans, the New York Post reported.

Plans for a $60 million plaza, set to be constructed in front of the Metropolitan Museum, has angered neighbors. Construction is slated to begin in the next two months.

Under the newly forged agreement, the Met will reduce the plan from 100 tables and 400 chairs to 30 tables and 120 chairs and get rid of the proposed food kiosk. In exchange, the co-ops will not publicly oppose the plan or file lawsuits against it for one year, the Post said.

A number of people the Post spoke to were not happy about the backroom deal, which was reached without approval from the city or the community board.

“This undermines the public process,” Teri Slater, a member of the local community board, told the Post. “Private individuals were deciding what goes into public space.” [Post] — Guelda Voien