While the Real Estate Board of New York’s Steven Spinola and other real estate officials have shown support for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent appointments, real estate leaders have a lingering concern about the fate of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission.
Chair positions on those boards have not yet been filled. The real estate industry questioned several decisions by the Landmarks commission under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“The issue is whether or not the next Landmarks chair is going to take into consideration some of the things we have legitimately raised,” Spinola told the Wall Street Journal.
Spinola did commend last month’s appointment of Alicia Glen, head of urban investment for Goldman Sachs, as de Blasio’s deputy mayor for housing and economic development. Kyle Kimball, head of the Economic Development Corporation, will continue in that role.
“So far it’s been a combination of smart people we know and respect,” Spinola said. [WSJ, 2nd item] — Mark Maurer