Governor Andrew Cuomo is calling for the board of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to approve the consolidation of the Moynihan Station Development Corporation and Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s operations into the Port Authority, according to a statement released today. He is also recommending that Patrick Foye, currently the Governor’s Deputy Secretary of Economic Development, serve as executive director of the Port Authority, replacing the recently resigned Chris Ward.

“Too many different agencies doing the same or closely related work makes little sense,” Cuomo said in a statement. “The Port Authority is best situated to oversee the development at Moynihan Station and the orderly wind down of the LMDC and these changes will consolidate responsibility within the [Port] Authority.”  -- Miranda Neubauer [more]

180 Burgher Avenue

The Muslim American Chapter for Brooklyn and Staten Island has quietly opened a mosque in the Dongan Hills neighborhood of Staten Island, without the controversial uproar that accompanied the same group’s plan to open a mosque in a former Catholic convent in Staten Island’s Midland Beach, the New York Times reported. Last year, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York ended up rejecting the sale, even though the parish’s priest had originally approved it. This year, at a July 29 open house, neighbors joined local government officials at the building at 180 Burgher Avenue. The largest concern for most residents seems to be parking, and neighbors say that the mosque’s members have been responsive to those issues. [more]

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey yesterday approved an agreement with the city, under which the city will reimburse the agency up to $44 million for building underground foundations and infrastructure for a performing arts
center at Ground Zero, the New York Times reported. The vote does not guarantee that an arts center will be built on the World Trade Center site, as called for by the master plan. The PA, which owns the site, and the city support that plan, but there are others who believe the construction for the arts center could be completed more quickly and for a cheaper price elsewhere. Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which controls $50 million in federal funds earmarked for the project, has explored the nearby Deutsche Bank at 130 Liberty Street as an alternate site. LMDC has yet to release the funds and has also been negotiating a “clawback” agreement with the city and the authority that would require that the funds be returned if they are ultimately used for private development rather than a performing arts center or some other
public purpose. [NYT]

[more]

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey yesterday approved an agreement with the city, under which the city will reimburse the agency up to $44 million for building underground foundations and infrastructure for a performing arts
center at Ground Zero, the New York Times reported. The vote does not guarantee that an arts center will be built on the World Trade Center site, as called for by the master plan. The PA, which owns the site, and the city support that plan, but there are others who believe the construction for the arts center could be completed more quickly and for a cheaper price elsewhere. Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which controls $50 million in federal funds earmarked for the project, has explored the nearby Deutsche Bank at 130 Liberty Street as an alternate site. LMDC has yet to release the funds and has also been negotiating a “clawback” agreement with the city and the authority that would require that the funds be returned if they are ultimately used for private development rather than a performing arts center or some other
public purpose. [NYT]

[more]

The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is closing in on a major settlement with insurers of the former Deutsche Bank Building near the World Trade Center site, which was damaged on Sept. 11. The tower’s $200 million demolition and decontamination project has been ongoing for years, and a source told the Downtown Express that the impending settlement will call for the insurers to kick in “a significant sum,” though a spokesperson for the LMDC wouldn’t reveal the status of the negotiations or provide a dollar figure. The insurers, Allianz Global Risks U.S. Insurance Company and AXA Corporate Solutions, were obliged to pay 75 percent of the project’s costs above $45 million. That works out to roughly $113.5 million, of which they have paid just $63.5 million thus far. Demolition is expected to be completed before the end of the year, though a time line has not been set. The building was originally 40 stories tall, and workers are now taking down the 23rd floor. [Downtown Express]

Boutique commercial brokerage TerraCRG has moved its operations to a new office at 592 Pacific Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Meanwhile, move-ins have begun at the Crystal Point development in Jersey City, and the Alliance for Downtown New York is installing five new public art works at Lower Manhattan construction sites. Click here for more. [more]

The refurbishing of downtown’s DeLury Square Park, scheduled to be completed in spring 2010, is underway. The city obtained 5,800 square feet of land from the Southbridge Towers in a $5.5 million sale in order to form the expanded park space. When completed the park will be 8,800 square feet, total. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is covering the $2.6 million in construction costs. When completed, the park will convey an arboreal theme, according to parks commissioner Adrian Benepe. [more]

The demolition of the former Deutsche Bank building is likely to take six months longer than expected, according to a plan filed with the city last month by deconstruction contractor Bovis Lend Lease. The building was initially expected to be demolished by 2005, with the deconstruction costing about $45 million. But the project, which is being paid for by the federal government, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, contractors and insurers, could end up costing nearly $300 million. The revised deconstruction plan has not yet been approved.

The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation approved another $2.5 million for the demolition of the Deutsche Bank building this week. So far, about $280 million has been allocated for the purchase and demolition of the 130 Liberty Street building, and the project could cost an additional $30 million before it is completed, according to Downtown Express. Some of the newly allocated funds will go toward the project’s legal costs, associated with the August 2007 fire at the building. The $2.5 million allocation approved this week should be enough to help the project through November, at least, Downtown Express reported. [more]

After years of construction on Fulton Street, small business owners are
now able to apply for grants from the city to improve storefronts that
have been obstructed or damaged by the construction. The Fulton Nassau
Crossroads Program, funded by the Lower Manhattan Development
Corporation, offers free design, engineering and construction
management, along with $275,000 for construction, to buildings located
on Fulton and Nassau streets. The three-tiered program, which awards
different amounts of money to businesses depending upon various
factors, such as whether or not the building is landmarked, aims to
beautify those retail corridors near the Seaport. However, if a
landlord has any outstanding violations on the property, applications
for grants will be denied to the store owners and all problems must be
cleared up before the city begins work on the property. [more]