Last year, Extell Development Company’s two proposed towers at Broadway and 100th Street attracted the wrath of neighbors.
Instead of hiding behind a phalanx of spokespeople and lawyers, Extell president Gary Barnett, who shuns publicity, attended a session of the local Community Board’s land use committee. He gave a presentation about the buildings, claiming that they would enhance the neighborhood, and withstood two hours of withering criticism.
“I knew that people were interested in asking questions and making statements, so it was the least I could do,” said Barnett. “From a courtesy perspective, it behooves me to explain, even though it really is a small portion of the community that has a reaction to us.”
Barnett’s willingness to keep the lines of communication open is exactly what experts of mitigating potential clashes recommend. As development becomes a hot-button issue across the city, whether due to a scarcity of land, a clash of aesthetics, the tearing down of historic buildings, or the fear of displacement by eminent domain, developers are looking to minimize controversy before ground is broken.
It’s no secret that many owners, developers, and property managers hire public relations firms, primarily preoccupied with getting and spinning media coverage, though some PR firms specialize in undertaking grass roots community relations efforts. Big real estate companies also have internal divisions dedicated to defusing tension over developments that may generate friction.
“It is vitally important that developers conduct extensive outreach into the community before there’s even a shovel in the ground,” said Don Miller, vice president of public relations at HLD/Blankman in Rockville Centre on Long Island. “We try to build consensus among all the major stakeholders, including elected officials, business groups, civic and community organizations, environmental groups, and labor unions.”
For Miller, there is no substitute for providing a continuous stream of information that shows empathy for the people most affected by a planned project. He relates the story of one Long Island developer who blew off his public relations advisers and tried to ram an as-of-right luxury apartment building through the permitting process. The brusque approach alienated enough officials that the building is still a pipe dream.
As projects become bigger and more controversial, often it’s the little things that can help to mitigate opposition to a development, said Ray Quartararo, managing director of the project and development services team at Jones Lang LaSalle.
“Change is difficult for people to accept, so we undertake feasibility studies about how to approach the community,” he said. “Sometimes it comes down to logistics control. At one site, we had 15 to 20 tractor trailers that needed to make deliveries, so we had them queue up at remote sites and radio them in one at a time. Other times, it’s about providing safe passageway so people don’t have to walk in the street.”
When critics of the Time Warner Center showed concern about shadows from the building darkening a corner of Central Park, the architect worked to minimize the building’s profile, said Quartararo.
“You’re always better off engaging people and trying to be as transparent as possible so that they will feel better about what you’re doing,” he said. “Even if you’re building as-of-right, you may have problems with the next project. You can’t ignore what’s going on around you. It’s important to engage the people next door early and keep them as allies or, at worst, if they’re opposed, make them neutral.”
As developers move into new neighborhoods with a strong sense of history and community, the potential grows for even more controversy, said Steven Goldschmidt, managing director at Warburg Marketing Group.
“Places like Harlem or the East Village have more of a neighborhood feel, so it’s even more important to ingratiate yourself with the community rather than be perceived as an outsider,” he said.
He agrees that attention to small details can create goodwill. At one building at 107th Street and Columbus Avenue, for example, neighbors expressed concern about the future of a community garden. The developer responded by enhancing the garden. When people cite fears over security, Goldschmidt recommends that developers respond by doing something simple, like installing bright lights around the building’s perimeter.
He recommends developers take a proactive approach. “Address the concerns rather than ignoring them or minimizing them,” he said. “If you see dented, dirty metal trash cans lining the block, how much would it cost to buy new plastic cans? It shows you’re interested in becoming part of the community.”
As development projects trigger unprecedented controversy and public debate, and opponents of proposals employ more sophisticated tactics, smart developers understand that they need to differentiate themselves as responsible citizens concerned about the quality of life, jobs, and intelligent growth, said Michael Beckerman, president of Beckerman Public Relations in Bedminster, NJ.
“It’s not about one project’s success or failure, it’s about the bigger picture and larger brand identity of that particular developer,” he said. “When they come to the next city or town, they want to be welcomed with open arms and not be hindered by a bad reputation.”