The 'on' Rampe

Real Estate Weekly, April 16, 2003 by Steve Viuker

Kevin Rampe was appointed by Governor Pataki as the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation interim president; replacing Lou Tompson. Rampe, 36, is a leading candidate for the permanent job. After joining the LMDC, Rampe served as executive vice president and general counsel, helping to staff the agency and create its policies and procedures. A native of upstate Warwick, he previously worked for Pataki as his first assistant counsel and later as first deputy superintendent at the state Insurance Department. He previously practiced law at Shearman & Sterling in Manhattan and graduated from Union College and Albany Law School of Union University.

Real Estate Weekly: What is your goal for the LMDC?

Kevin Rampe: Obviously, this is an important project" and I want to make certain that it proceeds forward in terms of the redevelopment of lower Manhattan and in terms of everything that is happening on the site with respect to the memorial. The role of the LMDC is bringing all of the parties together and focusing on the redevelopment of lower Manhattan. And not losing all of the advantages of lower Manhattan prior to the attack and enhancing those advantages. We're in a unique position here. It's a real mixture of the various agencies and jurisdictions. You have the Port Authority, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), the MTA and all of the various city agencies. All these entities have the common goal of advancing the redevelopment of lower Manhattan.

REW: Has the criticism of the progress been valid?

Rampe: There are many unique advantages to lower Manhattan and it improves day by day. The residential construction is ongoing. We've set forth a transportation plan, including the Fulton Street transportation hub, which will be the most modem in the city, and we have picked the final plan for the World Trade Center site. We have to start communicating our plans better but this will be a long-term process. Everyone agrees that we must have a 24/7 mixed-used community, which reclaims it's place as the leading business district and the financial services capital of the world.

REW How do you rate the media coverage?

Rampe: We've been under a tremendous amount of scrutiny due to the nature of the attacks. When over 3,000 people die, you are going to get a lot of scrutiny. I think you have to look at the coverage on an overall basis; not just story-by-story. That's like checking your stocks on a day-by-day 'basis; instead of taking a long-term outlook. The overall coverage of the LMDC has been fair. In certain cases, the press gave us feedback that allowed us to change to a better direction

REW: Did the actual choice of a design. signal a change in the public perception of the LMDC?

Rampe: We don't worry what the public perception is. Good policy will drive a good public perception. We're focusing on more what the policies are and moving forward with the projects that will make a difference to lower Manhattan. We're always going to be judged by our last mistake and we try to make fewer mistakes of lesser magnitude.

REW: What is the most critical aspect of the WTC rebuild?

Rampe: The most critical aspect of the rebuilding is to build a 21st century transportation network for lower Manhattan that connects us to the airports and to the region and insures that lower Manhattan can be a world business center. Businesses looking to relocate want to be certain they have a high-technology network and the ease of travel. Public investment is best made in the transportation network and that's what we're focusing on.

REW: Did the LMDC allow too much public input?

Rampe: I don't believe so. As we move towards implementation, there will be less input because we've made many of the major decisions. We gave the people an opportunity to speak and that will help us move forward' faster. This is unlike any development project We didn't develop a project, throw it in front of the public, say 'give us your comments,' then ignore them. We put forward a series of plans, asked for public opinion and then adjusted those plans and moved forward. And I believe the LMI)C has reflected what the public really wants.

REW: What is the future of the LMDC?

Rampe: We don't have a time frame. We are a project driven organization. I see a plan for the site which will be an appropriate memorable for the events of Sept. 11, while providing a solid commercial core for going forward. Of course, I also feel a great deal of sadness about what happened. I knew people who died on 9/11, as I'm sure most people in New York City do. We are driven to get the job done. And we'll be here as long as it takes to do the job. How long will that be?

That is impossible to predict right now. And the debate about the future of the LMDC is helpful. It drives us to do our mission.