Building community rallies for Trump project - citizens speak out in favor of Riverside South real estate development project planned by Donald Trump in New York, New York

Real Estate Weekly, Nov 25, 1992

They're on your side, Donald. Throngs of design and construction professionals and the city's top environmental chief are among those speaking out in favor of Donald Trump's huge Riverside South project, currently the subject of City Council hearings.

Some 3,000 members of the design and construction industry, chanting "jobs now" slogans, thronged City Hall Park in and urged the City Council to approve the planned development in Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Last week, Environmental Protection Commissioner Albert Appleton told the Council that sewage from the $3 billion project would not the North River water pollution treatment plant in Harlem.

'J-O-B-S'

The Building Congress, together with the Building and Construction Trades Council, had organized the demonstration, which was held while a City Council subcommittee hearing on the project was under way.

The rally was addressed by a half dozen industry leaders who emphasized the $3 billion project's positive economic impact on New York's depressed economy. The speakers stressed that Riverside South, which has won the backing of many business and civic organizations, has the potential to create 10,000 design and construction jobs during a 10-year build-out period, 5,000 permanent jobs, and contribute significantly to qualify-of-life features in the project area and the city. Subsequently, rally participants also testified at a City Council hearing in favor of the Riverside South development, emphasizing its ability to revitalize the West Side, the depressed construction industry and the city. Riverside South will include apartments, an office center and park and open spaces.

Edward J. Malloy, of the Building and Construction Trades Council, addressed the rally and moderated the program. Other speakers included, John Cavanagh of the Building Trades Employers Association; Congress President Coletti; John F. Hennessy, III, chairman of the Congress; Ted Jacobsen of the New York Central Labor Council; and Frank McArdle of the General Contractors Association. In addition, Barry Feinstein, of the Joint Council of Teamsters, 16 participated in the rally.

At the conclusion of the rally, construction workers and professionals marched four and five abreast around the City Hall Building, rhythmically spelling out their "need for j-o-b-s so their families could e-a-t." Their message, it was reported, resounded through the City Council hearing chambers.

Congress leaders, who addressed the rally, and who subsequently also testified at the Council hearing, included Coletti, Hennessy, Malloy and McArdle. Also testifying at the hearing were George Fox, the Grow Tunneling Corp., Thomas Maguire, the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 15 ABCD, and Donald Trump, The Trump Organization, which is developing the project.

"Most economists agree that the only way to get out of the recession, is to build our way out," Edward Malloy declared.

He said that the Riverside South development will generate $4 billion of activity for the economy of New York State, of which $3.2 billion will be generated in New York City, including $160 million in taxes.

We want to tell the members of the City Council, Malloy declared, that the construction trades will not be a silent majority, quietly allowing a 'Not in My Backyard'(NIMBY) group to dictate economic policy and development for the city."

Congress Chairman Hennessy told the rally that "we're here to send a message to the City Council that, if it is allowed to, the private sector will do its share to help the city's economy grow. We also need to tell the Council not to let Riverside South just 'sit' in the bureaucracy, because this project can put construction workers and design professionals back to work."

In a similar vein, Coletti noted that the industry had sponsored a rally in December of 1991 and had issued a 10-point "Jobs Now" program that included development of Riverside South. These proposals are being implemented, he said, "but not fast enough," and we won't stand for opponents of Riverside South blocking its development as if they want to impose a "banana theory" on the city, under which absolutely nothing will be built.

Ted Jacobsen spoke in place of the Central Labor Council's Thomas Van Arsdale, who had to be in Albany, and Jacobsen reported that the Labor Council had sent a telegram to every member of the City Council emphasizing the importance of creating jobs in the building service trades.

Sewage Under Control

Appleton testified before a Council subcommittee headed by Councilwoman C. Virginia Fields. Key to his statements was a warning against asking Trump to build a separate water treatment plant on the premises of his project. Forcing Trump to build the plant would mean he would have to go back over many of the reviews he has already completed.

Fields represents a West Harlem district that has complained of odors from the plant. Appleton blamed the smells on design flaws and said the problem is being taken care of.