Trump not fazed by Community Board's no vote - Donald Trump; Community Board 7 turns down development proposal in New York, New York

Real Estate Weekly, July 29, 1992

Community Board 7 in Manhattan put its last licks in when it turned thumbs down on Riverside South, the mixed-use proposal put forth for the Penn Yards site by a consortium of community groups and developer Donald J. Trump.

The three applications comprising the project were all disapproved. Following its condemnation, the board added a list of findings and recommendations concentratingon community services, facilities, the housing mix, secondary displacement, transportation, environmental and financial issues, density and the park.

The vote, however, is only advisory and Trump's spirits were not dampened. "You never get community board votes," he said. "If a 100-acre park was proposed, it would not get the community board vote. I'm very happy with the way the process is going."

Catharine Cary Whitlock, vice president of the Riverside South Planning Corp., and a former opponent of the project, said they expected the Community Board would vote no.

"If there is constructive criticism we will be glad to look at it and continue the discussions we've been having with them for two years," she said.

While Cary Whitlock noted the first night of hearings was balanced with people both pro and con, by the second night, she said, the crowd was hostile.

"It's easier to be critical," she said. "It struck me that all the residents of Lincoln Towers had to do was to walk one block and be there for one hour to complain while the six civic group have been working for six years to stop Trump City and come up with this plan. 1 strongly believe in the project and that anything can get better. It's just one step in a long process of approval and we can continue to work with the community, the Borough President and the City Planning Commission."

Under the Uniform Land Use Review Process, Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger has an opportunity to review the project and conduct public. hearings before casting her vote on Aug. 26. The project then goes to the New York City Planning Commission. If the borough president disapproves, and the Planning Commission approves or approves with modifications, the borough president could cast what is known as a "triple no" vote. The City Council will be acting on the Planning Commission's version and would require a majority vote to send it on to the mayor. If the mayor vetoes the Council's decision, the Council would need a majority to override.

Messinger will hold an "open mike," first-come-first-served public hearing on Mon. Aug. 3 at Martin Luther King High School at 122 Amsterdam Avenue from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Tues. Aug. 4 there will be a public forum presenting pros and cons and technical information about the project at the City Hall auditorium from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

"We've been trying to educate everybody about this project for months and keep it focused on the issues," said Andrew Breslau, a spokesperson for Messinger. But, he said, "It's like pushing a rock up a hill."

Breslau said the Borough President's office has set forth very clearly what changes they want to see. "We won't support a project that leaves huge questions unanswered, he added.

"We anticipate the project continuing to improve and we reserve the right to vote 'no.' There is a project in there we can support but whether this is the project we can support we will know in the next 30 days."

Breslau said they have had some encouraging discussions with the developers, the Riverside South Planning Corp., but no commitments on anything yet. "We don't expect those changes to emerge immediately," he said. "The developers have their own strategy and we'll see what kind of progress is made."