Citizens group challenged inclusion of private residential development. In 2002, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki created the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation as a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corporation and charged it with the responsibility to design and build a proposed park on Port Authority land along Brooklyn’s East River waterfront. The 2002 agreement required that no less than 80 percent of the acreage be park space, all revenue generated from commercial uses would be exclusively used for park maintenance and the final development plan would be guided by a master plan created for the area in 2000.

The newly-created Park Development Corporation adopted a general project plan for an 85-acre parcel in July 2005, proposing 77 acres of park space and eight acres of revenue generating space, including residential buildings, private parking, hotels and retail/ restaurant space. (read more…)