Community and Stringer criticize EDC for initiating land use process before selecting developer. On July 23, 2008, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on a plan to redevelop a six-acre site in East Harlem roughly bounded by East 125th and East 127th Streets between Second and Third Avenues. The plan before the Commission resulted from a controversial RFP process shepherded by the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

EDC first released an RFP for the site in 1999, awarding Urban Strategic Partners LLC the right to develop its “Uptown New York” plan, a proposal that included 700,000 sq. ft. of retail and commercial space along with four towers containing 1.5 million sq.ft. of residential space. The community strongly opposed the proposal for its lack of affordable housing and its failure to adequately consider the local culture. Community Board 11, Borough President Scott Stringer, and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito formed a task force to oppose the plan and to propose a new one that, in its view, would better fit the community’s needs. EDC subsequently withdrew the proposal and released a new RFP shaped by suggestions from the task force. The new RFP called for a 1.7 million sq. ft. development including up to 1,000 units of housing along with a national retail anchor, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs, a hotel, and not-for-profit space. 3 CityLand 159 (Nov. 15, 2006). (read more…)