What's Happening?
Tonight, there's a public meeting and hearing to discuss what will happen with Pier 40 on the Hudson River. The plan on the table is a $626 million proposal called "Pier 40 Performing Arts Center," which includes a Cirque du Soleil performance space, a 12-screen movie theater, a banquet hall and much more. Detractors call it "Las Vegas on the Hudson," and this has set up what the Times calls a "potential showdown between residents of one of the city’s most activist neighborhoods and Related, one of the city’s most politically connected developers."
“I think every strata of the neighborhood is opposed to this: the old guard, who has sought to retain the area’s character, the newcomers who live in the new buildings, the sports leagues who want more recreation space,†said Andrew Berman, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “There aren’t many things they all agree on, but this is one.â€
But Joanna Rose, a spokeswoman for the Related Companies, said the plan would increase the amount of park space and could avoid creating traffic problems that would spill into the rest of the neighborhood.
“This plan could be a real win for New York and a true amenity to life downtown,†Ms. Rose said in a statement. “It increases the amount of space available for recreation by over 40 percent, while offering tremendous access to the waterfront, over five acres of passive open green spaces and vibrant cultural amenities, including a home for the Tribeca Film Festival.â€
“I think every strata of the neighborhood is opposed to this: the old guard, who has sought to retain the area’s character, the newcomers who live in the new buildings, the sports leagues who want more recreation space,†said Andrew Berman, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “There aren’t many things they all agree on, but this is one.â€
But Joanna Rose, a spokeswoman for the Related Companies, said the plan would increase the amount of park space and could avoid creating traffic problems that would spill into the rest of the neighborhood.
“This plan could be a real win for New York and a true amenity to life downtown,†Ms. Rose said in a statement. “It increases the amount of space available for recreation by over 40 percent, while offering tremendous access to the waterfront, over five acres of passive open green spaces and vibrant cultural amenities, including a home for the Tribeca Film Festival.â€