BPCA refuses to allow Asphalt Green to dismantle portions of the $70 million community center

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Update March 1, 2016- As a direct result of our reporting, below, the BPCA has refused to allow Asphalt Green to destroy the fancy new $70 Million facility that it was given by you, the taxpayer.

CB1’s Noah Pfefferblit wrote, “We were told that the BPCA will not approve the request by Asphalt Green to remove the kitchen equipment. So, we will modify our resolution to reflect that prior to our board  meeting.”

How the feckless CB1, chaired by Anthony Notaro, ever approved this last month is unknown.

Also, we suspect that Asphalt Green’s days are numbered down here. The BPCA will likely boot them and run it themselves.

February 3, 2016- by Steven Greer

BatteryPark.TV has previously reported how Asphalt Green is failing at providing community classes, such as acting and culinary education. At the CB1 BPC meeting last night, Asphalt Green requested permission to remove the state-of-the-art kitchen built by your tax dollars, and replace it with something that they feel more comfortable organizing.

CB1 staffer Noah Pfefferblit wrote, “(Asphalt Green) said their cooking programs have not been well attended. We passed a resolution, which is not yet written, but which supports their request with certain conditions, which will involve outreach to the community regarding future programming for the space.” Anthony Notaro chairs the BPC subcommittee.

When Asphalt Green was handed this community center and allowed to open it in 2013, the contract with the BPCA was very favorable to them. The BPCA agreed to pay for the upkeep of the facility for three years while allowing Asphalt Green to keep the profit. Those terms expire this June.

However, like most things given for free, the Asphalt Green folks proceeded to not appreciate the community center, and made poor effort to provide anything other than swimming and basketball, at steep fees. Now, they want to dismantle the infrastructure.

At the December Town Hall Meeting, BPCA President Shari Hyman mentioned that they were looking into alternatives for the community center, but was vague on the details. Removing Asphalt Green as the contracted operator would be one option, since they have failed to provide the services in the contract.