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July 13, 2013- By Steven E. Greer, MD
BatteryPark.TV previously reported on the stealth plans of the Pier 26 restaurant and estuarium, and that the designs were not approved by any Community Board 1 resolution. Since our reporting, the newly passed state law, state bill A8031, specifically included a provision to retroactively allow The Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) to keep the construction that has already been completed.
We have now obtained the actual CB1 resolutions made since 2002 relating to the HRPT Piers 25 and 26. Not only
was the existing Pier 26 constructed without approval of the CB1, but the CB1 had actually passed multiple resolutions specially opposing the large commercial restaurant and boat house, as they exist today.
On March 20, 2007, the CB1 passed a resolution expressing disapproval of the HRPT’s Pier 26 plans.
Then, on June 19th of 2007, another resolution was passed that the restaurant should be dropped and replaced as the educational estuarium.
It seems that the HRPT completely ignored the CB1 resolutions, which are nonbinding documents. This is also consistent with our other coverage of the loud music concerts (which we support) on Pier 26 this season. Those too were planned and enacted without any community support.
The same HRPT board and staff, ultimately led by Chairwoman Diana Taylor, domestic partner of Mayor Bloomberg, that tried to secretly impose a new tax on residents along the Hudson River from 59th Street down to Battery Park City. That NID-tax is now in zombie status after being all but defeated.