Politicians have locals angry at the displacement of the fast food vendors and chain stores which would have been given a compensation package by the government. The posturing is that big business is diminishing Harlem by destroying smaller businesses but a lot of people would also say that the National Urban League would actually help Harlem regain some of its lost political clout as the center of black America. This is not a stadium project handed out to a private developer to make money for wealthy investors or a billion dollar Ivy League school only serving the elite. We are talking about the National Urban league which has helped millions of minorities in the fight for equality and also plans to have a civil rights museum up on the boulevard.
Articles have been written on how Brooklyn is quickly becoming the center of black politics and the National Urban League could further strengthen that sentiment if this development falls through. Read more about the current National Urban League controversy in the Daily News: LINK
The relocation of the businesses were handled poorly by the staff at Empire State Development. Poor communication to each business owner and they just offered a payout. What should of been done is incorporate the current businesses owners into the new proposed retail space of the National Urban League. Unfortunately, Empire State Development sent to the meeting Larry, Curly and Moe aka one of the reps was Joe Chan who formerly worked for the Brooklyn Partnership and has past experience of not carrying about small businesses and would rather have chain stores. And, the other guy who seemed to have no knowledge when it came to Economic Development but after an internet search seems to be the corporate sectrary to the Bronx Economic Development Corp. What is also amusing is that the reps from this state aurthority at previous events keep telling the public that "New York is Open For Business". Not if the state owns the land.
ReplyDeleteShould "have" been done. And no, it is not what should have been done. At all.
DeleteThis is inane. How many jobs are going to be lost if this project gets spiked because of a relatively few soreheads?
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the lost Market Rate and Affordable housing.
The proposed Civil Rights Museum by itself will probably employ more people than all the current tenants do put together and would have synergy with the Studio Museum and help cement 125th postion as a cultural mecca.
Nothing is stopping any of those business from moving further east toward Madison. There is retail construction going on there right now.
That might actually HELP Golden Krust out if you move it to where all the W.I.s are.
I often think the main thing holding Harlem back is the long time residents themselves.
Its not because of a few soreheads, its because of a group of local politicians, whose only source of power and influence is an angry, ignorant, electorate. And they intend to keep them that way.
DeleteOnce again, bought and paid for officials keep Harlem back. Tragic.
ReplyDeleteI had to post twice on an issue -- but this is shocking. Just shocking. It looks like a whole cadre of Harlem politicians -- Dickens, Rangel, Perkins -- are doing EVERYTHING they can to keep Harlem back. This is simply an effort to maintain their power base, and nothing whatsoever to do with helping the people who actually live there. Is Perkins really putting the kibosh on something that would be a boon for the whole community to protect a fast food fish shop, a fabric shop, and a crumbling (and I mean crumbling -- take a look inside) garage? Madness, in to criminal mischief!
ReplyDeleteWhere is the 125th Street BID on this? I'm sure I know the answer. Our leaders are not leading. They are driving their heels in the ground unable to see the progress that can run parallel to the past. Having the National Urban League headquartered in the historical center of Black Politics would be a boon to the neighborhood. But our electeds and their cronies won't let it happen. The fact that Dickens actually won the primary election (and thus the general too) is proof positive that people in Harlem do not want meaningful change. She was voted in because people know her name not because of her record.
ReplyDeleteThe political bungling of this is just maddening. The fact that folks like Perkins and others would keep this museum and affordable housing out of Harlem speaks volumes to their ineptitude.
ReplyDeleteWhat does Inez Dickins have to do with any of this?
ReplyDeleteShe backed a different development project featuring arts and culture (Jazz at Lincoln Center) and Melba's from the one the Governor chose.
If anything the project she backed was more tourist friendly that the one they picked.
Whatever else her flaws may or may not be she had no part of this mess.
Such myopic views coming from the Harlem political elite! This is nothing more than protecting themselves. When are Harlemites going to wake up and recognize that Bill Perkins, Charlie Rangel, Inez Dickens, and Henrietta Lyle are working against community betterment?! VOTE THEM OUT.
ReplyDeleteWhen you rent out a commercial space, all parties agree to the terms of the lease. What no one is reporting is that these small businesses agreed to a NON-RENEWABLE 5 year lease. They knew they had a finite amount of time to relocate and procrastinated. Now they go to Perkins who take their side and has no problem bringing attention to himself. Let the project go forward and create a solution where these businesses can have option to lease a new space or take a buyout.
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