The Civic Center Residents Coalition was formed shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 to address street shutdowns including Park Row, rerouting of MTA bus routes and rampant government permit placard abuse. C.C.R.C. is comprised of residential complexes Chatham Green, Chatham Towers, Southbridge Towers and Chinatown area local businesses and residents.
janccrc@gmail.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Chinatown outraged at D.O.T. and City Hall
This pretty much sums up the emotions of Chinatown residents, community leaders and businesses at last night's Chatham Square Reconstruction "hearing" hosted by Community Board 3.
I was at that meeting. It was supposed to be a Public Hearing, but Luis Sanchez of the D.O.T. said (to paraphrase) "We're moving forward to start [the Chatham Square reconfiguration] in 6 months" As you might have guessed, the crowd was completely shocked to here this. Very little has been done to inform Chinatown citizens and businesses regarding the planned reconfiguruation of Chatham Square. Everyone was there to voice an opinion and hear details of the proposed project, but this guy from the Dept of Transportation had stated it was already a done deal to start in summer 2009!!
Alan Gerson and Shelley Silver both strongly urged all three Community Boards (1, 2 and 3) to NOT endorse the 2009 start date for the reconfiguration of Chatham Square. Gerson and Silver obviously have been listening to local citizens and businesspersons, and they know that starting a 3 year construction project at Chatham Square in 2009 would spell death to many longtime small businesses in Chinatown.
Virtually everyone at that gathering opposed the summer 2009 start date for Chatham Square reconfiguration. Alan Gerson and Shelley Silver are both to be praised for protecting the Chinatown community once agin.
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I was at that meeting. It was supposed to be a Public Hearing, but Luis Sanchez of the D.O.T. said (to paraphrase) "We're moving forward to start [the Chatham Square reconfiguration] in 6 months" As you might have guessed, the crowd was completely shocked to here this. Very little has been done to inform Chinatown citizens and businesses regarding the planned reconfiguruation of Chatham Square. Everyone was there to voice an opinion and hear details of the proposed project, but this guy from the Dept of Transportation had stated it was already a done deal to start in summer 2009!!
Alan Gerson and Shelley Silver both strongly urged all three Community Boards (1, 2 and 3) to NOT endorse the 2009 start date for the reconfiguration of Chatham Square. Gerson and Silver obviously have been listening to local citizens and businesspersons, and they know that starting a 3 year construction project at Chatham Square in 2009 would spell death to many longtime small businesses in Chinatown.
Virtually everyone at that gathering opposed the summer 2009 start date for Chatham Square reconfiguration. Alan Gerson and Shelley Silver are both to be praised for protecting the Chinatown community once agin.
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