“Cut-off fortresses are no fun for anyone”
THE highlights of this weeks HQ2 news, which continues to dominate the headlines in LIC, contrasts the manner in which another mammoth corporation came to the decision to greatly expand its work force in NYC. In case you missed it, Google announced they are doubling their jobs here to 14,000 and adding more buildings in the West Village/Chelsea area to do so. That news led to a lot of ink and jawboning about the lack of subsidies needed for Google to arrive at that decision, and more bashing of the Amazon deal and Bill de Cuomo.
Justified or not, I came to my own revelation this weekend in perusing the names of the 45 members of the Amazon Community Advisory Committee, many of whom previously had zero connection to the community in question: Long Island City. How could the City/State have struck a deal with Amazon without including a Rec Center1 in Hunters Point – the neighborhood where HQ2 will be located? The simple answer is that heretofore Brooklyn had been running Queens, and thus imposing their own vision without walking the beat. Or just lazily cutting and pasting the perks in last year’s Plaxall rezoning request. Of course the negotiators were able to expend considerable effort on the specifications needed to diffuse criticism of the helipad2. Maybe little consideration of local requests were due to the City/State thinking everyone would be thrilled about winning HQ2?
It didn’t quite workout that way, and though I believe Amazon’s coming will be good for LIC and the protesters are a small (but vocal) minority, you need the locals to come on board and turn the tide. I believe nothing will motivate them more to speak out in favor of the deal than announcing that a much needed rec center will be included.
Furthermore, by not building an Amazon employee-only gym 3 it will integrate (and ingratiate) Amazon employees into the neighborhood. Probably not a bad idea for trillion dollar companies playing the long game.
Google Exposes the Big Mistake of New York’s Amazon Deal – one way to reverse that is…
Google Investing $1 Billion in NYC Campus – time to step up
How Community Activists Are Gearing Up to Fight Amazon’s Offices – hmm
Questions Raised Over Plaxall Site in State Run Amazon Plan – bingo, this is the right location for the Hunters Point Rec Center
Amid Some Criticism, NYC/NYS Form Amazon Advisory Committee – “Some”
TF Cornerstone’s Tom Elghanayan and Wife Buy Palm Beach Home – that’s exactly what I was going to get my wife for Christmas!
If You Think Hudson Yards Is a Big Development, Wait Until You See Sunnyside Yards – whoa cowboy, that’s far from a done deal
LIC Home Prices Surge After HQ Announcement – ASKING prices not necessarily selling prices, and surge is a little strong
Pop-Up ‘Daly Pie’ Opens at 27-20 Jackson Ave – me like pie
‘Kitchen Plus More’ Coming to Court Square – I want more
Pair Pleads Guilty to Gruesomely Burning Woman With Acid on LIC Street – woman had caught the pair embezzling from LIC non-profit where they all worked
j rashnee says
December 19, 2018 at 12:22 pmYou love that rec center idea
JRo says
December 26, 2018 at 12:39 pmHe is not the only one. This is something that the neighborhood needs because it caters to all different age groups.