Progress Reports Urged for Big Development Projects

By PETER KIEFER, Staff Reporter of the Sun
April 24, 2008

The Empire State Development Corporation would be forced to provide progress reports detailing the status of New York City's biggest capital development projects if legislation introduced by Assemblyman Richard Brodsky yesterday becomes law.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Brodsky, who chairs the Assembly committee that oversees state authorities and corporations, said the legislation is aimed at providing greater transparency and accountability on a number of projects, including the development of the West Side rail yards, the extension of the no. 7 subway line, the renovation of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the proposed overhaul of Penn Station, the redevelopment of the World Trade Center, the construction of the PATH station in Lower Manhattan, the Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, and the proposed development of Willets Point, among others.

"This is not about the fact that these developments are in various states of collapse, which they are, but that they are all endangering the MTA's capital plan, which is the single most important part for any government," Mr. Brodsky said.

"Other than the mayor and the governor, who knows what is actually going on?" he said.

The legislation, if passed, would require the ESDC to provide a report within 45 days.

"We are more than happy to review the legislation and have always complied with request for information from the Assembly member in the past," a spokesman for the ESDC, Warner Johnston, said.