WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE. By John F. Bailey. October 27, 2003: The Common Council was briefed by the Mayor Monday evening at a 45-minute Special Meeting on the land offer he had announced  last Thursday between himself and New York Presbyterian Hospital CEO, Dr. Herbert Pardes.

THE PARDES-DELFINO PLAN: City-generated chart indicates the division of parkland from proposed "Commerical Medical" in the "Northern Tier" of the New York Presbyterian Hospital property. The "Bloomingdale Pond is in upper left. The Cassaway Brook valley bed is at lower left, and the meadows along Bryant Avenue are included in the 55-Acre "Park Package." The "Central Tier" would remain designated "Hospital Use Only" Zoning. That Central Tier includes the Proton Acclerator/Biomedical Complex scheduled to begin construction within six months. That complex is shown in turquoise slightly above the "Southern/Western Tier: City park." New "Commercial Medical" is envisioned for the northern and northeast portions of the property. Photo by WPCNR News. 

The Mayor said New York Presbyterian Hospital CEO Herbert Pardes has gotten his Board of Trustees to sign on informally to the agreement, because Pardes wanted the hospital to proceed with its mission of securing disease and the city to succeed it its mission of providing a park for the people.

Questions were raised by Councilwoman Rita Malmud and Councilman Robert Greer on what exactly was meant by the terms “commercial medical.”

Councilman Hockley brought up the issue of where parking would be provided for the 55 acres of city park and was told by Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel the city has thought about that and had some ideas how parking could be incorporated into the park.

Mutually Protective Guarantees Protect Hospital

The land-zoning swap would, the Mayor said, reading from notes on the agreement which were not released to the media last night, have “mutually protective” guarantees that would protect both the hospital and the city if future Common Councils chose to pass legislation that would rescind or alter the agreement.  In that event the city might have to rescind some or all of the parkland.

Commissioner Habel explained that no Common Council could make legislation binding on future Common Councils, and this was the reason this caveat was included in the agreement in principle.

The agreement provides that the hospital, if building on the northern tier proved to be more expensive than if they would have built the project on the “parkland” deeded to the city, that the city would be obligated to allow them to build more building, or compensate in some way (not involving cash payment) on the northern tier to compensate for that increased cost.

Exactly what this “compensation” would consist  has yet to be determined. Executive Officer George Gretsas said this would not obligate the city to pay for any increased costs incurred by the hospital in future buildings constructed on any “commercial medical” –zoned sections.

City to work with Hospital on Developing Building Designs to Fit 

Commissioner of Planning Habel said that the city has identified sites and building configurations which could be built within the northern tier of the property which the city would designate “commercial medical,” and would work with the hospital within these configurations to bring mutually satisfactual building designs on the western and northern tier sites.

(During the extensive review of the New York Presbyterian Hospital proton accelerator-biomedical research complex, approved in 2002, prototype "building footprints" were developed by the Planning Department to show what could be built on the slender strips of buildable Northern Tier property.)

What is "Commerical Medical" Anyway?

Mr. Greer indicated he thought research would be the extent of what commercial medical would mean. Habel said “No, it could be something as simple as doctor’s offices.”

Rita Malmud said that she had to have a specific definition of  “commercial medical” before she could consider the swap of land for commercial medical rezoning. Mayor Delfino reminded Ms. Malmud that the council had been apprised of this plan in August prior to the vote on the extension of the proton accelerator-biomedical complex special permit, apparently leaving it unsaid that “commercial medical” as part of the “land swap” should not be a surprise.

New Access Road to Come in From Most Likely the Northeast.

 Habel also said new entry access to any new development on the northern tier (Westchester Avenue) could be from North Street north or just South of the now defunct St. Agnes Hospital, but under no circumstances would any new access road be cut in from Bryant Avenue.

SHPO to Play a Role on Historical District Encroachment

Habel remarked that hospital property currently within the historical district on the hospital grounds, as well as the proton accelerator-biomedical research project would remain zoned for hospital use, with roughly the northern half of the property rezoned "commercial medical."

 She did say that the city and the hospital foresaw having to work with the State’s Historical Preservation Office to  design buildings to fit appropriately within the historic district guidelines, tweaking the designs a little, expanding SHPO's guidelines. Habel discribed this process as finding "Working with New York SHPO to find acceptable modifications to the historic district to make development feasible."

Ms. Habel, with a wave of her hand, indicated the golf course area on the northeast portion of the property might be an area of development that could be considered, once it was rezoned commercial medical under the new “Pardes-Delfino Plan.” At that site the State Historical Preservation Office would have to be consulted to effect appropriate development.

Land to be turned over “as is.”

Asked about how the city would receive the land, the Mayor said the city would receive it “as is.”

THE BLOOMINGDALE POND & PUMP HOUSE: Part of the land to be included in the 55 acres the hospital is willing to lease to the city for parkland is the pond site north of Bloomingdale’s on Bloomingdale Road. This pond appears to be stagnant, overgrown with rushes and may be in need of considerable reclamation. Photo by WPCNR News.

PRISTINE, WELL-KEPT MEADOWS ON BRYANT AVENUE would be preserved for ballfields, but no plans are in works at this time, according to the city. First comes "acquisition," then planning. Photo by WPCNR News.

Cost of Cleanup, Park Design, Construction Maintenance Not Known.

Asked if Environmental Officer Rod Johnson had any idea of what the pond might require, Habel said no, because he has not evaluated it. Asked what cost to the city might be involved, she said she could not answer further questions about the pond.

Executive Officer George Gretsas, afterwards said the first step to the process was the acquisition of the parkland, then would come the process of planning to shape the park. He said it could be done in a step-by-step approach, in stages, (presumably as funding for amenities of the park was found). Mayor Delfino remarked during the Special Meeting, said “This is a dream. If you approve it. I’ll get the money.”

Think It Over

Mayor Delfino asked the Common Council to let him know the questions they have about the agreement by November 10. Allan Teck, President of Concerned Citizens for Open Space, said he would be drawing up questions he had about the agreement, but voiced no outright concerns about it to WPCNR.

Gut Check for CCOS

Concerned Citizens for Open Space is currently considering the advisement of whether or not to file an appeal of Judge Richard Molea’s  decision to dismiss the group’s suit to stop construction of the proton accelerator, biomedical research facility that was approved in July of 2002. They have a decision to make as to whether to appeal that decision in light of this New York Presbyterian Hospital "Pardes-Delfino Plan."

Banter in the Mayor's Office

After emerging from Executive Session regarding a new direction in litigation the city was pursuing,  the nature of which Executive Officer George Gretsas refused to disclose, Council President Benjamin Boykin confirmed that the council had learned of this proposed “land for rezoning swap” in August in Executive Session and have known about it for at least a month before they voted for the extension of the Hospital’s Special Permit to build the proton accelerator complex. WPCNR reported this swap was being offered by the hospital to the city in August.

In other news nuggets from City Hall…George Gretsas said the first performance of the Renaissance Plaza Fountain is tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning at 11, emphasizing the word “tentatively.”