Hudson River Park Trust Board of Directors Meeting
November 29, 2007
Spector Hall
22 Reade Street

Reported by Mike Cook

The regular HRPT Board meeting got off to a slow start.  As a quorum was not yet present, President Connie Fishman began by giving a general report on Park activities, focusing on statistics such as:

•    $170 million in construction projects are underway in the park.
•    Educational activities attracted a number of participants during the past season:
•    5800 students were enrolled in educational programs.
•    1700 children went to the Park’s summer camp
•    5100 participants used the sports facilities an average of twice a week

The Chairman of the HRPT Advisory Council, Marc Ameruso, then gave his report.  Some of the highlights:

•    The Council is forming a working group to look at in-water and out-of-water safety measures in the Park, drawing ideas from safety programs at other parks in the US and other countries. (Note: at the Council meeting Bill Bergeron had volunteered that the Guild would participate in this working group.)
•    The Council will likely re-establish a Pier 57 working group (more on P 57 below)
•    Marc reported on the presentation made to the Council by the Pier 40 Partnership. They want to develop Pier 40 through a community effort (see Bill Bergeron’s comments on the presentation in his report of the Council meeting on November 27, 2007.)
•    Mark also reported on the Department of Sanitation’s plans to spend about $300-400 million on a garage facility near Pier 40.  While there was negative reaction to that type of facility in the area, the point was also made that if a portion of that money were spent to redevelop Pier 40, the pier could accommodate some of Dept of Sanitation’s parking requirements. It would require legislation for Park facilities to be used for that purpose. The sanitation facility issues will be explored further by the Council.

Some of the Board members began a discussion on the lack of any progress in developing Pier 57.  It was mentioned that investigations and legal issues were blocking any activity there.  The staff and Board members would not go into details at the public meeting, and said they would discuss the matter in Executive Session after the regular Board Meeting.

A quorum having been achieved, the Board approved the minutes of their last meeting, then discussed and passed a number of Authorizations to contract for work in the Park:

➢    Torsillieri, Inc. for landscaping on Pier 64 and upland area from West 24 Street to West 26 Street: $291,130 + 10% contingency
➢    Aqua Turf Irrigation for irrigation systems for Piers 62, 63 and 64: $439,489 plus 10% contingency
➢    Mongrove Associates for Pier 40 general construction work for interim FDNY Marine One Facility.  To be reimbursed to Park by FDNY: $853,193 + 10% contingency
➢    ARA Plumbing for Pier 40 plumbing construction work for interim FDNY Marine One Facility.  To be reimbursed to Park by FDNY: $189,317 + 10% contingency
➢    Pulsar Electric, Inc. for Pier 40 electrical construction work for interim FDNY Marine One Facility.  To be reimbursed to Park by FDNY: $219,740 + 10% contingency
➢    MEC-COM Associates, Inc. for Pier 40 mechanical construction work for interim FDNY Marine One Facility.  To be reimbursed to Park by FDNY: $168,000 + 10% contingency
➢    J. D’Annunzio & Sons, Inc. for Pier 86 upland park construction work.  New York City will fund most of this work and the Intrepid Museum is committed to cover any shortfall. The funds will be put up by the Economic Development Corp. in advance of the work: $9,887,000 + 10% contingency.

During the discussion on these authorizations, a few points relating to use of the Park were brought up:
    The FDNY facilities are on the North side of Pier 40, and are temporary while reconstruction work is done on Pier 53, which is supposed to take about a year. The agreement with the Fire Department requires that the pedestrian walkways remain available for unrestricted public access.
    While discussing the landscape contracting from Pier 64 to 26 Street, Board member Julie Nadel asked if the Park’s contractor could put in conduit through which John Krevey could run utility hookups (water, sewer, electric) for the barge at Pier 66a. Staff responded that Krevey needs to get permits for those hookups, which would specify how the lines are to be run. Julie then asked if the staff would help Krevey navigate the City’s bureaucracy as he pursues the permits.  Staff indicated that they had been helping him do that, though his situation had been complicated by uncertainty over which agencies have jurisdiction over a marine facility that is fixed in place to serve as a restaurant, historic center, etc. The Chair indicated that while the staff has a lot to do, she was confident that they would give Krevey all the help they reasonably could.

The meeting adjourned into Executive Session.