Since the city assumed control of the unfinished Brooklyn Bridge Park project, there's a chance the controversial plan to fund park operations by building condos inside the greenspace might be scrapped. The Bloomberg administration has said it will form a committee to investigate other revenue streams that could earn money to cover the estimated $16.1 million maintenance budget, including building stores or charging local homeowners a fee or tax.
The Daily News reports that under the new plan for the 85-acre, $350 million park project, local politicians including condo opponent state Sen. Dan Squadron would have the ability to veto housing on parkland. The city take-over—which comes with the promise that Mayor Bloomberg will contribute $55 million to pay for park construction in the next fiscal year—also brought news that the waterfront open space will stay open until 1 a.m. Under city control, the park will also allow bikes and leashed dogs, unlike the nearby state-run Fulton Ferry Park, which is slated to annexed of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Officials hope to open a section of the greenspace within a month, and another portion near Atlantic Avenue this spring.
Now that Bloomberg has obtained the Brooklyn Bridge Park project from the state, he's apparently trying to acquire Governor's Island. A year ago, the city began negotiating with Albany in an attempt to take-over the cash-strapped weekend destination. According to the Post, the city might spend about $30 million that has been set aside for the delayed Javits Center expansion to obtain the 172-acre island, and Bloomberg is "optimistic" a deal will be made soon.
