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Testimony

Domino Sugar Historic Designation

Testimony last updated June 26, 2007

Testimony on Domino Sugar Factory Landmarking

Lacey Tauber
Pratt Center for Community Development
June 26, 2007

Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Lacey Tauber and I represent the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university- based organization that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future. I am also a Williamsburg resident.

Pratt Center strongly supports designation of the Domino Sugar factory buildings under consideration today. As you have no doubt heard, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recently named Brooklyn's industrial waterfront among the 11 most endangered historic places in America. This is largely due to the fact that in preparation for the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning, including its environmental impact statement, the city failed to give sufficient attention to the area's historic resources, and now they are vulnerable to the heightened development climate created by the zoning actions nearby. As a result, the character of North Brooklyn is quickly fading with wave upon wave of demolition: the Old Dutch Mustard Building, the zipper factory at N. 10th and Berry, the piers of the former Eastern District Terminal... the list goes on.

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Albee Square Mall

Testimony last updated May 24, 2007

Testimony on the Amendment of the Lease of Albee Square Mall in Downtown Brooklyn

Pratt Center for Community Development
Mercedes Narciso
May 24, 2007

Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Mercedes Narciso and I am a Senior Planner with the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university- based organization that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future.

The Albee Square Mall sits on a large City-owned site in the heart of downtown Brooklyn. Any action the City takes to catalyze the redevelopment of this publicly owned property should be carefully structured to maximize the benefits of the development for Brooklynites and the City as a whole. The current redevelopment plan does nothing of the kind, and we urge you to reject the amendments to the lease of this property that would make the redevelopment plan possible.

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Jamaica Rezoning

Testimony last updated May 23, 2007

Testimony to the City Planning Commission on the Jamaica Plan

Pratt Center for Community Development
Brad Lander
May 23, 2007

Chair Burden, members of the City Planning Commission, thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Brad Lander and I am the director of the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university-based center that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future.

The Pratt Center was honored to work with Community Board 12's Ad Hoc Committee on the Jamaica Plan. We have deep respect for their work, and all of the time, research, and passion they have put into this effort. We encourage you to give serious consideration to their position, which we believe reflects strong sentiments within the community. Our testimony today, however, is our own.

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Willets Point Redevelopment Plan

Testimony last updated May 1, 2007

Testimony Regarding Draft Scope of Work for Environmental Impact Statement

Mercedes Narciso, R.A.
Senior Planner, Pratt Center for Community Development
May 1, 2007

Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. The Pratt Center for Community Development is pleased to submit comments on the Draft Scope of Work for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Willets Point Development Plan. My name is Mercedes Narciso and I am a Senior Planner with the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university-based center that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future. We are also members of Queens for Affordable Housing (QFAH), a coalition of community-based organizations that was formed in 2005 to ensure that new residential development in the borough creates housing that is truly affordable to a diverse mix of Queens residents.

We believe that the Willets Point Redevelopment Plan has the potential to generate growth in an equitable manner. However, it is essential to recognize that this project -- rooted in large-scale eminent domain & the displacement of 250 businesses, estimated to provide more than 1,000 blue-collar jobs -- must have very substantial benefits for low-income, working-class, and moderate-income Queens residents. We believe the plan should incorporate the following recommendations:

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Create Opportunity through Development of the East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers Project

Testimony last updated April 12, 2007

Testimony to Manhattan Community Board 3

Mercedes Narciso, R.A.
Senior Planner, Pratt Center for Community Development
April 12, 2007

Good evening to everybody. Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Mercedes Narciso and I am a Senior Planner with the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university- based organization that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future. One of those communities is the Lower East Side, and in partnership with the Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), we are currently working on a community assessment and planning initiative in the area.

I am here today to express our support for East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers Project proposed by the Department of City Planning, a project full of vision and creativity, which would provide the diverse nearby community and the city at large the opportunity to access and enjoy the waterfront.

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Economic Development Incentive Packages

Testimony last updated December 19, 2006

Testimony to New York City Council Committee on Economic Development Oversight Hearing on Economic Development Incentive Packages

Marnie McGregor
Policy and Communications Specialist, Pratt Center for Community Development
December 19, 2006

Chairman White, Jr. and Committee members, my name is Marnie McGregor from the Pratt Center for Community Development.

First we would like to commend the Committee for convening this oversight hearing, and the leadership of Speaker Quinn. We particularly applaud the Council for passing Local Law 48 last year which significantly helps policy makers and the public better understand the fiscal and employment impacts of economic development deals negotiated outside of the budget process by the IDA & EDC.

In addition, many improvements have been made by the IDA over the past year to make the public process for subsidy proposals more meaningful. In addition, stronger clawback provisions now generally require commercial companies to meet job growth targets in order to receive subsidies.

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Community Development Zones

Testimony last updated September 28, 2006

Testimony on Intro No. 346 -- Community Development Zones Designation
New York City Council Committees on General Welfare, Health & Community Development

Rudy Bryant
Associate Director, Pratt Center for Community Development
September 28, 2006

The Pratt Center is grateful for the opportunity to present this testimony, and appreciates the committees' efforts to address these critical issues.

We acknowledge the Mayor's courage to undertake “reducing poverty” (this could define his legacy) and we welcome the Commission on Economic Opportunities report.

While we understand the Commission's desire to target action to specific populations (young children, young adults, and the working poor), we are concerned that this approach misses the critical importance of communities – in both the problems and solutions. The proposed action by the Council to amend the Charter to create the CDZ would address the critical goal of taking a community development approach to these issues.

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Affordable Housing at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village

Testimony last updated September 25, 2006

Testimony to the New York City Council Housing & Buildings Committee Preserving Affordable Housing: Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village

Brad Lander
Director, Pratt Center for Community Development
September 25, 2006

Chairman Dilan, Councilmember Garodnick, members of the committee, thank you very much for the opportunity to present this testimony. My name is Brad Lander and I am the director of the Pratt Center for Community Development. We work for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their futures. As you know, we are deeply committed to creating and preserving affordable housing for a wide range of New Yorkers.

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Support of Resolution 141

Testimony last updated September 19, 2006

Testimony to the New York City Council Land Use Committee In Support of Resolution 141, to Create "Industrial Employment Districts"

Brad Lander
Director, Pratt Center for Community Development
September 19, 2006

Chair Katz, members of the committee, thank you very much for this opportunity to present our testimony in favoring of maintaining a diverse economy and good jobs in manufacturing. My name is Brad Lander and I am the director of the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university- based organization that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their futures.

We believe that if the City is serious about maintaining and strengthening in its manufacturing sector -- both for the diversity it brings to our overall economy, and for the good jobs it provides to New Yorkers, especially those with more limited education or English proficiency -- then it is essential for the City to adopt the proposed industrial employment district legislation. Morevoer, if we are truly serious about the goals and efforts of the Industrial Business Zones developed by the Bloomberg Administration, which we support, then we must make these zones a true feature of the City's land use system, that will last beyond one particular administration.

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Willets Point Request for Proposals

Testimony last updated June 1, 2006

Statement Calling for the Cancellation of the NYC Economic Development Corporation's Willets Point RFP

Paula Crespo
Pratt Center for Community Development
June 1, 2006

The Pratt Center for Community Development is honored to be here with such a wide range of colleagues — diverse groups who care about manufacturing jobs, affordable housing, community planning, and open and transparent government — to call for the cancellation of the NYC Economic Development Corporation's Request for Proposals for Willets Point.

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