Friday, February 9, 2018

Report: Tech Hub receives CB3 committee support

On Wednesday night, CB3's Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee voted in favor of creating a "workforce development and digital skills training center" at the P.C. Richard site on 14th Street at Irving Place.

As the Lo-Down reported, committee members "rejected calls to require zoning protections in the area as a condition of approval."

The full CB3 board vote will take place on Feb. 27. Expect more debate between now and then — and especially during that meeting.

Here's a quick recap from the Lo-Down:

Project supporters believe the center would bring desperately needed (free and low-cost) career training services to low-income youth on the Lower East Side. Critics, however, are worried that the glossy commercial complex would be a catalyst for rampant over-development in the blocks to the south of 14th Street. While Community Board 3 has already endorsed a protective zoning proposal for the Third and Fourth Avenue corridors, preservation activists want CB3 to go a step further — withholding support for the tech center unless the city agrees to a rezoning.

Read their full article here.

Patch had a reporter at the meeting as well. Find that article here.

The mayor's project requires several zoning changes, and faces many hurdles before getting the final OK. The full CB3 board, the Manhattan borough president and the City Planning Commission will still weigh in before the issue comes before City Council for a vote later this year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

19 comments:

Kim’s Video Dot Com said...

Believe what you will, but this is better than a PC Richards and will make more people want to learn about technology and help them with their careers. There should be one of these centers in every neighborhood, but this is a good start.

Anonymous said...

Give me a break. It's more Facebook, finance, real estate bullshit. How can we make money is all that is involved. No community ties, nobody reaching down and picking up a wrapper to throw out that they find in front of their building, no hellos. Nothing.

Anonymous said...

It looks like they aren't learning the lessons that can be learned from the tech invasion that pushed not just poor people but even middle income people out of San Francisco.

Anonymous said...

Taxpayer on the hook, again.

cmarrtyy said...

No surprise. The Community Board works for Mayor Bill. And now that he's termed out f office, he REALLY couldn't care less about the people of the city he's supposed to care for.

Anonymous said...

If the want to build a tech center within the existing zoning then go for it. But we should not allow them to upscale. We often allow them to upscale for affordable housing but that's a huge mistake in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Every recent mayor has seemed to leave behind a boondoggle - what I think of as "mayoral poop that someone else has to pick up" - and this is going to be De Blasio's boondoggle.

If he & his administration gave ANY valid indication that they'd thought about the issue of tech education & how it should be made available to those who'd most benefit from/need that training, that'd be one thing. BUT, IMO, this is just "oooh, look, let's make a Tech Hub!!!" without considering how many other neighborhoods in NYC might NEED this initiative to be in their area, and which might make better use of this initiative.

Mayor De Blasio just wants to point to a shiny new building on 14th St. and say "Look what I did!" (removed PC Richard and blocked sunlight is the actual answer!) The actual utility and/or wisdom of this project (which I am convinced WILL destabilize what's left of this neighborhood) has not been demonstrated publicly.

As far as I can see, this is all babble about "vision" and "tech" and "future", but nothing about "existing community" or "effect on the surrounding area" or "keeping affordable housing affordable for those who ALREADY live here" (much less acknowledging those who are senior citizens and their needs).

If Google needs new tech employees, how about if Google has a training campus or component in the myriad buildings they're taking over on the far west side? Who's DOING the training; who's PAYING for the training, and who's BENEFITING from the Tech Hub? Does the mayor think the next Google or Facebook will magically arise out of co-working space?

So much money will be spent, and for what outcome? De Blasio cannot answer that question in plain English!




Scuba Diva said...

At 7:29 PM, Anonymous said:

As far as I can see, this is all babble about "vision" and "tech" and "future", but nothing about "existing community" or "effect on the surrounding area" or "keeping affordable housing affordable for those who ALREADY live here" (much less acknowledging those who are senior citizens and their needs).

Absolutely true; at the meetings I've attended, there is talk about how exciting it is to train inner-city kids in tech jobs who might never otherwise have the opportunity, but I have yet to hear what they're going to do about housing the existing tenants—or for that matter, the kids: I've been working with computers since the mid-80s and a lot of these jobs have been internships that have paid very little if anything.

I left last Wednesday's meeting before I could hear about enforcing zoning protections on these gargantuan, hulking buildings that are proposed, so I hope Andrew or another member of GVSHP spoke up.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see an actual report on the specific training that will be provided and what jobs they expect to provide. Does one exist? Has this been tried in other cities, and if so, what were the results? It's nice to dream, but what is this BASED upon? A few jobs, like a few affordable apartments, is a bone they through while the big dogs eat all the meat.

Anonymous said...

There's an old saying, "The Fates lead the willing and they drag the unwilling." A lot people around here are a real drag. There's plenty of space in the country for people who want to live in the 1820s.

Anonymous said...

Concerned about overdevelopment in Manhattan? Are people concerned about the value of their coops and condos? If you have a rent stabilized apt for life why do you even care? Oh that's right. You don't want anything built here ever. How about we cancel this project and build something we really need like a shelter or permanent supportive housing for the homeless. Would people support that?

Anonymous said...

@10:13am: What's wrong with a shelter or supportive housing for the homeless? Would the homeless be more offensive than the entitled bro's who increasingly populate this area? I don't think so! And they'd certainly be more diverse!

You ask "are people concerned about the value of their coops and condos?" Uh, no, you missed the point: People are concerned about the actual neighborhood they're living in - about the quality of life (that it's NOT wall-to-wall bro's, for instance) and that not everything that makes this a desirable neighborhood gets swept away/re-zoned in favor of "the future". And somehow the "future" - with its glassy buildings and co-working spaces and theoretical training for people who need training - is presumed to be BETTER than what we have now - which is a diverse neighborhood.

No one (that I know of) wants to live in what is essentially a "ghetto" of ANY kind. And IMO, De Blasio wants to erase this neighborhood's existing character (and remove as many of us as possible) to make this a bro-friendly area for techies (those Peter Pans who can't function without their foosball tables and the other "amenities" that seem critical to the existence of men with high entitlement and low interpersonal skills).

The GOAL of the "Tech Hub" sounds good - and if it's so good, there should be MULTIPLE smaller "Tech Hubs" all around NYC so that if you live in the Bronx, or Staten Island, or the far reaches of Brooklyn or Queens, you don't have to travel to ONE spot (hey, let's all converge on Union Square!) to get what you need in terms of tech education/experience. But NO - De Blasio wants a shiny building he can point to and say "look what I did!" THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE: This project is EGO-DRIVEN and poorly conceived given the reality of what's needed. What's absent here is an approach that would be ACTUALLY USEFUL TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE who need training in NYC.

Anonymous said...

Ugh! Such negativity toward any development here. This is near a major transportation hub and will not look out of place next to NYU dorm and other15-20 floor buildings. I think it’s great idea that can benefit a lot of people with jobs in the info age.

Brian said...

This is great for NYC, and it's right in the tech corridor of Union Square / Flatiron. It fits well. All you NIMBY geezers should get over it.

That said, it's still a taxpayer boondoggle. Expensive use of prime real estate, for an industry that has plenty of money / venues.

Scuba Diva said...

At 9:58 Am, Anonymous said:

There's an old saying, "The Fates lead the willing and they drag the unwilling." A lot people around here are a real drag. There's plenty of space in the country for people who want to live in the 1820s.

My troll-sniffing dog is pointing at you!

At 12:36 PM, Anonymous said:

The GOAL of the "Tech Hub" sounds good - and if it's so good, there should be MULTIPLE smaller "Tech Hubs" all around NYC so that if you live in the Bronx, or Staten Island, or the far reaches of Brooklyn or Queens, you don't have to travel to ONE spot (hey, let's all converge on Union Square!) to get what you need in terms of tech education/experience. But NO - De Blasio wants a shiny building he can point to and say "look what I did!" THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE: This project is EGO-DRIVEN and poorly conceived given the reality of what's needed. What's absent here is an approach that would be ACTUALLY USEFUL TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE who need training in NYC.

Exactly! It's like opening up one central health clinic when many are needed, and when many of the people can't easily travel. Are they going to offer daycare services to the many single moms who might be looking to lift themselves out of poverty? Carfare for those who can't afford the subway fare?

Anonymous said...

Tech is a load of crap save for medical equipment.

I have no use for a so-called "smartphone", Facebook, Twitter etc.

I'm a landline and email guy who texts only to say "I'm here" when I arrive at a place I'm supposed to meet someone at. Once I see the person/people, I shut off my phone.

Anonymous said...

@7:39pm: Yeah, it's right near a major transportation hub - and won't it be fun seeing that station filled with tons MORE people, to the point where it's dangerous to use?

You know what else is near a major transportation hub? Many parts of Brooklyn (Barclays Arena) - but let's drag everyone to 14th Street because REALLY the people who've lived here for decades don't matter to anyone! And let's over-develop the area with 15-20 story buildings; who cares about sunlight or air when your job just involves you sitting indoors staring at a computer screen 10 hours a day? Hey, why don't they put the "Tech Hub" underground, b/c it doesn't matter to techies whether it's night or day anyhow?

@10:32pm: Brian, some day YOU will be a nimby geezer and maybe *just maybe* then you'll "get it" - b/c you sure as hell don't get it now. You are living in a society that thinks anyone over 40 is useless/over-the-hill, so good luck having a great career from age 20-39, and saving all the $$$ you'll need for retirement before you age out & become undesirable to employers.

meesalikeu said...

this is great. pc richards was an eyesore. yeah i bought from there but so what. this also help restore the streetwall around there that nyu destroyed.

Anonymous said...

Where's Gamera when you need him?