Latest news with #ErikBottcher
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Hudson Yards could get 4,000 affordable housing units in place of that failed casino
The dice are off the table: Related Companies and Wynn Resorts have officially folded on their controversial Hudson Yards casino bid, clearing the way for a massive housing development that could reshape Manhattan's West Side. Originally pitched as 'Hudson Yards West,' the $12 billion proposal called for three new towers, including a Wynn-run casino, hotel, and 80-story residential skyscraper. But after fierce opposition from elected officials, community boards, and preservation groups like Friends of the High Line, Wynn bailed on the gaming license, and Related pivoted hard. Instead of slot machines and high rollers, the site will now feature 4,000 new apartments, including 400 affordable units, along with a sprawling 6.6-acre park dubbed 'Hudson Green.' The open space, which would rival Bryant Park in scale, promises lawns, gardens and playgrounds stretching from West 30th to 33rd Streets, west of 11th Avenue. This casino proposal did not meet the high bar of community support that such a consequential project demands,' said Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who brokered the new deal and confirmed the casino was dead, in a statement. 'I have always said that any development of this scale must put the needs of New Yorkers first—and that means housing.' While the original proposal only included 324 affordable units, the revised plan bumps that number up and replaces a planned 1,400-foot office tower with two residential buildings. A new office tower, possibly with hotel space, will rise where the casino was once slated. Alan van Capelle, executive director of Friends of the High Line, previously among the project's loudest critics, offered cautious support: 'The latest plans appear to address many of our concerns. However, the devil is in the details.' A zoning vote is set for Thursday, and full Council approval is expected on May 28. If passed, the development could be shovel-ready by 2026, assuming no further delays in platform construction over the 13-acre active rail yard. Jay-Z's Times Square Caesars Palace and Steve Cohen's 'Metropolitan Park' next to Citi Field
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Hudson Yards Drops Casino Bid in Face of Political Opposition
The developer of Hudson Yards has pulled out of the heated competition to bring a full-fledged casino to New York City. The developer, Related Companies, said on Monday that a casino would no longer anchor its plans for Manhattan's Far West Side and that it would instead just build thousands of units of new housing on the site near the Hudson River. The new proposal calls for the construction of up to 4,000 residences on top of the second half of the sprawling development, a 28-acre neighborhood on top of an active rail yard that connects Penn Station with tunnels under the Hudson River. Most of the housing units would be apartments, and at least 400 of them would be rented below market rate. It would include a 6.6-acre park. The announcement followed a statement released earlier in the day by Wynn Resorts, the casino operator partnering with Related, that it, too, was pulling out of the project. It cited the intractability of Manhattan politics. Their decision came in the face of steadfast opposition to the casino by the local councilman, Erik Bottcher, and highlighted the structural difficulties in building in New York City, a challenge heightened by the unique politics of casino development. 'Something as significant as a casino in a community requires substantial community buy-in,' Mr. Bottcher said. 'That didn't exist here.' The decision to withdraw comes just less than a month after Las Vegas Sands withdrew its own proposal to build a casino just over Long Island's border with Queens, in Nassau County. Both decisions stand to benefit the remaining casino operators who are still competing for one of up to three licenses in and around New York City. Formal bids for the casinos are due in June, with a decision by the state expected by the end of the year. Remaining bidders include SL Green Realty Corporation and Caesars Entertainment, which want to build a casino in Times Square; the New York Mets owner, Steve Cohen, and Hard Rock International, who want to build a casino near the baseball stadium in Queens; Bally's, which wants to put a casino in the Bronx; and the World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein, who is working with Rush Street Gaming and Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment to build a casino in Manhattan. To put a casino in Hudson Yards, Related Companies and Wynn would have needed City Council approval to change the area's zoning, and the Council typically defers to the local member on land-use decisions. That approval was not forthcoming. In a statement, a Wynn spokesman, Michael Weaver, said the company had better uses for its capital 'than investing in an area in which we, or any casino operator, will face years of persistent opposition despite our willingness to employ 5,000 New Yorkers.' The casino proposal was part of a mixed-use development that would have included apartments, office space and a school. The deal the developers have struck with Mr. Bottcher eliminates the casino, adds more apartments than would have been built under the original casino proposal and allows for more office development than the original deal that Related Companies struck with the city in 2009. The earlier casino plan included 1,500 housing units, but Related recently offered to build up to 4,000 residences, in an effort to appease critics. The latest iteration, however, would produce less housing than Related had promised in 2009, years before it broke ground on Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate project in United States history. The company planned to separate the site into two sections: office skyscrapers, a large, luxury mall and condominium towers on one half, which opened in 2019, and up to 5,700 residences, a park and a school on the other half. The entire site would have included 431 below-market units. But the second half of the development stalled. Related faced rising costs to build a platform over the rail yard, which would have been required before the construction of buildings could begin. The price doubled from an earlier estimate of $1 billion, and Related officials believed that the initial vision of the property was no longer economically feasible. The new plan would use revenues generated by the new buildings to help pay for the platform; a similar finance structure was used on the first half of Hudson Yards, including to help pay for an extension of a subway line to the neighborhood. Since Related opened Hudson Yards, its office towers have attracted large companies willing to pay some of the highest office rents in the country. Other developers have built office towers and residential towers in the larger neighborhood, transforming a former industrial swath of Manhattan.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NYC Dem calls on NYPD to investigate car shoppers 'aggressively' test driving Teslas on city streets
A New York City Democrat council member is calling on the NYPD to investigate multiple reports that potential Tesla buyers are allegedly recklessly testing the cars' safety features near the company's showroom in the city's Meatpacking District, according to a letter reviewed by Fox News Digital. "My office has received multiple reports of reckless driving involving Tesla vehicles near the Tesla showroom in the Meatpacking District—particularly along Tenth Avenue and the surrounding streets," Councilman Erik Bottcher wrote in a Friday letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "These reports indicate a pattern of behavior that is both dangerous and deeply inappropriate for a dense, mixed-use neighborhood." The councilman continued that the Tesla drivers at the heart of the complaints are potential buyers visiting a local showroom who are taking Tesla Cybertrucks for test drives on nearby streets to assess the cars' safety, speed and braking abilities. "According to these accounts, what appear to be test drives of the Cybertruck are being conducted by potential buyers who are unaccompanied by Tesla staff," the letter continued. "These individuals are reportedly accelerating aggressively well beyond the posted speed limit and then abruptly braking, seemingly to demonstrate the vehicle's safety features. This activity is taking place on public streets shared by pedestrians, cyclists, families, and other drivers." 'Astroturf': Critics Speculate Tesla Protests Are Not A Grassroots Movement, But Carefully Organized Campaign The letter comes as protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have unfolded at showrooms across the country in response to Musk's role helping lead the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Read On The Fox News App A "Tesla Takedown" movement formed in recent days, with more than 200 protests planned on Saturday in the U.S., and another few hundred planned protests in Canada and Europe as part of the "global day of action." In the U.S. the Saturday protests were promoted by actors, congressional legislators, academics and activists who led a "mass mobilizing call" to rally support, and described in the media as a "grassroots" effort to buck Musk and President Donald Trump, while working to tank Tesla's stock. Feds On Alert For Tesla 'Global Day Of Action' After Nationwide Violence Leads To Arrests The Saturday protests were billed as "nonviolent" and showcased people line dancing outside Teslas stores while holding anti-swastika and anti-Musk signs. Others protested for a couple of hours outside of Tesla dealerships, local media outlets reported, with some holding signs reading "DON'T BUY SWASTICAR," or "Nobody elected Elon." The NYC councilman continued in his letter that the NYPD and NYC Department of Transportation should investigate the reports to "ensure these dangerous activities are stopped." "This behavior poses a serious public safety risk and is unacceptable on the streets of our city," Bottcher said. "It threatens the well-being of everyone who lives, works, and travels through this area on a daily basis. As the Council Member representing this district, I take these concerns extremely seriously, and I believe swift action is warranted to prevent further harm." "I respectfully urge the NYPD and DOT to investigate this issue and take all appropriate steps to ensure these dangerous activities are stopped," he continued. "I would also appreciate any updates your offices can provide as the situation develops, and I stand ready to work with your teams to support any necessary enforcement or policy action." Bottcher's office told Fox Digital on Monday, when approached about the letter, that it did not have additional comment to share at this time. The Loudest Silence: Top Democrats Remain Mum Amid Violent Attacks On Tesla In addition to the peaceful protests against Tesla over the weekend, some Tesla locations have also faced violence in recent weeks as Musk and his DOGE team investigate federal agencies in search of government overspending, fraud and mismanagement, while critics accuse the Trump administration of creating an "oligarchy" by tapping the billionaire to help streamline federal government operations. DOGE is a temporary cross-departmental organization that was established to slim down and streamline the federal government. The group will be dissolved on July 4, 2026. Vandal Strikes Cybertruck, Tesla Owner Hits Back A Las Vegas man, for example, was arrested earlier in March for alleged involvement in a Molotov cocktail attack on a Tesla property. The suspect in that case faces a bevy of felony charges, including three counts of arson, three counts of possession of an explosive device, five counts of shooting into a car and four counts of destroying personal property, according to local police. Musk remarked on X Saturday that it is "insanely ironic" that "the people shooting bullets into Tesla stores, burning down cars and generally being violent are calling me a Nazi when I have done literally zero violence at all." Fox News Digital reached out to Tesla regarding the alleged dangerous test drivers and Bottcher's letter, but did not immediately receive a article source: NYC Dem calls on NYPD to investigate car shoppers 'aggressively' test driving Teslas on city streets
Fox News
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
NYC Dem calls on NYPD to investigate car shoppers 'aggressively' test driving Teslas on city streets
A New York City Democrat council member is calling on the NYPD to investigate multiple reports that potential Tesla buyers are allegedly recklessly testing the cars' safety features near the company's showroom in the city's Meatpacking District, according to a letter reviewed by Fox News Digital. "My office has received multiple reports of reckless driving involving Tesla vehicles near the Tesla showroom in the Meatpacking District—particularly along Tenth Avenue and the surrounding streets," Councilman Erik Bottcher wrote in a Friday letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "These reports indicate a pattern of behavior that is both dangerous and deeply inappropriate for a dense, mixed-use neighborhood." The councilman continued that the Tesla drivers at the heart of the complaints are potential buyers visiting a local showroom who are taking Tesla Cybertrucks for test drives on nearby streets to assess the cars' safety, speed and braking abilities. "According to these accounts, what appear to be test drives of the Cybertruck are being conducted by potential buyers who are unaccompanied by Tesla staff," the letter continued. "These individuals are reportedly accelerating aggressively well beyond the posted speed limit and then abruptly braking, seemingly to demonstrate the vehicle's safety features. This activity is taking place on public streets shared by pedestrians, cyclists, families, and other drivers." The letter comes as protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have unfolded at showrooms across the country in response to Musk's role helping lead the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A "Tesla Takedown" movement formed in recent days, with more than 200 protests planned on Saturday in the U.S., and another few hundred planned protests in Canada and Europe as part of the "global day of action." In the U.S. the Saturday protests were promoted by actors, congressional legislators, academics and activists who led a "mass mobilizing call" to rally support, and described in the media as a "grassroots" effort to buck Musk and President Donald Trump, while working to tank Tesla's stock. The Saturday protests were billed as "nonviolent" and showcased people line dancing outside Teslas stores while holding anti-swastika and anti-Musk signs. Others protested for a couple of hours outside of Tesla dealerships, local media outlets reported, with some holding signs reading "DON'T BUY SWASTICAR," or "Nobody elected Elon." The NYC councilman continued in his letter that the NYPD and NYC Department of Transportation should investigate the reports to "ensure these dangerous activities are stopped." "This behavior poses a serious public safety risk and is unacceptable on the streets of our city," Bottcher said. "It threatens the well-being of everyone who lives, works, and travels through this area on a daily basis. As the Council Member representing this district, I take these concerns extremely seriously, and I believe swift action is warranted to prevent further harm." "I respectfully urge the NYPD and DOT to investigate this issue and take all appropriate steps to ensure these dangerous activities are stopped," he continued. "I would also appreciate any updates your offices can provide as the situation develops, and I stand ready to work with your teams to support any necessary enforcement or policy action." Bottcher's office told Fox Digital on Monday, when approached about the letter, that it did not have additional comment to share at this time. In addition to the peaceful protests against Tesla over the weekend, some Tesla locations have also faced violence in recent weeks as Musk and his DOGE team investigate federal agencies in search of government overspending, fraud and mismanagement, while critics accuse the Trump administration of creating an "oligarchy" by tapping the billionaire to help streamline federal government operations. DOGE is a temporary cross-departmental organization that was established to slim down and streamline the federal government. The group will be dissolved on July 4, 2026. A Las Vegas man, for example, was arrested earlier in March for alleged involvement in a Molotov cocktail attack on a Tesla property. The suspect in that case faces a bevy of felony charges, including three counts of arson, three counts of possession of an explosive device, five counts of shooting into a car and four counts of destroying personal property, according to local police. Musk remarked on X Saturday that it is "insanely ironic" that "the people shooting bullets into Tesla stores, burning down cars and generally being violent are calling me a Nazi when I have done literally zero violence at all." Fox News Digital reached out to Tesla regarding the alleged dangerous test drivers and Bottcher's letter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
New York Times
13-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
U.S. Park Service Strikes Transgender References From Stonewall Website
The National Park Service on Thursday eliminated references to transgender people from its Stonewall National Monument web page, the latest step in the Trump administration's campaign to insist that the federal government recognize only two genders: male and female. The move to strike the word 'transgender' from the website for the first Park Service site devoted to America's gay rights movement elicited anger in the symbolic heart of New York City's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. 'It is outrageous,' said Erik Bottcher, the city councilman who represents the Greenwich Village neighborhood that is home to the monument. 'This is the latest attempt to erase the very existence of transgender people.' He added: 'The rebellion at Stonewall would not have happened without trans people. To attempt to erase their existence is utterly shameful.' On Wednesday, according to a version of the Park Service website saved by the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, the introductory text on the monument's main page said: 'Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) person was illegal.' By Thursday afternoon, the word 'transgender' and the letter T in the abbreviation had been removed from the page. The Park Service's public affairs department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Stonewall Inn has been considered a cradle of America's gay rights movement since a police raid there in 1969 touched off three days of protests that helped galvanize a long-marginalized population into a force for political and social change. The 7.7-acre national monument — which includes the bar, Christopher Park across the street, and several other nearby streets and sidewalks — was established under President Barack Obama in 2016. A Park Service ranger at the monument's visitor center said on Thursday that she had not been informed about the changes to the website and had just noticed that the 'T' was missing. She declined to provide her name and would not comment further.
