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CB2 presses for broader plan as EDC, Whitney and state‑owned land discussions accelerate for proposed Gansevoort/Pier area housing
Summary
Committee members urged a broader, interagency plan for state‑ and city‑owned parcels near the Whitney and the Gansevoort/Pier corridor, saying the current RFP‑driven approach risks producing a small, high‑rise “postage‑stamp” project and called for state leadership and documentation from EDC and the Whitney.
Community Board 2 members spent a long portion of the meeting discussing the proposed housing plans for the Gansevoort/Pier area (presented in the meeting materials as “Antibort Square Proposed Housing”). Members questioned a rapid RFP timeline, asked for greater state‑level coordination and urged more transparent documentation from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the Whitney Museum about rights and valuation.
Key concerns raised
- Scale and opportunity cost: Multiple members said the site — which includes a mix of city‑ and state‑owned parcels and an adjacent right‑of‑way — is an opportunity for a larger, coordinated plan that could deliver more affordable housing, better public open space and improved infrastructure. They warned that the current approach could yield a relatively small “postage‑stamp” project that misses the chance to integrate nearby state‑owned parcels for a more comprehensive outcome.
- Process transparency: Committee members said they had not been shown core documents, for example materials related to any right‑of‑first‑offer (ROFO) or disposition steps, the valuation used to justify the RFP approach, or the terms under which the meatpacking tenants agreed to vacate. Members asked for EDC to provide the disposition paperwork and for the offices of the local state and city elected officials to engage.
- Interagency coordination and state role: Because some adjacent parcels and a demapped street are state‑owned, members urged elevation of the process to include New York State leadership to facilitate a coordinated plan. Several members argued the governor’s office could unlock a larger, more integrated plan that would better meet affordable‑housing goals and the Whitney’s stated needs for larger contiguous floor plates.
EDC interim activation and next steps
EDC told the board it expects to activate the site in the near term — ideas discussed included limited outdoor uses such as art activations, managed vendor/activity programming, or other short‑term uses — and described the activation as a way to make interim use while disposition and development progress. Committee members said they would want clear management and accountability for any interim activation and revenue generation plans.
The committee agreed to continue seeking documents and legal clarity and asked staff to prepare a resolution demanding greater transparency and encouraging an expanded interagency planning process that includes the state, city, HPD and the Whitney Museum. The committee asked CB2 leadership to circulate a draft for comment and to notify local elected officials of the requested documentation and the board’s concerns.
Ending
Committee members voted to draft a resolution pressing for additional documentation, a pause to allow coordinated planning with state landowners, and an explicit request that EDC and the Whitney provide the legal and valuation materials the board requested.
