US News

MIKE SPLITS WITH SPITZ OVER JAVITS

Gov. Spitzer‘s plan to sell a block of state-owned land once slated for an expanded Javits Convention Center ran afoul of Mayor Bloomberg, who said yesterday that would forever limit hopes of building a bigger convention center.

“Well, we are certainly not in agreement with selling the land. I have expressed that to the governor and we’re working with the governor’s office,” Bloomberg said of the proposed sale of the block between 39th and 40th streets from 11th to 12th avenues.

Bloomberg said selling the land would be “putting us in a position where we can’t expand to the north,” and that “is not a good idea.”

Spitzer last week said he would not go ahead with the expansion of the Javits Center that was put in place by the Pataki administration.

That plan, slated to cost $1.68 billion, received state legislative approval and had the backing of city lawmakers, as well.

Pat Foye, chairman of the Empire State Development Corp., said the cost of expanding Javits at its current site is too high today, and will get only higher.

“We don’t think there’s a reason not to sell the northern piece,” he said.

State officials estimate the block is worth $400 million.

tom.topousis@nypost.com