Looks like the bad old days aren’t even waiting for Bill de Blasio to be sworn in.
On Tuesday, two key City Council members — Dan Garodnick and Chris Quinn — said they’ll nix a plan to revive one of New York’s most important commercial centers: Midtown East. Their announcement led the Bloomberg administration to withdraw its proposal, ending any hope of a revival for the area any time soon.
The city thus misses out on a chance to breathe new life into an aging — but critical — section of Manhattan to make it more attractive to top-flight businesses. Good-bye jobs, tax revenue, infrastructure upgrades . . .
Most buildings in that district date to World War II. Owners looking to make improvements or to put up new towers have been hamstrung by zoning rules almost as old. The Bloomberg plan Quinn and Garodnick rejected would have made improvements feasible by updating the rules.
Nor does it say much for Garodnick, who is vying to succeed Quinn as council speaker. The speakership is a position that requires a long-term, city-wide vision. Yet it’s possible that Garodnick’s obstructionism actually might wind up boosting his chances for the job in a council that come Jan. 1 will be much further to the left than the one we have today.
Fact is, this was a no-brainer.
Zoning rules in the area should have been modernized long ago. Bill de Blasio praised the killing of the Bloomberg plan, saying he’ll push a better plan next year. But if the council can’t agree on this today, do we really think it will be any easier next year?
Hold on to your hats, New York. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.