Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Business As Usual

Lousy "summer" day today. Currently 64 and rainy so I don't know if I will be getting out and about to take pictures of the Gowanus Canal. We shall see if it clears up later.

Of course the reason that nothing get done, or is likely to get done soon, is the incredible cumbersome political process that we have here in New York. A couple of articles in today's New York Daily News just reinforces that.

First, we have the mess that is the building on the site of the former World Trade Center. A supposedly high priority project to restablish our pride in America. Of course there is still nothing there but a muddy hole as various agencies bicker for control and money. Today's article announced that the Governor of New York is now trying to resolve the dispute between the Metropolitan Transit Authority and developer Larry Silverstein to resolve their conflicts so that development can begin. The primary issue is what will get built on the 16 acre site and who will pay for it. What will get built? This nearly eight years after the World Trade Center was brought down.

The second article concerned Coney Island where proposed redevelopment has been on hold for years and meanwhile Astroland has left, Ruby's Bar & Grill never knows from one year to another if it will re-open, and there are acre's of, while, acres of nothing. And this is beautiful beachfront property. The story, "Pol warns: I may kill Coney deal." What a surprise. Unless the city funds improvements to a hospital in the area and makes other, unspecified, concessions a Brooklyn city councilman who represents Coney Island is threatening to kill the whole plan.

Two of many examples of how nothing seems to get done here in New York.

Cold rainy days make Bar Man cranky.

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