A critical vote that would have determined the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal was postponed by a week, prolonging a decision that could radically transform the look and feel of the Columbia Street Waterfront District.
A 28-person task force was scheduled to vote on the city's $80 million project on Thursday, but the meeting was postponed as U.S. Representative Dan Goldman, the chair of the task force, remained in Washington, D.C. so he could vote on the $9 billion Recessions Package. The vote will now take place on July 24, according to a spokesperson for Goldman.
Many members of the task force, comprised of residents and local elected officials, have been vocal about their opposition on the BMT Vision Plan as it stands, which includes overhauling a crumbling marine terminal and building about 6,000 apartment units, 40% of which would be affordable housing.
Critics of the plan have said the city is rushing the approval process and should not pay for such a large project through the development of luxury housing, and the plan fails to address transportation and other infrastructure issues.
As the city continues to seek approval for the project, New York City Mayor Eric Adams on July 11 said he would close a concrete recycling facility in the Columbia Street Waterfront District by the end of the year, a concession to residents and elected officials who have long raised health concerns.
“With the closure of the concrete recycling facility at the Columbia Street Waterfront District, we are taking an important step toward realizing a greener, safer and more vibrant Brooklyn Marine Terminal for the residents of this community,” Adams said in a statement when he announced the closure. “This move not only clears the way for much-needed housing, open space and a school as part of our proposed Brooklyn Marine Terminal project, but also reflects our city’s deep commitment to continuing to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers."
In a recent op-ed, state Senator Andrew Gounardes, a member of the task force, indicated his willingness to approve the plan.
"The process that brought us here has been long, bumpy and far from perfect. As one of the Task Force’s Vice Chairs, I’ve seen the challenges firsthand. But this perspective has also made clear to me that, in the face of billions in federal funding cuts and competing local priorities, it’s our best shot at delivering a modern Terminal that meets our communities’ and city’s needs," he wrote.
He noted that transportation planning remain a large sticking point, but approving the plan as it stands "would not mean shovels in the ground next month," he said.
"...abandoning this process would severely delay both the port modernization and the construction of much-needed affordable housing, possibly for years. We have a generational opportunity to forge ahead with a plan that ensures the community has a seat at the table every step of the way as this project unfolds. If we scrap the work we’ve done so far, all the benefits we’ve fought for could be erased. This is not the moment to give up," Gounardes said.
Overhauling the Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a generational opportunity to replace decades of disinvestment, said Jeff Holmes, the spokesperson for the city Economic Development Corporation.
"We remain fully committed to transforming this site into a modern all-electric maritime port, alongside a vibrant mixed-use community – delivering thousands of permanently affordable homes, thousands of new jobs, public open and green space and an engine of economic opportunity for the community and the city," Holmes said.
