Great photos. This facade is much better than what was there before.
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Hope you enjoyed your stay.
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Oh yes, I had a fantastic stay in New York. The trip was wonderful, THANK YOU to all of you New Yorkers.
I’d love to come back.
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City board advances controversial Hudson Yards western development plan
The city’s Industrial Development Agency, an entity managed by the city’s Economic Development Corporation, voted in favor of a resolution amending the area’s so-called Uniform Tax Exemption Policy to include the underdeveloped Western Rail Yard. That’s where Related wants to build a sprawling, primarily residential megaproject on what is now open rail tracks. The proposal would include four mixed-use towers with roughly 4,000 residential units, several acres of green space and a new school.
If ultimately approved by the mayor, Related would benefit from payments instead of taxes to help fund the $2 billion platform. Nonprofits such as the New York Communities for Change have likened the proposal to a “billionaire bailout” because it redirects Related’s property taxes to fund the construction. The concept is similar to the payment plan used to build the first half of Hudson Yards.
The IDA board’s vote follows the City Council’s June approval of the zoning change for the project, which formerly included a casino. In May, Related CEO Jeff Blau announced that it was abandoning its proposal to include the casino and instead would seek the $2 billion tax break from the city to build the platform.
Tuesday’s vote only expanded the existing boundary of development sites eligible to apply for such tax breaks to include the Western Rail Yard. It did not, however, approve any tax exemptions. Specific projects within that area will need to go through the IDA’s full application and review process to break ground. That typically takes about three months, according to the IDA website, meaning that decisions about the Western Rail Yard’s future will be left up to the Mayor-elect and future administrations.
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Can we please stop putting “controversial” in titles just for clicks?
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A $2 billion tax break should objectively be considered controversial, IMO.
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it has to get built. if it gets built, there are long term benefits. if it doesnt, there are not benefits.
its not a tax break, its a PILOT program which is not uncommon (payments in lieu of taxes)
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Relax.
All I was really saying is that if some people are against it, than by definition it is “controversial”. What’s wrong with that?
I’m not familiar with the finer details of this deal so I’m not necessarily saying it shouldn’t happen. But $2 billion is a lot of money, so I do feel it should get an appropriate level of scrutiny and debate.
Also, my eyebrows certainly went up at “The concept is similar to the payment plan used to build the first half of Hudson Yards.“ Because some aspects of that deal were absolutely scandalous:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-12/the-visa-program-that-helped-pay-for-hudson-yards
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“Mr Gorbachev, tear this forum down”
(Not really I like this website a lot. I’m just attempting to be funny)
If there is any news about Phase 2, it could also be mentioned in this thread.
Oct 22, 2021
Not sure if I shared this way back, but I was staying at this hotel in NJ (with the same view as the Earthcam) and recall a storm that made for some dramatic lighting 
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