Bhalla's morning presser to announce hotel givebacks

developer givebacks from local Greek bakery

The mood was jubilant at this morning's press conference. 

A crowd of public school parents, Union workers, well wishers and public officials (District Superintendent Christine Johnson, BoE Trustees Tom Kluepfel, Sharyn Angley,  Sheillah Dallara, Melanie Tekirian, Jen Evans, Chetali Khanna,  BoE candidate Malani Cardemartori) gathered to hear Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla present a package of $4.5M in givebacks (plus Greek pastries)  the mayor negotiated from hotel developer, KMS. 

The mayor's speech was an extended version of his 10 AM press release :

"I'm incredibly excited to share with you some exciting news: Hoboken will soon see a brand new community center with a complete renovation of the former YMCA building!

In addition to a new community center, the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to enhancing our public schools will receive a $1 million donation, while Hoboken's charter schools will receive $300,000! These multi-million dollar community benefits are the product of extensive negotiations my administration has engaged in with the developer of a new downtown hotel, which will soon be coming to Hoboken.

This includes a guarantee of $2 million from the developer to completely renovate the Hoboken Community Center (former YMCA), which has been unused for almost a decade. Thanks to this investment, the Hoboken Community Center will include new recreation facilities and a public pool, an amenity that will finally be provided to Hoboken residents at no taxpayer expense, through this agreement."

Other speakers included the fabulous HPEF founder Shirael Pollack, BoE Vice President Sharon Angley, Developer Dennis Martin, a fellow from the Library (name please!) and a fellow representing the Union (name please!)  

After the speeches, folks hung around to chat.

GA spoke to Patty Waiters, who confirmed that yes she's running for school board. She told me that she had filed with ELEC, then handed me an interesting piece of lit. What's so interesting about it?

Well, Side One advocates for Waiters...

Side Two advocates for the ballot referendum to bring back run-offs. 

Who paid for the lit?  Nothing on file with ELEC yet-- not even a D-1 to open the campaign. 

Anyhow, while folks were standing around chatting, I introduced myself to Dennis Martin,  the developer; I wanted to feel him out on whether it was too late for architectural design changes on the hotel.  

He's a very nice man; we started talking about how much public education means to us, how important it is to support our local schools. Then GA moved on to how his hotel building should be a landmark design...   (If  we are stuck with the volume why can't the design be remarkable?  Can't we deconstruct the shiny flat curtain wall, do something striking and special there? Look what Frank Gehry did to a skyscraper!)

ooooh la la... 8 Spruce Street by Frank Gehry

So I was just getting into my schpiel, when all of a sudden...

Jen Giattino beamed herself down into the conversation, interrupted me mid-sentence to say "I have to ask you [the developer]..." Then the interrupting Councilwoman asked something not-urgent  about the hotel base material being brick or terracotta or ice cream...  unbelievably rude.  Does she always interrupt people like that?  Having derailed the design discussion, the oblivious Councilwoman chatted away as if she can't just pick up the phone and talk to the guy anytime.  I almost let her have it, but did not want to make a scene.

So as mentioned, folks were feeling good about givebacks. Of course, not everyone is satisfied. Just ask Elysian Board President Eduardo Gonzalez. 

EDUARDO IS NOT HAPPY

Folks have been forwarding emails to me (keep them coming!) and I must say, today's missive from Eduardo Gonzalez was predictably whiny.  Like little Oliver Twist, he's got his shiny tin cup outstretched: "Please, Mayor...  may I have some more?" Eduardo whimpered:  

"The Mayor’s proposal is a step in the right direction, but it still does not treat our students fairly."

  

WTF, Eduardo?  

What isn't fair about the 6-figure donation the mayor negotiated for your school?  I guess you want a bigger piece of the HPEF's gift?

Okay, Eduardo.  You can have your "share" of the non-profit's donation if the Hoboken Public Schools can have their "share" of your brand, new school building.  Public School students would feel treated "fairly" if their classrooms weren't from the last century or if they had working central air conditioning instead of crappy window units.  Public school students would love to  "share" some of those spankin' new classrooms in your brand new building. How about it, Eduardo? How about sharing with the Hoboken district students so they are treated fairly? 

Eduardo...? Eduardo...? Are you there? Gee, he's awfully quiet. I guess "sharing" only goes one way. 

 Stay tuned folks...