BLOOMBERG ON DOMINO SUGAR, ETC.

"The City Council today [yesterday] for three things that will help New York City build for the future and come through the economic downturn stronger than ever. The passage of an on-time, balanced for Fiscal Year 2011 - with no tax increases - again demonstrates this Administration and the City Council can work out differences and now we can forward with the business of delivering and improving City services and planning for the year ahead and beyond. Hopefully, Albany will soon come to a resolution on a State budget that addresses the tough issues both responsibly and equitably

"The approval of the Domino Sugar project on Brooklyn's waterfront by the Council Land-Use Committee is a major step forward for the project. The development - now expected to be approved by the full Council next month - will transform 11 acres of vacant, waterfront space into 2,300 units of housing, including 660 affordable units, high quality public open space, new community facility space, and office and retail uses. It provides for an adaptive reuse of the recently landmarked sugar Refinery Building and the retention of its iconic Domino Sugar sign. The development will build on the success of the City's 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning and further our Administration's goal of reclaiming more of New York City's vacant and closed off waterfront for public use. Speaker Quinn, Council Member Steven Levin and Assembly Member Vito Lopez deserve a lot of credit for approving what will be an enormously beneficial development for the local community and the City's economy.

"The Council's home rule supporting our proposed changes to parkland in Coney Island is the latest step forward for our Coney Island Revitalization Plan. The proposed changes - which require State approval - would do two things. First, they would further support the expanded amusement district by allowing the City to lease the parkland for a long-term amusement operation. Second, they would allow for development on existing parking lots in the area, facilitating the development of 4,500 new units of housing, including 900 income-targeted units, and 500,000 square feet of new neighborhood retail, while also creating additional parking. State Senator Diane Savino and Assembly Member Alex Brook-Krasny understand how important these issues are and have been leaders on Coney Island's resurgence every step of the way. And no one has done more for Coney Island than Council Member Dominic Recchia, who is the driving force behind today's good news."