Lullaby of Broadway Part II

"Tragedy tomorrow... Triangle tonight!"
It was technical arguments about urban renewal law, zoning procedures, and good ole' fashioned pluckity gumption for the First Act of the Broadway Triangle Rezoning Action Plan, the latest smash hit at City Council. All your favorite stage actors were dressed to impressed, including Marty Needelman, right, whose tie pin wins some kind of fashion honor. Curtain up!
I was excited to see how Dan Garodnick (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Planning, Dispositions and Compensation Subcommittee (and a top notch salsa dancer!) was going to handle the tempermental crowd that filled the Chambers and the upper deck. I was also curious to see how Steve Levin would handle himself since he wasn't technically a Council member yet, but is one of the most influential voices in the room (he bounced around the Chamber, sitting in several different chairs, shaking hands with everyone he knew).
Anyway, today was about the Department of Housing and Preservation Development's testimony on the Broadway Triangle and questioning proposed by the Council members. Translation: it's a big day for Diana Reyna. Would she score a couple of points and convince her colleagues to oppose the plan (early answer, unlikely)? Or would HPD navigate through a muddled discussion about urban renewal boundaries, site authorization, charettes, and eminent domain procedures. Riveting. I'll link the articles up tomorrow once they start trickling in.

Councilmember David Yassky makes an appearance.

Despite the predictable affordable housing vs. open process debate that gets rehashed every time this issue comes before the public there were a couple of surprises and unanswered questions. Was Community Board 3 excluded from the planning process and what are the implications for future rezonings? How exactly will eminent domain be used in this plan? Will Michael Rochford or Luis Garden Acosta challenge Jack Hammer and Al Vann for Brooklyn Mustache Supremacy? And most importantly, will Monica and Chandler, left, get back together in time for the Friends reunion?

The Chair would like to recognize Al Vann's Goatee, which has just entered the Chamber.

**Correction! The role of Vito Lopez was played by Debbie Feinberg, a staff member for Vito Lopez. Councilmember-elect Steve Levin had his own prepared statement. Unfortunately (and quite rudely) the chair cut him off after his two minutes were up.