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The Growth Catalyst: Reviving New York City s Economy With Infrastructure

Media last updated February 9, 2010

Press Source

  • The New School

Press Date

  • January 28, 2010

Press Link

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Transforming the City's Manufacturing Landscape

last updated January 6, 2010

"Transforming the Manufacturing Landscape," by Pratt Center Director Adam Friedman, is now available, part of the Drum Major Institute's new book From Disaster to Diversity: What's Next for New York City's Economy? Listen to Friedman discuss the future of the city's industrial jobs in New York City on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show.

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Public Housing in New York City: Building Communities of Opportunity

Report last updated October 27, 2009

As New York City works to promote economic opportunity for the poor, a new report by the Pratt Center for Community Development, "Public Housing in New York City: Building Communities of Opportunity," provides an in-depth look at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the nearly 500,000 New Yorkers who live in its 286 developments. Funded by the Brooklyn Community Foundation, a charitable organization devoted exclusively to support Brooklyn’s nonprofit community, the report outlines strategies that would help create and increase opportunities for public housing residents, nearly half of whom live in poverty.

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City Point Tax-Exempt Bond Financing

Testimony last updated September 10, 2009

Testimony to the New York City Capital Resource Corporation
on $20 million stimulus bond financing for City Point retail complex

September 10, 2009

New York City is fortunate to be receiving tax-exempt bond financing under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the vital purpose of restarting stalled development projects. The issue is whether the City is driving a hard enough bargain and sufficiently advancing public objectives given its investment in providing this source of financing. In choosing Albee Development LLC to be a recipient of the bonds’ benefits, however, the New York City Capital Resource Corporation and other public authorities involved with City Point must recognize the need to make this project work as part of a vibrant and diverse mix of retailers in a shopping district that hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn residents depend on. In exchange for taxpayers’ support to make this project possible, the Capital Resource Corporation must make sure that Fulton Street continues to be a place where independent retailers can thrive.

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Industrial Land Squeeze

Map last updated May 27, 2009

When Mayor Bloomberg came into office in 2002, New York City had 12,542 acres of land where manufacturing businesses could legally operate. Today, thanks to zoning changes, it has fewer than 10,746, and another 1,800 acres would be converted to other uses under proposed rezonings  If the planned rezonings go through, New York
City will have lost 20 percent of all its manufacturing space in the span of just a few years.

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Economic and Workforce Development

Project last updated April 6, 2009

Planning for Jobs and Training Opportunities

The Pratt Center has been in the forefront of efforts to make sure that New York City's land use and development policies and programs promote strong employment and training opportunities, and link major economic development projects with nearby residents and workers.

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Hunts Point Rezoning

Testimony last updated June 17, 2008

Testimony to the City Council Committee on Zoning and Franchises Special Hunts Point District, Bronx (C080248ZMX)

Joan Byron
Director, Sustainability and Environmental Justice Initiative
Pratt Center for Community Development
June 17, 2008

My name is Joan Byron; I am the Director of the Sustainability and Environmental Justice Initiative of the Pratt Center for Community and Environmental Development. The Pratt Center works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers, by empowering communities to plan for and realize their futures. We are especially proud to have supported the work of Hunts Point and other South Bronx organizations since the early 1990s in the many battles they have fought for environmental justice; Hunts Point bears more than its share of the burdens of the infrastructure and land uses that make New York City's density and vitality possible, to the daily cost of the people who live, work, and breathe in the shadow of highways, electric power plants, sewage treatment and sludge pelletization facilities, and dozens of waste transfer stations and waste handling facilities.

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Pratt Center eNews - Spring 2008

Enews last updated May 3, 2008

In this Issue:

  • A Message from Pratt Center Director Brad Lander
  • Better Jobs for New Yorkers
  • COMMUTE Puts Bus Rapid Transit on the Map
  • Pushing a New Vision for Willets Point
  • Meet the Pratt Center Staff: Michael Bogdanffy-Kriegh and Rebecca Reich
  • Pratt Center Receives EPA Environmental Quality Award
  • Helping New Orleans Rebuild
  • Introducing Energy Matters
  • Contribute

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Create Opportunity through Development of the East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers Project

Testimony last updated April 12, 2007

Testimony to Manhattan Community Board 3

Mercedes Narciso, R.A.
Senior Planner, Pratt Center for Community Development
April 12, 2007

Good evening to everybody. Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Mercedes Narciso and I am a Senior Planner with the Pratt Center for Community Development, a university- based organization that works for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers by helping communities to plan for and realize their future. One of those communities is the Lower East Side, and in partnership with the Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), we are currently working on a community assessment and planning initiative in the area.

I am here today to express our support for East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers Project proposed by the Department of City Planning, a project full of vision and creativity, which would provide the diverse nearby community and the city at large the opportunity to access and enjoy the waterfront.

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Economic Development Incentive Packages

Testimony last updated December 19, 2006

Testimony to New York City Council Committee on Economic Development Oversight Hearing on Economic Development Incentive Packages

Marnie McGregor
Policy and Communications Specialist, Pratt Center for Community Development
December 19, 2006

Chairman White, Jr. and Committee members, my name is Marnie McGregor from the Pratt Center for Community Development.

First we would like to commend the Committee for convening this oversight hearing, and the leadership of Speaker Quinn. We particularly applaud the Council for passing Local Law 48 last year which significantly helps policy makers and the public better understand the fiscal and employment impacts of economic development deals negotiated outside of the budget process by the IDA & EDC.

In addition, many improvements have been made by the IDA over the past year to make the public process for subsidy proposals more meaningful. In addition, stronger clawback provisions now generally require commercial companies to meet job growth targets in order to receive subsidies.

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