Garage Sale or Fire Sale?

If you took a look at the conceptual drawings from the “Galleria Redevelopment” post then you may have noticed that in both the original concept and the revised concept, the developer has simply assumed that the City owned parking garage is theirs for the taking. It struck us as very odd that a private developer would presume to have a rigth to develop a City asset.

To get more answers to the mystery aroudn the Galleria redevelopment, CAWS met with the Mayor and Planning Commissioner on May 25, 2023. During that meeting, we specifically and directly asked for the next steps in the process and to be included in the process of redeveloping the Galleria Mall site. The Mayor stuck to his prescribed talking point of “I will not comment on a matter until an application is filed.” Shockingly, only days after that meeting the City submitted a Bill in Albany asking for permission not to follow the law with respect to an auction and sealed bids for disposal of the Galleria Parking Garage. That bill was supported by Senator Mayor and Assemblywoman Paulin. It passed promptly and was signed into law by Governor Hochul.

This bill effectively removes State laws put in place to ensure that a fair price is received for disposal of any City assets. Moreover, that those assets are disposed of in a competative, transparent manner. With this new law, the Mayor and Common Council may do as they please including give the parking garage to a private developer in a private transaciton for $1.00! We do not know that is the plan, but if not why the need to dispense with perfectly fine laws requiring an auction and sealed bids?

The Garage Sale has turned into a Fire Sale!