CITY FOR SALE

Joseph Tiraco

The mayor's retail strategy is no more then old fashioned patronage cloaked in Orwellian logic to dignify it; an excuse to supersede community self rule with autocratic dictates, and replace scientific impact studies with political Kentucky windage in order to gauge which way the money is blowing. Labeling as "red tape" detailed examinations to uncover potential problems, and an intellectual process to determine if irreversible changes will harm city neighborhoods, is tantamount to jet plane manufactures claiming exhaustive testing is too expensive, and calling redundant safety systems excessive contraptions. The mayor points to Long Island as the Mecca of megastores. But, Long Island courts have determined, "As of Right" Construction does not inherently preclude the stringent impact studies the law demands. A shopping mall half constructed was stopped by Long Island courts incurring millions in losses. The billionaire builders decided it was cheaper to buy politicians to change the laws then to actually comply with the laws. Hence, the largest spending binge in New York political history was inaugurated to induce zoning changes favorable to megastores, and abolish laws that empower communities to stop inappropriate development within their pale.

In Forest Hills, a 30-acre site will house nine megastores including Home Depot, Price Club, Sports Authority, Service Merchandise, Edwards Supermarket and four stores yet to be named. Traffic, both foot and vehicular will at times reach the proportions of capacity crowds at Shea Stadium. Bear in mind, Shea is built at the confluence of three super highways containing 18 high speed lanes, several city streets including Roosevelt Avenue, and is serviced by mass transit. The Forest Hills Megamall will be accessed only by city streets, and there is no mass transit system anywhere in the area. It is physically impossible to cram the increased bus traffic, endless lines of trucks, and tens of thousands of cars daily onto the already saturated streets in the area. The infrastructure of Forest Hills was built to support a residential community, not megastore traffic. Yet, the builders are preparing to start construction and care not a fig for the community they will leave in chaos.

The question is whether an administration elected on anti crime and quality of life issues has a mandate to disenfranchise New York's communities. Just this past week, the mayor retaliated against community boards (rescinding summer vacations) for their unanimous votes against his Retail Strategy, bringing New York City politics to its lowest and grungiest ebb since the Jimmy Walker days. The Retail Strategy is trash, a cock-n-bull story to justify breaking up city furniture to fuel private campaigns. It should be tossed in the nearest garbage pail where all such hokum belongs.

July 1, 1996