Tomorrow provides another opportunity to ask FCR and Department of
Transportation representatives just why they're in such a hurry to close
the streets around the proposed Arena site. They are scheduled to
appear Tuesday before the
78th
Precinct Community Council, which meets at 7:30 p.m. at at the Secondary School for Law, Journalism & Research (the former John Jay High School), on 7th Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets.
The big question:
if it turns out that the project doesn't gain title to the land at the
condemnation hearing on the 29th--where the legal owners of the
property
promise
vigorous opposition--construction can't start. At the earlier meeting
on this topic, an FCR representative said the closure would be for
infrastructure work on the portion of Fifth Avenue that would be covered by the
Arena--but isn't it a bit premature to start destroying public streets before
the developer has the land to build on?
