BY JOSH ROGERS with DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC (Posted Dec. 10 2014 and updated Dec. 16)| The Battery Park City Authority said last week it is about to take control of North Cove Marina and told operator Michael Fortenbaugh to turn over the keys by Dec. 31.
A new group Save North Cove formed a few days later and a few hundred of them rallied Monday night in support of Fortenabugh’s youth and community sailing programs.
One was Izzy Meltzer, 8, who took up sailing for the first time last year.
“I think it was awesome,” said Meltzer, who was excited to learn about the different types of rope knots.
Her mother, Tribeca resident Margaret Wiesendanger, said “I think it is an amazing resource for the community.”
Wiesendanger said her son was also a part of the sailing school and the family looks forward to it every year.
Authority officials insist Fortenbaugh’s North Cove Marina Management company is not being evicted, but he told Downtown Express that the most likely explanation is that the authority is about to award the next 10-year contract to someone else.
“It doesn’t give you a warm and fuzzy feeling,” he said last week. “It’s not a good sign.”
He said there has been “zero discussion” with the authority clarifying his bid, which also leads him to think the authority has picked a different operator.
At the Dec. 15 rally Forttenbaugh said, “I’ve created kids programs not because they were in an R.F.P. I created them because I believed in this,” he said, referring to a request for proposals. He then thanked the children who attended the rally and said that he hoped they had as much fun as he did when he was growing up.
A few hundred people packed a Community Board 1 meeting two months ago in support of his organizations, praising the youth sailing and other programs he has run. Local politicians and C.B. 1 members have also voiced support, although none of the local legislators were at the rally.
Fortenabugh has been running a sailing school at the Battery Park City docks for the last 20 years, and has been running the marina the last 10.
His 10-year contract is up at the end of the month and Fortenbaugh had been hoping to be offered a renewal at the authority’s Dec. 4 board meeting.
The board did not act because two members could not vote. Martha Gallo recused herself because she and her family have used Fortenbaugh’s programs. Dennis Mehiel, the authority’s chairperson, was out of the country on unrelated business, but had he attended the meeting by Skype or video conference the authority would have had enough members to vote.
The authority offered Fortenbaugh a chance to stay for 60 days but it would be far from business as usual. In addition to giving up the keys, he would have to pay the authority for each boat that docked in the harbor. Fortenbaugh said he was not sure how he’d respond.
“The ball is in his court,” said an authority official who spoke on background.
The authority released this statement:
“The current contract on the North Cove Marina expires on 12/31/14. Because there is no extension provision in the contract, we have proposed an interim measure. BPCA will assume operation of the marina, including all maintenance and insurance costs, on 1/1/15. To provide for continued operation of the Manhattan Sailing School and Yacht Club until there is a Board decision on the RFP, BPCA has offered a 60 day lease to NORTH COVE MARINA MANAGEMENT, INC. at a substantially discounted per foot rate for any boats NORTH COVE MARINA MANAGEMENT, INC. docks at the Marina. In addition, the Manhattan Sailing School classroom will dock at no cost.
“Our Board is expected to vote on the 10-year contract for a marina operator at its January meeting.”
