North Cove Marina Dec. 15,
BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC | Supporters of Michael Fortenbaugh showed up in full force at Community Board 1’s monthly meeting on Thurs., Dec. 18.
Fortenbaugh, whose North Cove Marina Management looks to be in danger of losing its lease at the North Cove Marina, spoke during the public session — along with around 30 people who back his company retaining the reins at the marina.
“Brookfield is one of the companies who’s trying to take over the marina; we’re just asking for an open process,” he said of the corporation that owns the World Financial Center office complex overlooking the marina.
Fortenbaugh said that he has released his plans for the marina, but Brookfield has not. After thanking everyone for their outpouring of support, he said, “We want to keep sailing on.”
The bidding process has a confidential agreement, but earlier this week Fortbebaugh said he asked the authority for permission to release his bid, and he said the B.P.C.A. did not object.
The mention of the commodore, who has run the marina for the past ten years, was enough to incite applause at the meeting.
Teens and pre-teens that had participated in the sailing school said that they have learned leadership skills, wanted to see this opportunity available for other kids, and asked that the Battery Park City Authority postpone their decision until the community is heard.
They also had a petition of over 250 signatures — in addition to the over thousand that has been signed as part of the Committee to Save North Cove.
“This process needs to be opened up and have community involvement and understand what the various bids are for the site,” said Andrew Zangle, a member of Fortenbaugh’s sailing club. “They can’t make this place a corporate place, it needs to be community sailing like it is.”
Another member, Steve Rawlings, emphasized that community-based sailing is part of the proposals that the B.P.C.A. is considering.
“But what Michael has built here is community-based sailing. You can’t buy it. Is a corporation going to go get it?” he said. “Please pass the resolution in support of Michael and then do more. Don’t let the Battery Park Authority give the cove to a big corporation.”
After the public session, C.B. 1 changed the order of the committee reports and Battery Park City was first.
Anthony Notaro, chairperson of C.B. 1’s Battery Park City Committee, who read the request for proposals or R.F.P., explained that community-based programming is given only a 15 percent weight.
“This whole experience of Michael is very hard for me to swallow,” said Bob Townley, a C.B. 1 member. “The Battery Park City Authority does what they want … They’re making another mistake here.”
Townley called on elected officials to “put this one of the carpet” and “tell Dennis Mehiel [the authority’s chairperson] that they’re not going to stand for this or there’s going to be some repercussions.”
C.B. 1 unanimously passed a resolution that strongly urges elected officials to reach out to the B.C.P.A. and that the authority modify the R.F.P. so that there is “greater weight given to the ‘community-based’ programming criteria.”
The resolution also asked that the authority review R.F.P.s that would affect parklands with C.B. 1 and that the authority should garner “community input regarding a community asset held in trust by the B.C.P.A should be a priority and normal course of operation.”
With reporting by JOSH ROGERS
