Something to DO!!! [Feel free to cut and paste email below. Make sure that you fill in your name below. Then email to brooklynbridgepark@esd.ny.gov ] Empire State Development ATTN: Rose-Marie Mahase 633 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 To Whom It May Concern: I am writing on behalf of the millions of current and future visitors to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, as well as those who live in and next to the Park. Please eliminate the two unnecessary towers presently planned in the main Park entrance at Atlantic Avenue. Preventing the construction of these two huge out-of-context towers will keep our waterfront open and accessible, enable Atlantic Avenue to be the gateway entrance it was intended to be, provide three critical acres of public parkland, and eliminate up to 430 new apartments that would only exacerbate the school over-crowding crisis at P.S. 8 and increase traffic and gridlock within the Park, on Joralemon Street and elsewhere. During the long planning process for this Park, there was much debate in our community over the issue of whether there should be residential development within Brooklyn Bridge Park. A compromise was ultimately reached: the city and state would build only so much housing as was needed to fund the Park. Limiting development to only that which is needed to fund the Park was then clearly recorded in the General Project Plan. The proposed amendment to the General Project Plan eliminates this important financial consideration and permits the construction of a 31 story and a 15 story tower without regard for whether these funds are needed for the Park. Real estate prices in the Park have risen dramatically over the past decade since housing was contemplated, from approximately $700 per square foot in 2005 to approximately $2,000 per square foot today. As a result, the housing and commercial space in the Park will generate far more revenue than ever contemplated in 2005. The Park’s own financial projections now show tremendous excess funds--- almost $400 million in excess cash over 50 years (see page 30 of the Park’s financial presentation dated 7/9/15). This excess cash will be transferred to the City’s General Fund if the Park can’t spend it. Thus, our Park will become a profit center for New York City, developers will reap millions, and the public will have lost desperately-needed parkland and the critical Park entrance for Brooklyn residents. If these towers go forward, school overcrowding will increase exponentially with our youngest children bused out of the district and all eight surrounding schools reaching the critical crisis that PS 8 currently faces within three additional years, our streets will become significantly more crowded without any new bus or subway options and our fragile waterfront will be forever marred by unsightly and inappropriate housing. Ironically, even the Park’s own unsubstantiated financial projections demonstrate that there is absolutely no need to move forward with this project. Their own projections demonstrate that the Park is flush with cash for the next 10 to 15 years. Within that time period, the revenue generated by the existing projects will become clearer and our school and transit crises hopefully addressed. Building these towers now makes no sense whatsoever. Finally, proper planning should consider community impacts based on current circumstances, not decade-old analysis. The dramatic changes in school over-crowding, traffic, Park revenue from existing projects, flooding, hospital closings and even more residential development in the area than ever contemplated ten years ago warrant study in a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). You have an incredible opportunity. Decisions made today will affect generations to come. Do the right thing and eliminate these unnecessary towers in this iconic Park. Sincerely, XXXXXXXX [Insert Name] City and State: Brooklyn, NY