Moving City Hall to the Waterfront
Oct 08, 2008 19:46
I recently
testified at the City Council hearing on moving City
Hall to the South Boston waterfront. Councilor Mike
Flaherty invited me to testify (an interesting
change: when I tried to testify at the BRA budget
hearing back in June, Councilor Steve Murphy shook
his head "no" and adjourned). Flaherty and Mike Ross
were listening to me, but did not seem at all happy
with what I had to say. Perhaps because they know all
this already, and don't want to do anything about it.
I said:
The reason the BRA and Mayor Tom Menino want to move City Hall to the waterfront is to clear the City's Government Center property for development. And who will be the lucky developer?
Why, it's the BRA! Yes, the BRA took back City Hall Plaza, using eminent domain, in 1996 (when the BRA was a joint-venture partner with some hotel developers). And Menino gave his blessing and waiver of compensation -- an estimated $400 million, gone from our capital budget. The Mayor likes to fund the BRA off-budget and off-accountability, because the BRA is very helpful to him in certain development dealings.
So the BRA has held ownership of the Plaza, like any other real estate speculator, and will similarly get the land under City Hall for free -- but not before the taxpayers fund the hugely costly demolition of the building.
The lease fees for construction on this 11-acre site in the heart of downtown will be enormous -- and since the BRA is also our regulatory agency it can simply approve whatever project will maximize its profits.
The BRA, having abolished the Boston Planning Board in 1960, is also our "planning agency," so it is in charge of conducting the studies to decide on the move, a clear conflict of interest. Despite the many "Plans" it has created governing this site and the waterfront site (which it owns too!), the BRA's answer after this study will certainly be a resounding "ka-ching!"
BRA: Hundreds of millions of dollars. City: zero.
The BRA and City budgets are totally separate. And sharing only goes in one direction; can you guess which way?
Note to City Council: You created the BRA, and you can terminate it. Do it and get back the power you've been looking for. We can also get back billions of dollars worth of BRA real estate, and the millions in cash it has collected in leases and fees and various irregular arrangements from developers.
I offered to help the Council with more information. The phone is not yet ringing off the hook.
The reason the BRA and Mayor Tom Menino want to move City Hall to the waterfront is to clear the City's Government Center property for development. And who will be the lucky developer?
Why, it's the BRA! Yes, the BRA took back City Hall Plaza, using eminent domain, in 1996 (when the BRA was a joint-venture partner with some hotel developers). And Menino gave his blessing and waiver of compensation -- an estimated $400 million, gone from our capital budget. The Mayor likes to fund the BRA off-budget and off-accountability, because the BRA is very helpful to him in certain development dealings.
So the BRA has held ownership of the Plaza, like any other real estate speculator, and will similarly get the land under City Hall for free -- but not before the taxpayers fund the hugely costly demolition of the building.
The lease fees for construction on this 11-acre site in the heart of downtown will be enormous -- and since the BRA is also our regulatory agency it can simply approve whatever project will maximize its profits.
The BRA, having abolished the Boston Planning Board in 1960, is also our "planning agency," so it is in charge of conducting the studies to decide on the move, a clear conflict of interest. Despite the many "Plans" it has created governing this site and the waterfront site (which it owns too!), the BRA's answer after this study will certainly be a resounding "ka-ching!"
BRA: Hundreds of millions of dollars. City: zero.
The BRA and City budgets are totally separate. And sharing only goes in one direction; can you guess which way?
Note to City Council: You created the BRA, and you can terminate it. Do it and get back the power you've been looking for. We can also get back billions of dollars worth of BRA real estate, and the millions in cash it has collected in leases and fees and various irregular arrangements from developers.
I offered to help the Council with more information. The phone is not yet ringing off the hook.
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