February 29, 2008
Team Spitzer made a wise decision yes terday in scrapping plans to sell a key parcel of land on the northern side of the Javits Convention Center.
Hanging on to that site will preserve the possibility of a northward expansion of the center at some future point, a potentially critical option.
The Pataki administration had slated a major enlargement of Javits, some of it northward, at a cost of some $1.8 billion. But Gov. Spitzer and his aides said the price tag for a proper upgrade would be closer to $5 billion - more than could be justified by the added economic activity the project would spawn.
So Spitzer & Co. ditched the plan - and moved to sell the land and use the proceeds for other purposes.
Trouble is, they had no real Plan B - even though selling the site might have forever choked off the possibility of a northward expansion of Javits, the city's chief exhibition and meeting hall.
That would have left Gotham's convention and tourist business in a lurch. So numerous voices in the city - Mayor Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and, indeed, this page - urged Spitzer to agree to a time-out to review the options.
Now he's doing just that.
Empire State Development Corp. Chairman Pat Foye said the city and state would form "a task force . . . to focus on the long-term travel, tourism and convention center needs for the region."
State officials will "temporarily suspend efforts to sell the northern parcel at 39th/40th streets until development plans are approved by a panel comprised of the governor, mayor, City Council speaker and state legislative leaders."
They'll put the horse before the cart, that is. It's clearly the wise thing to do.
