Key Takeaways

The Battery Park City Resiliency Project is expected to begin in 2025 and will take almost 5 years to complete. It will directly impact Gateway, particularly the 375 building (400) and the esplanade. There will be a meeting on May 29th, co-hosted by the Battery Park City Authority and GTA, to cover the details of the project. 

The quasi-rent stabilization (QRS) agreement for some Gateway tenants is expiring in 2030. The GTA has already begun working with elected officials to both extend the agreement beyond 2030 and expand its coverage to all Gateway residents. All our local elected officials expressed their support for extending/expanding the agreement:

• Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President
• Christopher Marte, Council Member
• Brian Kavanagh, State Senator
• Charles Fall, Assembly Member
• Dan Goldman, US Congress Member

Raju Mann, President & CEO of BPCA, and Dan Goldman, US Congressman, also joined the meeting and made remarks. 

GTA also discussed the Good Cause Eviction law and its impacts on Gateway tenants, high utility bills, and the elevator modernization project. 

Questions were taken throughout the meeting and a full Q&A recap will be posted here later this week.

Finally, elections for the GTA Board will be held starting tomorrow, April 21. You are eligible to vote in the election if you are a member of GTA – go to gpta.org/join-gta to pay the $25 annual membership dues.

Introductions

In the meeting, Rosalie Joseph, co-president of GTA, emphasized the importance of membership and encouraged everyone to join. She also invited interested individuals to consider joining the board. Shannon McCue, co-president of GTA, introduced the board members and thanked everyone for their participation. Robin Forst, GTA, welcomed the elected officials who joined the meeting. 

Resiliency Project & QRS Agreement

Jeff Galloway, GTA, discussed the BPC Resiliency project, which includes a flood barrier that will be constructed near Gateway and is expected to take ~5 years to complete. The construction will affect the esplanade between Gateway and the water, which is estimated to take 3 years, while the Marina adjacent to northern Gateway buildings will take all 5 years. Jeff urged all residents to attend a meeting on May 29th to learn more about the project and the mitigation measures in place. He also addressed questions regarding the QRS agreement, emphasizing the importance of reviewing the lease riders carefully before signing.

Good Cause Eviction Law & Electric Bills

The meeting segment discussed several topics related to Gateway Plaza. Vittoria Fariello, GTA, explained the New York State Good Cause Eviction Law, which applies to non-luxury apartments and limits rent increases. She provides the current luxury rent thresholds for different apartment sizes and notes that most Gateway two-bedroom apartments likely exceed these thresholds. Cris Green, GTA, then addressed concerns about high electric bills during the winter, attributing them to the coldest winter since 2018 and Con Ed rate hikes. She suggested residents compare their bills to GTA survey results and contact management if their costs are significantly higher than average.

Elevator Modernization Concerns

GTA discussed upcoming elevator modernization work in the shorter towers of Gateway. Stacy Sonnenberg, a resident in one of these buildings and new Board candidate, expressed concern about the extended six-week timeline for the work and the lack of clear communication from Gateway Management regarding accommodations for residents with mobility issues. GTA acknowledged the problem and committed to prioritizing this issue in their next meeting with Management. 

Elected Officials in Attendance

Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President, expressed his support for extending and expanding the QRS agreement to cover all residents of Gateway. He also discussed his efforts to address the housing affordability crisis and his commitment to minimizing the negative impacts of the Resiliency project on the residents.

Assemblyman Charles Fall discussed his role, ongoing budget issues, and the importance of addressing community concerns. He also mentioned the upcoming deadline for obtaining a Real ID for domestic flights and federal buildings.

Council Member Christopher Marte provided an update on his work in the City Council, including efforts to protect municipal retirees’ health coverage, expand the use of OTC cards for small businesses, and ban new synthetic turf fields. He also discussed ongoing initiatives to increase the income cap for senior rent freeze programs and support the expansion of quasi-affordability in Gateway Plaza. Marte expressed his commitment to advocating for the community’s interests and addressing concerns about grocery store options in Battery Park City.

Raju Mann, President & CEO of the Battery Park City Authority, discussed the ongoing issues with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the potential loss of 42 million dollars for the seaport Coastal Resiliency project. 

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, who chairs the Senate Housing Committee, discussed the ongoing budget negotiations, the importance of affordable housing, and the need for public safety. He also mentioned his support for the Gateway Tenants Association’s push for extending and expanding the quasi rent stabilization beyond 2030. The conversation ended with the Senator offering to work closely with the Tenants Association to achieve their goals.

US Congress Member Dan Goldman expressed concern about the increasing funding and program cuts, and the potential impact on government programs. He also mentioned the increasing attacks on democracy and the rule of law. GTA asked about the effect of the Federal Government’s cuts on the projects planned for Battery Park City, to which Dan and Raju responded that the funding stream is subject to city approval and that they are feeling optimistic about the situation.

Upcoming GTA Board Elections

Jeff Galloway, GTA, outlined the procedure for the upcoming election. There are 15 positions available on the board of GTA. Jeff emphasized that nominations are still open, and anyone interested in running must be a GTA member by 5 pm on Friday. The election will be conducted electronically, with ballots sent out on Monday and due by Thursday. The top 15 vote getters will serve on the board. Jeff also clarified that the voting process requires payment for 2025 dues. In addition to incumbent board members, Mark Liebman, Stacy Sonnenberg, and Mary Mooney are running for the Board.