Our Councilmember Carlos Menchaca made the news today as his office plans to draft a bill banning all tourist helicopter flights from NYC.
This is an issue that has a small but noisy constituency, mainly the people in Battery Park City, Brooklyn Heights and Red Hook that are directly affected by the noise of the helicopters. The copters offer a birds-eye view of the city for tourists who want a faster trip than Circle Line.
Today’s Daily News article about Menchaca’s initiative states “The city’s 311 line received 1290 complaints about helicopter noise in 2014.” It goes on to say “That’s well below the most common types of noise complaints to 311, including the top gripe of loud parties, which had 129,496 calls.
In other words, Menchaca is pandering to a small but vocal part of his district. Which is fine, that’s what politicians do. Earlier this year, he made a deal with the NYC Economic Development Corporation allowing one very vocal constituent- who happens to own an old ship – a free berth at Erie Basin. Before that, he became involved in a tar burning issue over on Coffey Street. The burning tar of a roofing company was causing huge discomfort to nearby residents, including in this case Menchaca himself, who lives in the neighborhood.
What is also important is leadership that addresses the larger issues that affect the future of our whole community. One such issue is the quality of life in the Red Hook Houses. Residents there enjoy affordable housing without having to endure the “poor door” that luxury condo developers often include when the city bribes them into including rental apartments slightly below what is politely called “market rate.” In fact, public housing rents are pegged at 30% of one’s gross income (pay before taxes are taken out). Many residents pay over $1000 monthly rent, which in another time would be considered perfectly normal. The problem is that all doors in public housing are poor doors – in other words, poorly maintained and not aesthetically pleasing. This should be addressed.
Over two thirds of Red Hook residents live in public housing. The councilman should be listening very carefully to their complaints and suggestions on a regular basis. While he usually sends representatives to the monthly tenant meetings, we’d like to see him more proactive, and hold regular meetings of his own where he himself can hear the problems personally.
Another huge issue that will permanently affect Red Hook is the plan for what we think is an outlandish medical facility near Van Brunt. That part of Red Hook is anchored by PioneerWorks and will soon be joined by the stylish ideas of Estate Four. An article in our current issue includes comments by our local businesses, including Mark’s Pizza who are perfectly happy with all the extra business that PioneerWorks brings to the neighborhood when they stage their concerts and museum exhibitions. They have become a neighborhood treasure.
A giant box housing medicaid patients and medical services already provided by Addabo, permanently closes off an important area from what we think could become the hub of a highly regarded cultural district.
What it really is is the relocation of a nursing home from Fort Greene, whose property has been made more valuable since the Barclay Center, to a place where the land values are still relatively less expensive than Park Slope or Carroll Gardens. This is what brought another for profit institution – the BASIS school, to the neighborhood. The way we see it, neither the school nor the nursing home have anything to do with Red Hook.
We call on our councilman to help put together a group of some local leaders, including Dustin Yellin, to make this the topic of a series of town meetings. The nursing home cannnot be built ‘as of right.’ It needs a zoning change – which ultimately has to be approved by the City Council. His office has the power to allow or deny the zoning change. This has to be something that the whole community addresses before it becomes a done deal.
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The nursing home issue certainly requires neighborhood input. A project of that scale in our community would have far reaching consequences, not the least of which would be emergency services, given the facility will be built on a flood plain.
I am more concerned about the helicopter issue. I am employed in the tourism and hospitality industry and I am a Red Hook resident. I hear the same flights others are complaining about. A bill is being proposed to ban the sightseeing flights. That will cost jobs. Plain and simple. The loss of the flights will also deprive the East River Heliport its primary source of revenue, rental from the tour companies. Who will pay for that facility? It has been a vital resource during 9/11 and Sandy. The site is used for most Presidential landings and special events.
A change of flight path, perhaps out over Governors Island and the Harbor, may quiet some Red Hook complaints. I can’t take Battery Park complaints too seriously since that group wants to quiet all the ferry traffic. Get over it, BPC, you moved to the waterfront!
Lets explore some options for the helicopters before causing job losses in a difficult financial climate.
Patrick
I guess he’s given up on motorcyclists’ noise. Too bad.
Let’s see what’s the common factor here: Battery Park City, Brooklyn Heights and Red Hook. But what part of Red Hook? Of course, waterfront gentry part of Red Hook, not majority Red Hook Houses. He’s pandering to his constituency. No doubt the developers of new waterfront properties have him on speed-dial and retainer. I meant donors.