Capital Priorities for Fiscal Year 2011

1. Pier 42 -- reconstruction necessary to remove shed and maintain pier for public access for waterfront. (EDC)
Explanation:  Reconstruction & maintenance of this pier is an important element in the plan to reclaim & revitalize our waterfront. Access to this pier is very important for waterfront access & usage.

2. CCT cameras at 5 priority NYCHA developments currently lacking cameras: Rutgers, 3 stairhalls; LaGuardia, 4 stairhalls; Smith, 5 stairhalls; Vladeck, entire development, 54 stairhalls; and LES 2, entire development, 31 stairhalls. (NYPD)
Explanation:  Loss of police staffing make cameras even more essential to maintain public safety. Priorities for these developments were established with help from NYPD.

3. Al Smith Recreation Center. (DPR)
Explanation:  Replace windows and doors throughout-$950,000.  Reconstruction of locker rooms, bathrooms and adjacent areas including new plumbing, plumbing fixtures, partitions, lockers, tile work and floors-$1.5 million.

4. Tanahy Park: Reconstruct basketball courts, hockey rink and sitting area, including pavement, fence, benches, perimeter sidewalk & landscaping. (DPR)
Explanation:  This park is badly in need for repair.  In addition, nearby residents suffer from quality of life issues because of lack of fencing, people use basketball court at night & they create a lot of noise in the middle of the night.

5. Luther Gulick Park: Reconstruct the former sitting area and handball courts into the multi-use play area. (DPR)
Explanation:  Refurbish the handball and basketball courts that have fallen into disrepair.  Replace the trees that were removed from the sitting area and restore this area into a green space that our entire, diverse community can enjoy.

6. Affordable Housing Trust Fund to prevent buildings from opting out of Mitchell-Llama and/or project based Section 8. (HPD)
Explanation:  Private owners of Section 8 and Mitchell Lama buildings continue to opt out of these programs at a growing rate.  Tenants seeking to purchase these properties often do not have the financial capacity to complete in the private market with property owners.  This Fund will provide the tenants with additional capital to compete in this difficult housing market and thereby help ensure that their housing remains permanently affordable.  This is critical to support City Council legislation geared to have the same effect.

7. Funding for emergency generators in the 4 NYFD firehouses in the CB 3 district that do not have them. (FDNY)
Explanation:  Only 2 of the 6 firehouses in the Lower East Side have emergency generators.  These need to be installed in the remaining 4:  Engine 5 (340 E. 14th St), Engine 9/Ladder 6 (75 Canal St), Engine 28/Ladder 11 (222 E. 2nd St) and Ladder 18 (25 Pitt St).

8. Sara D. Roosevelt Park: Reconstruct park pathways, sidewalks, landscapes and walls. (DPR)
Explanation:  This area of CB 3 lacks adequate park space.  This park is very well used and needs reconstruction for areas not yet improved.

9. East River Park: Demolish concrete area & construct a picnic & volleyball area north of the tennis court area. (DPR)
Explanation:  This park is widely used by the community and by residents throughout the city.  This work will enhance full use of the park.

10. Allen & Pike Malls. (DPR)
Explanation:  These malls are a blight and need to be reconstructed both to provide open space for residents and to help revitalize businesses in the area.

11. Tompkins Square Park library: Needs rehabilitation and HVAC replacement. (NYPL)
Explanation:  This library needs exterior rehabilitation of the exterior rear facade as  well as HVAC replacement ($2,000,000).

12. Seward Park library: The Library is in need of structural and systems repairs and computer lab. (NYPL)
Explanation:  The library vault needs to be rehabilitated and the security system needs repair/upgrade.

13. Hamilton Fish Park library: Previous work upgraded the children's side of the library.  Similar upgrades are needed for the adult side. (NYPL)
Explanation:  Needed work includes Hamilton Fish HVAC replacement, Entry rehabilitation, window replacement at a cost of $1,650,000.

14. Seward Park: Continue with the reconstruction of the first municipally constructed and operated playground in the United States.  Reconstruct the basketball court and adjacent landscape.  Reconstruct the Schiff fountain and install an underground room for recirculation and chlorination of the water. (DPR)
Explanation:  This is a heavily used park as well as a historic park.  There are consistent complaints from the community requesting improvements.

15. Chatham Square library: Replace HVAC and ADA lift. (NYPL)
Explanation:  HVAC and ADA lift are in need of replacement.

16. Ottendorfer library: The Ottendorfer Library is in need of structural and systems repairs. (NYPL)
Explanation:  Continued funding is necessary for this very well used library.  Because of the economic downturn, more people are using the library for multiple purposes..

17. Parks equipment (trucks and miscellaneous equipment). (DPR)
Explanation:  Purchase pickup trucks, garbage trucks, grass cutting equipment and other miscellaneous equipment necessary for the district's operations.

18. Hamilton Fish Recreation Center: Replace the roof over the lifeguard building and recreation center.  Upgrade the air conditioning system and alarm systems. (DPR)
Explanation:  This is the only recreation center in CB 3.  It is in a densely populated low income area and very much used and needed by community..

19. Baruch playground: Reconstruct the comfort station, including new windows, doors, fixtures and partitions as well as new plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems.  The project may require the safe removal of lead paint and asbestos. (DPR)
Explanation:  The bathrooms would be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act so people with wheelchairs could use the facilities.

20. Peter Cooper Park -- being redesigned to be made larger and allow for greater community use. (DPR)
Explanation:  DOT will be reconstructing the streets around this park and will include area for more public space, including expanding Peter Copper Park.  Parks does not yet have funding needed to have this reconstruction happen at same time as street reconstruction.

21. Funding for a new Auxiliary Rescue Vehicle (APSU) vehicle which covers multiple precincts including Housing and Transit Districts. (NYPD)
Explanation:  The current Auxiliary Rescue Vehicle is a passenger van which is old and ill suited to carry personnel and equipment in a safe manner.  A reliable new step van size truck, as they had in the past, that can carry adequate personnel and equipment will help the Auxiliary Police increase in size and thus be more active and better able to meet the requests by NYPD for services to the Community such as lighting and support of their ESU teams (Archangel, etc.).  Past experience shows these trucks have a longer shelf life (25 years or more) and thus this will not be a recurring request.

22. Funding for HPD capital loan programs. (HPD)
Explanation:  HPD's Participating Loan Programs and 8A loan programs provides funding to private landlords to rehabilitate their building with low interest rate loans while also protecting the rights of the residential tenants to maintain their housing as affordable housing.  CB 3 seeks to ensure that funding is continued for these programs.