Downtown Development Pick Expected Before Public Hearing

According to an Ehrenkrantz spokeswoman, respondents were urged to refrain from submitting specific plans and were asked to limit their proposals to qualification issues. “They want someone who can work collaboratively” she tells GlobeSt.com. “LMDC and PANJY have done a lot of their own work and research in regard to what could be done with that site and they need someone who will work with them. That’s the key, really. They need to form a team that can work with LMDC, the Port Authority, the private sector, the government and all the other stakeholders.”

The three-phase timeline outlined developed by LMDC and the Port Authority calls for the winning team to submit six concepts for the site before the July public forum, which would then be narrowed to three by September. A December unveiling is scheduled for the final plan, though observers say more time may be needed.

The winning team will be selected by three LMDC members and three Port Authority representatives. The group is expected to present its findings to the two governing bodies and a decision should be reached in time LMDC’s first public forum. The hearing is scheduled for this Thursday from 6 to 9 pm at Pace University’s Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, 3 Spruce St.