Keeping Governors Island Afloat

Here is a lesson from the current, and terrible, budget season: No Island is an Island. Proposed funding cuts for Governors Island, the 172-acre former military base in New York Harbor, may shut it down this spring, leaving public programs adrift and historic buildings at risk.

 

Over the past few years, Governors Island has become one of the most attractive and exciting new destinations in New York. American folk concerts and imaginative art installations, historic walking tours and car-free biking, as well as the Island's plentitude of shady green lawns and waterfront views attracted more than 128,000 visitors last summer - twice as many as 2007 and a record for a place that was virtually inaccessible until 2003. With a new promenade and new waterfront picnic grounds scheduled to open next summer, attendance could double again this year, as residents and tourists celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival in New York Harbor. For a taste of the Island (and of summer!) check out this video http://nycgovparks.org/video/153.

 

These place-making public programs are also setting the stage for the Island's redevelopment. The public New York Harbor School, for instance, is currently retrofitting the building it will start occupying in September 2010. Art studios sponsored by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council will soon occupy another historic structure, providing low-cost space to the artists who make New York such a great place to live and work. A private proposal for a $2 million café and performing space is likely soon to be approved. The rest of the island's 75 historic buildings have been stabilized and are ready to be occupied by a range of other public and non-profit entities.

 

The renewal of the Island as a public space amenity and development opportunity is welcome news for Manhattan's residential and commercial community, affected by Wall Street's collapse. Not only does the Island provide relief for city residents looking for an inexpensive and close-to-home getaway, but out of town visitors to the Island will spend more than $ 2 million this summer, some instant help for the City's tourist industry.

All of this, of course, can only happen if the State and City step forward to commit the required operating and capital funding. Budgets are tight all around, and it would not be surprising if this year's commitment was less than last year's. But right now, even though the City has verbally committed to providing its share of the $14.8 million requested by GIPEC, the Governor's proposed State budget includes no operating funds. Speaker Sheldon Silver, whose lower Manhattan District includes the Island, has made strong public statements in support of the Island. But nothing has been decided, and without substantial funding to operate Governors Island, GIPEC is preparing to shut it down.

 

Governors Island will not solve New York's financial ills, but it is an important asset for an economy dependent on amenities to retain and attract a talented workforce. Shutting down the Island will not address the Governor's budget challenge, but keeping it afloat would be a patch of sun in an otherwise gloomy financial picture.

 

 

To send a postcard asking the Governor to fund Governors Island, visit rpa.org:  Your Help is Needed - Keep the Island Afloat!.