The forlorn Brooklyn Bridge Park has sure picked up steam, with work kicking off on Piers 1 and 2, and Pier 6 getting fast-tracked for a 2009 opening. But there is still the little matter of the 1.3-mile park being $200 million over budget, and the postponement of the park's revenue-generating hotel/residential/retail developments ain't helping matters. Mayor Bloomberg has called on Albany to hand over the park (and Governors Island) to the city, but the Brooklyn Paper reports that State Sen. Daniel Squadron has unveiled a plan of his own to raise cash for BBP's upkeep. Squadron wants to raise taxes on any rezoned property within .4 miles of the park (UPDATE: actually, read his lips, no new taxes; see below), eliminate additional condos in the park and keep the 225-bed hotel and retail in the historic Empire Stores warehouse. If that sounds familiar, it's because a Curbed operative overheard some chatter about Squadron's tax plan in an elevator just over a week ago. Squadron also proposed some new features for the park, including an enclosed bubble for sports and a permanent version of the wildly popular floating barge pool from the summer of '07. Would Brooklyn Heights residents also be forced to volunteer for lifeguard duty?
· Squadron seeks new tax to get ‘Park’ built [BK Paper]
· Brooklyn Bridge Park coverage [Curbed]
UPDATE: According to Daniel Squadron's chief of staff, the plan calls not for a new tax on property owners, but to divert a portion of property tax revenue to the funding of the park. The Brooklyn Paper has revised its story and headline to reflect this.
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