An open letter to BP Carrion

October 5, 2007

Honorable Adolfo Carrion, Jr
Borough President of the Bronx
851 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10451 by fax

Dear Borough President Carrion:

We are a group of Bronxites, environmentalists and community activists who have serious concerns about the development of new parking garages for the new Yankee Stadium

First, we want to thank you, Borough President Adolfo Carrion, for taking the lead in questioning the public financing of the garages for the Yankees. We are happy that the team is committed to staying in the Bronx. But while we are sure it is not intentional, many in the Bronx community feel estranged from the Yankee organization.

We hope that the pause for consideration that the Borough President has provided can lead to a more reasoned discussion.

There is a serious possibility that there is not as great a need for parking as was once thought and in fact that the cost of the garages cannot be supported by income from those who pay to park during games. Indeed parking Garage D has already been eliminated. If the Yankee Stadium plan proposes more parking than the stadium needs or can afford, we would argue that the garages shouldn’t be built. If there is flexibility in the number of spaces needed we propose the following in the hopes that a dialogue can begin.

Since parkland was alienated, that should be the first place to eliminate a garage. We propose that before alternate uses are considered for extra parking spaces, that the people's land, that is our parkland, be returned. We have a remarkable opportunity to close the gap in our estranged relationship with our neighbors.

Sincerely,

Anita Antonetty
Karen Argenti
JJ Brennan
Greg Bell ~ Insight for New Housing
Joyce Hogi
Dart Westphal

Encl. List of concerns

Concerns surrounding Garages for Yankee Stadium, October 4, 2007

Relinquish Parking lot B returning a recreational facility to the community

Relinquish Parking Garages A and C to be developed and renovated exclusively as park. There could then be a continuous park including the current Yankee Stadium site at the same grade. There would be one continuous park from Sedgwick Avenue to River Avenue with plazas joining to Franz Siegel and Joyce Kilmer parks and the newly redesigned Grand Concourse.

Parking Lot 15 should be the site of the specialized high school

Establish a project monitoring committee that includes community residents

Parks should not be closed on game days

Parking Lots 7 & 10 should be used for buses with electrical hookups to prevent idling when the drivers want to keep their air conditioners on

Park and ride lots should be restricted to the riverfront to keep traffic out of the community, preferably Parking Lots designated 13A and C, with direct access to and from the Major Deegan Expressway

Reasonable parking fee for residents in the garages with options for game days

Resident ID stickers for street parking

Year-round bicycle parking facilities

Provide areas for tailgate parities and crew for cleanup

Ramp from Macombs Dam Park at Ogden Avenue to parks across 161st Street & Macombs Dam Bridge
Clarification of neighborhood retail space at area designated as Garage D

Identify area for closure / security staging on game days ~ possibly 164th Street