The 48-day standoff between the MSG Network and Time Warner Cable ended Friday, according to two people aware of the resolution who were not authorized to speak publicly.

The end of the impasse will be announced Friday afternoon by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and executives of both companies. A settlement had been urged by Eric T. Schneiderman, the state’s attorney general. The governor’s intervention in the past 24 hours with James L. Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden, and Glenn Britt, chief executive of Time Warner Cable, accelerated the agreement.

The blackout deprived many Knicks fans around the state of seeing much of the rapid rise to stardom of point guard Jeremy Lin — as well as the continued success of the New York Rangers.

The impasse began Jan. 1 with the companies disagreeing angrily over what Time Warner Cable would pay to continue carrying MSG. Time Warner Cable, which serves more than two million customers, insisted that MSG reneged on a proposal for a 6.5 percent increase late last year and then demanded a 54 percent hike. MSG has never discussed figures publicly but said Time Warner’s were not accurate.

Two Trees Management Co., which has traditionally focused much of its efforts in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, has started a multimillion dollar renovation of its first Manhattan office building. It bought the 13-story property in the increasingly desirable Flatiron District for $130 million two years ago.

Two Trees has begun to modernize the lobby of the 106-year-old building at 50 W. 23rd St. by adding new lighting and re-cladding the walls and floor with a white fiberglass reinforced concrete. The developer plans to use the same material on the exterior, which is also slated to get new glass canopies over ground floor doorways and windows. Since the building sits in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, any exterior alternations must receive approval by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. The company hasn’t officially applied to make the renovations yet but has been talking to the commission’s staff and plans to make a formal application soon, according to Jed Walentas, principal of Two Trees.

Mr. Walentas said this first phase of the renovation should cost about $3 million. In a planned second phase, the building’s corridors and bathrooms will be renovated. The developer has yet to decide if it will upgrade building systems including electricity and air conditionings to make it more attractive to the tech and creative firms that have made the neighborhood one of the hottest in the city. They are the same types of tenants that populate Two Tree’s buildings in Brooklyn.

Yet, Mr. Walentas notes that since each company’s needs are unique he plans to talk to tenants about their needs.

“We are developing a dialogue with our tenants,” he said. “We want to understand what will add value for them.”

Two Trees’ first project in Manhattan is Mercedes House, a 29-story mixed-use building at 555 W. 53rd St. with 1.3 million square feet of commercial and residential space. It is designed by Enrique Norten.

NEW YORK CITY GOVERNMENT weekly update

• Mayor Bloomberg Releases Initial Findings of 2011 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey
• Mayor Bloomberg and Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar Announce New York City Collected Record-Breaking $731 Million in Child Support in 2011
• Mayor Bloomberg Outlines How Tuesday’s Giants Celebration Could Add $38 Million to City’s Booming Tourism Industry
• Comptroller Liu, Pension Funds Demand Tech Giants Hold Suppliers Responsible

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT weekly update

• Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg And Borough President Diaz Announce Freshdirect To Open New Headquarters In The Bronx Creating Nearly 1,000 New Jobs
• Governor Cuomo Implements “Experience Counts” Initiatives to Help Returning Veterans Get Jobs in New York
• Governor Cuomo and NYSCOPBA President Donn Rowe Announce Tentative Contract Agreement Between State and NYSCOPBA Law Enforcement Members

CURRENT RFPs

• New this week:
  • DOE: Pick Up and Delivery of Meals
  • Pier 25 – Sailing School, Mooring and Town Dock Operator

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE Week of 2/13 – 2/17

NEW YORK CITY GOVERNMENT

Speaker Christine C. Quinn Delivers the State of the City Address
In her 6th annual State of the City address, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn outlined plans to make New York City an even stronger place to work and to live. Below are the highlights of new proposals introduced by Speaker Christine C. Quinn:

1. New Initiatives to Spur Economic Development and Job Growth by:

• Harnessing the potential of some of New York’s strongest industries. New York City Design Week will be a global event to highlight New York City designers and a new state-of-the-art shared manufacturing center will provide shared space and equipment for professionals and students.
• Creating job opportunities. Speaker Quinn announced plans to create a $10 million small business loan fund exclusively for businesses in low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, a new program will be formed together with the organization Kickstarter to help turn ideas into reality by helping raise needed funding for projects that will spur development in communities that need it most.
• Removing the barriers that keep many from accessing good jobs – The City will launch a new 8-week, paid training program called “New Skills, New Jobs” that will help the long-term unemployed gain skills and a pathway to full-time permanent employment. The program will lead to a full-time permanent position.

2. Strengthening the City’s Commitment to Children and Families

• Mandatory Kindergarten – Speaker Quinn proposed making kindergarten mandatory for all New York City five-year-olds.
• Speaker Quinn proposed that the City create a new low-cost loan program that would provide a loan to families that would cover up to 50% of the cost of high quality childcare.
• Speaker Quinn and the City Council will partner with the Department of Education and Zone126 in Community School District 30 (CSD 30) in Queens to create a Student Empowerment Partnership (StEP) and will seek partners interested in moving this initiative into other neighborhoods that have struggling schools.
• Speaker Quinn called for the creation of a tuition-free CUNY Honors College for the city’s top students.

3. Protecting and Expanding Affordable Housing Opportunities

• Speaker Quinn announced an agreement with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to double the standard term of affordability required in many new projects from 30 to 60 years. The Speaker also announced new legislation that would give HPD the power to require landlords to fix underlying conditions that lead to poor housing conditions.
• Speaker Quinn announced that the Council will provide NYCHA with $10 million which will allow it to hire 176 residents for union jobs and complete 100,000 outstanding repair requests.
• Speaker Quinn also addressed the needs of the homeless, calling for the city to create a new rental assistance program and to allocate a portion of NYCHA apartments and Section 8 vouchers that become available each year to homeless families and individuals.

4. Securing Health Care For New Yorkers

• Speaker Quinn’s proposal has the City Council provide $100,000 in funding to launch the Freelancers Union’s flagship Brooklyn health clinic.At the same time, the Council will work with the Freelancers as it expands its model, to study the possibility of opening the clinics up to city employees.

For more information, click here.To read the speech click here.

Mayor Bloomberg Releases Initial Findings of 2011 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Housing Preservation and DevelopmentCommissioner Mathew M. Wambua today released the initial results of the 2011 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey. The 2011 survey, based on a sample drawn from the 2010 decennial census, reveals a synopsis of the City’s housing market between February and May 2011. The survey found that the citywide net rental vacancy rate was 3.12 percent. The City’s total housing stock rose to more than 3.35 million units – the largest in the 46-year period since the first survey was conducted in 1965. Overall residential building conditions reached their highest ever levels since they were first measured 46 years ago. For more information, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg and Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar Announce New York City Collected Record-Breaking $731 Million in Child Support in 2011
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Linda I. Gibbs and Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar announced that New York City’s Office of Child Support Enforcement collected a record-breaking $731 million dollars in 2011 with over 91 percent of these collections going directly to custodial parents. This money, collected on behalf of 175,000 families, averages to $4,000 per family and is helping to support nearly a quarter-million New York City children. This year’s sum is an increase of 4.45 percent over the $700 million collected in calendar year 2010 and a cumulative increase of 53 percent since Mayor Bloomberg entered office in 2002. For more information, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg Outlines How Tuesday’s Giants Celebration Could Add $38 Million to City’s Booming Tourism Industry
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced this week’s ticker-tape parade in honor of the Super Bowl XLVI Champions New York Giants will have an economic impact of between $19 million and $38 million, depending on the number of spectators, which was estimated at between 500,000 and one million. The parade will be yet another boost for the City’s thriving tourism industry; a record number of tourists – 50.5 million – visited New York City in 2011. Visitors spent an estimated $32 billion, up from $31.5 billion in 2010. It is estimated that about one-third of ticker-tape parade attendees will be visiting from outside New York City. 49,483 people entered this morning’s sweepstakes for tickets to tomorrow’s ceremony at City Hall Plaza, at which the Mayor will present the Giants with Keys to the City. For more information, click here.

Comptroller Liu, Pension Funds Demand Tech Giants Hold Suppliers Responsible
Comptroller John C. Liu and the New York City Pension Funds called on Dell, Intel, and Motorola to follow the example set by other tech giants who have adopted their shareholder effort to increase their suppliers’ compliance with internationally-recognized standards of human and worker rights. Apple, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft all recently adopted new policies after discussions with the Comptroller’s office and the Pension Funds. Reports last year of a rash of suicides at Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer and a major supplier to Apple and other companies, focused the Comptroller’s attention on technology companies in which the Pension Funds are invested. The technology firms that rely on Foxconn and other global suppliers have increasingly been made aware that responsible business practices are vital to their future success. Although some companies have internal “codes of conduct” for their suppliers, it is clear that this is not sufficient and has not curbed abuses. For more information, click here.

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT

Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg And Borough President Diaz Announce Freshdirect To Open New Headquarters In The Bronx Creating Nearly 1,000 New Jobs
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., announced that FreshDirect, a leading fresh food internet grocer, will invest $112.6 million to build its new headquarters and operations center at Harlem River Yards, retaining nearly 2,000 existing jobs and creating almost 1,000 new jobs. The construction of the new facility will also result in the creation of approximately 684 construction jobs in the City. For more information, click here.

Governor Cuomo Implements “Experience Counts” Initiatives to Help Returning Veterans Get Jobs in New York
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo implemented two key initiatives of his “Experience Counts” campaign to help returning veterans get jobs in New York State. The Governor announced that the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles is now waiving road tests for veterans applying for a commercial driver’s license if they have military experience operating a similar vehicle. In addition, the Governor announced appointments to the New York State Council on Returning Veterans and Their Families, a group of state agency representatives and civilians that help returning veterans get jobs and advises the Governor on issues that affect New York service members. For more information, click here.

Governor Cuomo and NYSCOPBA President Donn Rowe Announce Tentative Contract Agreement Between State and NYSCOPBA Law Enforcement Members
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) President Donn Rowe announced a tentative contract agreement between the State and NYSCOPBA law enforcement membership. The tentative contract includes zero percent wage increases for 2011-2013 and ensures protections against layoffs, and offers health benefits commensurate with other state bargaining units. The contract provides for a 2% increase in both 2014 and 2015, 9 days of deficit reduction leave, and adjustments to the health insurance premium. For more information, click here.

CURRENT RFP’s

The following Request for Proposals have been recently issued by City and State government

Coney Stillwell RFEI (February 13, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the City of New York (“City”), is seeking proposals from qualified developers and/or commercial businesses to purchase and redevelop an approximately 48,580 square foot property (“Site”) located at 2658 Stillwell Avenue on the Coney Island peninsula in southern Brooklyn. Situated just south of the Belt Parkway, the Site is a highly visible and accessible parcel positioned at the gateway to the world famous amusement area, which is undergoing an exciting revitalization and ongoing transformation.This RFEI is not a formal offering of the Site. However NYCEDC reserves the right to enter into negotiations with respondent(s) on the basis of the responses to this RFEI without engaging in further processes. NYCEDC and the City reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to withdraw the RFEI; to choose to discuss various approaches with one or more respondents (including those not responding to the RFEI); and/or to use the ideas or proposals submitted in any manner deemed to be in the best interests of NYCEDC and the City, including but not limited to soliciting competitive submissions relating to such ideas or proposals. NYCEDC and the City likewise reserve the right, at any time, to change any terms of the RFEI. For more information, click here.

Cultural Development Fund (February 13, 2012) – The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) enables qualifying cultural organizations to apply for grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs. For information on the program, please click here.

NYC Next Generation Tech Challenge (February 14, 2012) – NYCEDC, working with the City Department of Education (“DOE”), is seeking to develop a business, entrepreneurship, and technology business plan competition and mentorship program for high school students with a focus on disadvantaged students. The main components of the program will be (1) a youth team business plan competition, (2) educational workshops and exposure to technology applications across industries, and (3) mentorship from local tech professionals and university students. Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about M/WBE certification and NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, please visit http://www.nycedc.com/opportunitymwdbe. An optional pre-proposal information session will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at NYCEDC. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by e-mail. For more information, click here.

Project Pop-Up (February 14, 2012) – In January 2010, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in partnership with fashion industry stakeholders, launched Fashion.NYC.2020, a strategic study to identify the important trends affecting the industry and to develop actionable initiatives based on such findings. The industry Chairs for Fashion.NYC.2020 are Richard Darling, CEO of LF USA; Diane von Furstenberg, Chairman and Founder, Diane von Furstenberg Studio L.P., and President, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President and CEO of Macy’s, Inc.; Andrew Rosen, CEO of Theory; and Kevin Ryan, CEO of Gilt Groupe. A key growth opportunity identified through Fashion.NYC.2020 is the need to grow the number of innovative multi-channel fashion retailers based in the City, especially given the explosive sales growth of online retail. As part of this effort, it is important to recognize and promote promising nascent multi-channel retail concepts. One way to do so is through a competition to reward relatively young, high-growth-potential City-based retailer(s) with support in the form of a temporary pop-up shop, PR/marketing assistance, and business mentors, among other prizes. NYCEDC is issuing a request for proposals (“RFP”) from respondents who wish to enter into a contract to develop and execute the Program. For more information, click here.

Construction Mentorship Program Consultant (February 22, 2012) – The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is seeking an appropriately qualified Construction Management firm (CM) to develop a Construction Mentorship Program (CMP) under which the CM will “mentor” New York City-certified Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) construction companies so that learn and improve on the skills necessary to take on larger and more complex City construction projects. The RFP package may be downloaded from the SBS website at www.nyc.gov/sbs. A pre-proposal conference for interested applicants will be held on February 6, 2012 from 10:00-12:00 PM, at 110 William Street, 3rd Floor, EDC Conference Room, New York, NY 10038. Space constraints limit attendance to two persons per proposing organization (attendance need not be confirmed). All questions concerning this RFP should be directed to: Mr. Daryl Williams at procurementhelpdesk@sbs.nyc.gov, no later than 3:00 PM on February 9, 2012. For more information, click here.

Industrial Business Improvement Districts Development (February 22, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is seeking consultant services in support of the development and planning of new industrial Business Improvement Districts (Industrial BID) or the expansion of existing Industrial BIDs in M-zoned districts in New York City. Proposals for areas located within Industrial Business Zones and Industrial Ombudsman Areas (IOAs) are encouraged. NYCEDC seeks to provide targeted and innovative support to the industrial community through the creation of new Industrial BIDs. The new Industrial BIDs will improve the efficiency and functioning of the industrial sector in New York City by providing unique services that are targeted to the variety of issues facing industrial communities. The Industrial BIDs will provide a sustainable source of funding for the proposed industrial districts, thereby ensuring their stability and spurring their growth. For more information, click here.

Design Services for NYC.Gov (February 27, 2012) – The City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (“MoME”), in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (“DoITT”), seeks a qualified vendor to provide , Design, User Experience and Front-End Development Services to improve the visual presentation, usability, and overall user experience of the NYC.gov portal website (“Reinvent NYC.gov”). A Non-Mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held on February 10, 2012, 2:00PM at 2 Metrotech Center, 5th Floor, Conference Room 145 A-B, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information, click here.

FY 2013 New York City Capital Funding Application (February 28, 2012) – Organizations seeking to secure FY 2013 New York City Capital funds can apply for funding allocations through the Borough Presidents, New York City Council and the Administration. For instructions on cultural projects, please click here, for information on non-cultural projects, please click here.

Pick Up and Delivery of Meals (February 29, 2012) – The purpose of this bid is to provide pick up service of prepared meals from approximately 100 school kitchens (feeders) and deliver to approximately 330 schools and other DOE properties (receivers) throughout the five boroughs as indicated by Office of School Food within a specified time frame. If you cannot download this BID, please send an e-mail to VendorHotline@schools.nyc.gov with the BID Number and title in the subject line of your e-mail. For all questions related to this BID, please send an e-mail to fcastel@schools.nyc.gov with the BID Number and title in the subject line of your e-mail. There will be a Pre-Bid Conference on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 3:00 P.M. 65 Court Street, 12th Floor Conference Room 1201, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Please send and e-mail to fcastel@schools.nyc.gov to confirm attendance at the pre-bid conference. Bid Opening: March 1, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. For more information, click here.

Alternative to Incarceration Services (March 5, 2012) –For the provision of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Services for jail or prison-bound offenders through programs that provide direct services to clients. Programs would target offenders in any county or combination of counties citywide, and may feature an alternative-to detention (ATD) component, through which community-based supervision and services would be provided for eligible pre-trial detainees whom the court otherwise would not release. Please see the attachments in CROL for additional information. For more information, click here.

Universal PreKindergarten Services (March 5, 2012) – The proposal process is intended to identify eligible high-quality early childhood providers who are willing to collaborate with the Office of Early Childhood Education UPK Field Office(s) to implement the Universal Prekindergarten Program in New York City districts with a high need for prekindergarten seats. This RFP is open to providers serving any of New York City’s 32 community school districts. However, providers serving districts 10, 12, 17, 19, 23, and sites accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are strongly encouraged to apply. This proposal seeks vendors who can provide a consistent weekly schedule for a half day program (2.5 hours per day, between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, 5 days per week for 180 days of the school year). The information received through the proposal process will be used by a UPK Field Office to award a contract to an early childhood provider who demonstrates the ability to comply with the requirements of the New York City Department of Education’s Universal Prekindergarten Program goals, objectives and regulations. The term of the contract will be July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2015 and, at the NYC DOE’s option, the contract may be extended for two (2) additional one-year periods or one (1) additional period of two (2) years. Vendors with existing contracts with Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) for Child Care and/or Head Start contracts will not be invited to respond to this Request for Proposal. For more information, click here.

Admirals Row (March 9, 2012) – BNYDC is seeking a development partner who will redevelop the Admirals Row Site consistent with an approved Site Plan with a total of 287,000 square feet that incorporates the establishment of a high quality supermarket to bring fresh produce and a broad range of affordable goods to an underserved market, upper floor light industrial space, other neighborhood retail, and potentially a small amount of community/non-profit office space. The Project also requires the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of two historic structures. Access the RFP from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development`s website at www.brooklynnavyyard.org/ARowReimagined.html
Failure to attend the mandatory pre-bid conference on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at BNYDC`s offices at Building 292, 3rd Floor, 63 Flushing Avenue, Unit 300, Brooklyn, New York 11205, will result in bidder disqualification. Attendees must pre-register for the conference on BNYDC`s website at www.brooklynnavyyard.org/ARowReimagined.html. For more information, click here.

Pier 25 – Sailing School, Mooring and Town Dock Operator (March 15, 2012) – For further details and full RFP documents please see the Hudson River Park Trust website at http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/organization/bids.asp
HRPT is an equal opportunity contracting agency. Any resulting contracts will include provisions mandating compliance with Executive Law Article 15A and the regulations promulgated there under. For more information, click here.

The Operation of a Seasonal Ice Rink at McCarren Park Pool, Brooklyn, NY (March 15, 2012) – The City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation (“Parks”) requests proposals for the development, operation, and maintenance of a seasonal ice rink at McCarren Park Pool, Brooklyn, NY. Parks is seeking a concessionaire for one (1) twelve- year term. TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR THE DEAF (TDD) 212-504-4115. For more information, click here.

Consulting Services, Rockaway Courthouse RFEI (April 16, 2012) –New York City Economic Development Corporation on behalf of the City of New York is seeking expressions of interest for the purchase and redevelopment of the Rockaway Courthouse Building, a 24,000 square foot, three story limestone and Tennessee marble building that was constructed in 1932 and is located in the Hammels neighborhood in the Rockaways in Queens, New York. The purpose of the RFEI is to generate expressions of interest from qualified development teams for ways to revitalize a historic structure and continue the redevelopment of the Rockaways. Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about M/WBE certification and NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, please visit http://www.nycedc.com/opportunitymwdbe. Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to rockawaycourthouserfei@nycedc.com. For all questions that do not pertain to the subject matter of this RFEI please contact NYCEDC’s Contracts Hotline at (212) 312-3969. Answers to all questions will be posted by Monday, March 12, 2012 to www.nycedc.com/RFP. Please submit eight (8) sets of your expression of interest to NYCEDC. For more information, click here.

Saratoga Square (due May 18, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”) seeks proposals for the sale or lease of an approximately 25,762 square foot parcel of land located on Block 1557, Lots 3, 4, 23, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn (the “Site”). Through this Request For Proposals (“RFP”), NYCEDC is seeking individuals or organizations to develop the Site for a use that maximizes the creation of jobs for local residents, generates proceeds attributed to new development from tax revenue and purchase price/ground rent, and is contextually appropriate in terms of both design and use. For more information, click here.

Halleck Industrial Development Site at Hunts Point (due May 23, 2012) – The New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the New York City Department of Small Business Services (“SBS”), is seeking qualified proposals to develop an unimproved parcel of land in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx under a long term ground lease. The parcel, known as the Halleck Industrial Development Site, is a prime, shovel-ready site for new construction of a modern industrial facility. For more information, click here.

Industrial Space Modernization (December 12, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the City of New York (the “City”), is seeking proposals from qualified individuals, organizations or companies (“Respondents”) to renovate and reactivate, via subdivision, privately-held vacant industrial building/space(s) in New York City that face challenges leasing to modern manufacturers and industrial companies. NYCEDC, in cooperation with the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), intends to disburse up to $8 million from the City Council Small Manufacturing Investment Fund (the “Industrial Fund”) to incentivize one or more property owners and developers to make capital improvements related to the subdivision and modernization of their industrial spaces. Both not-for-profit and for-profit Respondents are encouraged to submit proposals. The primary programmatic goal for the use of the funds is the subdivision of large floor plates tailored to the space needs of smaller industrial businesses throughout New York City as described above. Secondary programmatic goals for the Industrial Fund include, but are not limited to:
1. Improvement of space where leasing ability has been limited due to a lack of capital investment
2. Preservation of existing industrial space at affordable rents
3. Modernization of obsolete industrial space
4. Investment in raw industrial space to make available for leasing
For more information, click here.

Non-Secure Detention Group Homes (due May 31, 2013) – ACS Division of Youth and Family Justice is soliciting applications from organizations interested in operating non- secure detention group homes in New York City. This is an open-ended solicitation. For more information, click here.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Our new feature Food for Thought presents recently issued policy or research reports which you may find of interest.

Are New Yorkers Ready for Retirement?

In this volatile economic climate, many New Yorkers are concerned not only about their ability to meet their current financial needs but also about what will happen to them as they age. Along with Social Security—and for the purposes of this report we assume that it will be maintained in its present form—many working New Yorkers depend on the convenience and affordability of employer-sponsored retirement plans. This analysis finds that employer sponsorship of retirement plans is declining in New York City. To continue reading the report, click here.

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE week of 2/13 – 2/17

Please note that this calendar is subject to change.

Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Veterans
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.
Committee on Community Development
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Public Safety (Jointly with the Committee on Transportation)
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: Oversight: “Proceeding with Caution – An Examination of NYPD’s accident response and enforcement of traffic rules relating to cars, bikes, and trucks”

Committee on Consumer Affairs
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, 1st Floor Community Room
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
Agenda: Oversight – Home Improvement Contractors in New York City – Tools for Fair Dealing.

Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: Oversight – New York State Cultural Data Project

Committee on Immigration
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Contracts(Jointly with the Committee on Small Business)
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: Oversight – Examination of the Locally-Based Enterprises (LBE) Program.

Committee on Juvenile Justice
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Youth Services
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: Oversight – The 2011 Summer Youth Employment Program Annual Summary

Committee on Civil Service and Labor
Date: Friday, February 16, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Committee on Environmental Protection
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Fl.
Agenda: For more information, click here.

Joseph Aliotta, a principal at Swanke Hayden Connell, took over the chapter presidency of the AIANY last month, ushering in the Center for Architecture’s 2012 theme: “Future Now.” Aliotta plans a two-prong approach that will focus on the future of the profession and of the future of the built environment.

A first generation New Yorker, Aliotta said his blue-collar Brooklyn roots partly informed his efforts to bring fresh faces to the profession. A City College education yielded his family’s second college degree (an older cousin got the first), inspiring him to volunteer at the ACE Mentor Program, which lends a hand to high school students aspiring to be architects and engineers. “They may not look like me, but they are just like me,” he said of today’s first generation New Yorkers.

Aliotta doesn’t plan on reinventing the wheel to bring newcomers to the Center. Instead, he plans to capitalize on existing career development programs, like Emerging New York Architects (ENYA) and New Practices New York competition. Rather than dreaming up new exhibition themes, the ENYA and New Practices competitions will act as flagships to the year’s programming. The thinking is that over the summer months when students are out of school, they’ll populate the Center and drive the programming effort. A one-day conference where students and young professionals set the agenda is planned for September.

Regarding the built environment, Aliotta has requested that all 27 committees at AIANY focus on future needs to answer the question, “Where are we going to grow?” He added that even committees that may seem to go against the grain of a future-focused theme, like the Historic Buildings committee, fit quite nicely into the program when it comes to greening and maintaining older buildings.

Even though the new president isn’t not planning marquee moments, changes are already taking place. “It’s not about how many events we have, it’s about a change of culture,” he said. He noted that with the year’s theme announced, several of the existing committees have reached out to the ENYA members to coordinate with them, creating a casual interaction between established and new members. “That collaboration and that energy results in a mentorship that’s natural and not forced,” said Aliotta.

T+L Design Awards 2012

In a completely unexpected pairing, a richly detailed carousel (1922) and a see-through minimalist shed (2011) jointly occupy a dramatic waterfront site in the shadow of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. The carousel is open to the public, and after sunset, the pavilion’s acrylic walls are illuminated, creating a light show visible across the river and from the bridges above. Brooklyn Bridge Park; janescarousel.org.

NEW YORK CITY GOVERNMENT weekly update

• Mayor Bloomberg Presents FY 2013 Preliminary Budget
• Mayor Bloomberg Opens New 70,000-Square-Foot Pershing Square Signature Center On Manhattan’s Far West Side
• Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn Announce Newly-Adopted Building Codes Help Put City On Track to Meet PlaNYC Goals
• Mayor Bloomberg Consumer Affairs Commissioner Mintz and Center for Economic Opportunity Director White Announce SaveUSA Participants Are Expected to Have Saved Close to $1 Million Dollars in First Year of Multi-City Program
• City Council to Strengthen Neighborhoods by Improving Quality and Timeliness of Residential Foreclosure Information.
• Public Advocate de Blasio: ‘s Career & Tech Ed Failing to Prepare Students for the Jobs of Tomorrow

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT weekly update

• Governor Cuomo Signs LIPA Oversight Bill
• Governor Cuomo and PBA of New York State Announce Contract Ratification
• Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli: New York State’s Economic Recovery May Be Losing Steam

CURRENT RFPs

• New this week:
  • EDC: NYC Next Generation Tech Challenge
  • OOM: Alternative to Incarceration Services
  • EDC: Consulting Services, Rockaway Courthouse RFEI
  • DOITT: Design Services for NYC.Gov

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE Week of 2/6 – 2/10

NEW YORK CITY GOVERNMENT

Mayor Bloomberg Presents FY 2013 Preliminary Budget
Mayor Bloomberg presented a Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Preliminary Budget and an updated four-year financial plan. The Mayor outlined a plan that achieves a balanced budget – closing a $2 billion budget gap without tax increases – which is made possible by the City’s years of prudent planning and spending restraint. For more information, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg Opens New 70,000-Square-Foot Pershing Square Signature Center On Manhattan’s Far West Side
Mayor Bloomberg and Signature Theatre Founding Artistic Director Signature James Houghton opened The Pershing Square Signature Center, the new, permanent home for Signature Theatre designed by Frank Gehry. Spanning a city block at 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues, the Center features three theatres, a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar and bookstore. For more information, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn Announce Newly-Adopted Building Codes Help Put City On Track to Meet PlaNYC Goals
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced that newly-adopted green building codes are putting the City on track to meet PlaNYC’s goal to lower carbon emissions, energy consumption and waste. In a report released , the Urban Green Council celebrated the City’s progress in quickly codifying the recommendations on building construction and renovation, which were first proposed two years ago this month. Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn convened a task force to outline steps the City should take to mitigate the impact buildings have on a sustainable future. Buildings account for 75 percent of the City’s total greenhouse gas emissions and 95 percent of total electrical consumption. According to the report, the adoption of 29 recommendations will divert 100,000 tons of asphalt from landfills each year; reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide by 5 percent; lower the costs of lighting energy by 10 percent; and provide $400 million in savings by 2030. For more information, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg Consumer Affairs Commissioner Mintz and Center for Economic Opportunity Director White Announce SaveUSA Participants Are Expected to Have Saved Close to $1 Million Dollars in First Year of Multi-City Program
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz and Center for Economic Opportunity Executive Director Veronica White announced the results of the first year of SaveUSA, a multi-city program that encourages low-income residents to build savings. In its first year, participating residents of the four cities opened more than 1,600 SaveUSA accounts with close to $1 million in savings. In New York City, residents with an average income of $16,000 were able to build up $250,000 in savings. Eligible participants receive a 50 percent match if they deposit at least $200 of their tax refund into a SaveUSA account and maintain the deposit for one year. For more information, click here.

City Council to Strengthen Neighborhoods by Improving Quality and Timeliness of Residential Foreclosure Informatio
The Council voted on a bill to strengthen and support neighborhoods when a property in the community is facing foreclosure. The legislation requires banks to notify the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) within fifteen days of beginning foreclosure proceedings against a residential property. By providing HPD with notice shortly after a foreclosure action is initiated, this bill will allow the Department to focus its resources on providing support to more financially distressed properties. For more information, click here.

Public Advocate de Blasio: Career & Tech Ed Failing to Prepare Students for the Jobs of Tomorrow
The City’s Career and Technical Education High Schools are leaving too many students ill-prepared to enter college or the work force, according to a new report by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. Path to the Future finds CTE schools are many times more likely than general education schools to appear on the State’s “Persistently Low-Achieving” list, and identifies a mismatch between the most numerous CTE programs and growing industries that will provide high-skill, high-wage jobs in the future. Mayor Bloomberg pledged improvements to Career and Tech Ed at this year’s State of the City address, the latest in a series of half-measures and promises that have not yielded results at many of these schools. De Blasio has put forward a six-point plan to align programs with the State’s fastest-growing career fields and improve the readiness of New York City’s 140,000 CTE students. For more information, click here.

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT

Governor Cuomo Signs LIPA Oversight Bill
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed the LIPA Oversight Bill that will ensure better service and electricity rates for power customers on Long Island. The new law requires the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to adhere to best-industry practices to maximize efficiency, undergo periodic audits, and increase transparency. This new law is an important step toward improving efficiency and transparency at LIPA to ensure ratepayers are protected," Governor Cuomo said. "LIPA’s customers deserve to have their complaints addressed in a timely and effective manner, and this law will help make sure the people of Long Island are better served. I thank Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Sweeney for sponsoring this legislation."The law requires LIPA to undergo periodic audits of internal policies and procedures to improve efficiency and transparency. For more information, click here.

Governor Cuomo and PBA of New York State Announce Contract Ratification
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Manuel M. Vilar, President of the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, announced the ratification of a contract agreement between the state and the labor union representing New York State’s University Police, Park Police, EnCon Officers and Forest Rangers. The union reports more than 95% of their members voted to ratify the contract. The ratified contract resolves outstanding wage and contractual issues dating to 2005, ensures protections against layoffs, and offers health benefits commensurate with other state bargaining units. The contract provides for zero percent wage increases for 2011-2013, a 2% increase in 2014, 9 days of deficit reduction leave, and adjustments to the health insurance premium. For more information, click here.

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli: New York State’s Economic Recovery May Be Losing Steam
While New York State has regained 46 percent of the jobs it lost during the recession, in recent months the state has seen a decline in jobs while the nation has been adding them, according to a new report on economic trends released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. For more information, click here.

CURRENT RFP’s

The following Request for Proposals have been recently issued by City and State government

Freight Rail Consulting Services for the Various Sites, Citywide (February 8, 2012) – Apple Industrial Development Corp. (“Apple”) is seeking proposals from experienced freight rail consulting companies to provide freight rail consulting services for various sites, citywide. Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from Apple no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, 2012. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to applefreightrail@nycedc.com. Answers to questions and clarifications will be posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, to www.nycedc.com/RFP. To download a copy of the solicitation documents please visit www.nycedc.com/RFP.Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about M/WBE certification and NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, please visit www.nycedc.com/OpportunityMWDBE. Please submit four (4) sets of your proposal. For more information, click here.

NYC Justice Corps Program Expansion (February 09, 2012) – John Jay College of Criminal Justice, with funding from the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity, is seeking 2-3 qualified community-based organizations to operate the NYC Justice Corps. Serving 18-24 year olds who reside in targeted communities and are involved with the criminal justice system, the NYC Justice Corps will engage 300 young men and women annually. The NYC Justice corps will provide participants with twelve months of services: a six-nine month intensive service phase including community benefit projects, job readiness, case management, educational programming, internships, and job placement, followed by alumni support services for the remainder of the program year. Prospective proposers must download the RFP from the following website: (www.jjay.cuny.edu/pri) For more information, click here.

Coney Stillwell RFEI (February 13, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the City of New York (“City”), is seeking proposals from qualified developers and/or commercial businesses to purchase and redevelop an approximately 48,580 square foot property (“Site”) located at 2658 Stillwell Avenue on the Coney Island peninsula in southern Brooklyn. Situated just south of the Belt Parkway, the Site is a highly visible and accessible parcel positioned at the gateway to the world famous amusement area, which is undergoing an exciting revitalization and ongoing transformation.This RFEI is not a formal offering of the Site. However NYCEDC reserves the right to enter into negotiations with respondent(s) on the basis of the responses to this RFEI without engaging in further processes. NYCEDC and the City reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to withdraw the RFEI; to choose to discuss various approaches with one or more respondents (including those not responding to the RFEI); and/or to use the ideas or proposals submitted in any manner deemed to be in the best interests of NYCEDC and the City, including but not limited to soliciting competitive submissions relating to such ideas or proposals. NYCEDC and the City likewise reserve the right, at any time, to change any terms of the RFEI. For more information, click here.

Cultural Development Fund (February 13, 2012) – The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) enables qualifying cultural organizations to apply for grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs. For information on the program, please click here.

NYC Next Generation Tech Challenge (February 14, 2012) – NYCEDC, working with the City Department of Education (“DOE”), is seeking to develop a business, entrepreneurship, and technology business plan competition and mentorship program for high school students with a focus on disadvantaged students. The main components of the program will be (1) a youth team business plan competition, (2) educational workshops and exposure to technology applications across industries, and (3) mentorship from local tech professionals and university students. Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about M/WBE certification and NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, please visit http://www.nycedc.com/opportunitymwdbe. An optional pre-proposal information session will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at NYCEDC. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by e-mail. For more information, click here.

Project Pop-Up (February 14, 2012) – In January 2010, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in partnership with fashion industry stakeholders, launched Fashion.NYC.2020, a strategic study to identify the important trends affecting the industry and to develop actionable initiatives based on such findings. The industry Chairs for Fashion.NYC.2020 are Richard Darling, CEO of LF USA; Diane von Furstenberg, Chairman and Founder, Diane von Furstenberg Studio L.P., and President, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President and CEO of Macy’s, Inc.; Andrew Rosen, CEO of Theory; and Kevin Ryan, CEO of Gilt Groupe. A key growth opportunity identified through Fashion.NYC.2020 is the need to grow the number of innovative multi-channel fashion retailers based in the City, especially given the explosive sales growth of online retail. As part of this effort, it is important to recognize and promote promising nascent multi-channel retail concepts. One way to do so is through a competition to reward relatively young, high-growth-potential City-based retailer(s) with support in the form of a temporary pop-up shop, PR/marketing assistance, and business mentors, among other prizes. NYCEDC is issuing a request for proposals (“RFP”) from respondents who wish to enter into a contract to develop and execute the Program. For more information, click here.

Industrial Business Improvement Districts Development (February 22, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is seeking consultant services in support of the development and planning of new industrial Business Improvement Districts (Industrial BID) or the expansion of existing Industrial BIDs in M-zoned districts in New York City. Proposals for areas located within Industrial Business Zones and Industrial Ombudsman Areas (IOAs) are encouraged. NYCEDC seeks to provide targeted and innovative support to the industrial community through the creation of new Industrial BIDs. The new Industrial BIDs will improve the efficiency and functioning of the industrial sector in New York City by providing unique services that are targeted to the variety of issues facing industrial communities. The Industrial BIDs will provide a sustainable source of funding for the proposed industrial districts, thereby ensuring their stability and spurring their growth. For more information, click here.

Construction Mentorship Program Consultant (February 22, 2012) – The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is seeking an appropriately qualified Construction Management firm (CM) to develop a Construction Mentorship Program (CMP) under which the CM will “mentor” New York City-certified Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) construction companies so that learn and improve on the skills necessary to take on larger and more complex City construction projects. The RFP package may be downloaded from the SBS website at www.nyc.gov/sbs. A pre-proposal conference for interested applicants will be held on February 6, 2012 from 10:00-12:00 PM, at 110 William Street, 3rd Floor, EDC Conference Room, New York, NY 10038. Space constraints limit attendance to two persons per proposing organization (attendance need not be confirmed). All questions concerning this RFP should be directed to: Mr. Daryl Williams at procurementhelpdesk@sbs.nyc.gov, no later than 3:00 PM on February 9, 2012. For more information, click here.

Design Services for NYC.Gov (February 27, 2012) – The City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (“MoME”), in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (“DoITT”), seeks a qualified vendor to provide , Design, User Experience and Front-End Development Services to improve the visual presentation, usability, and overall user experience of the NYC.gov portal website (“Reinvent NYC.gov”). A Non-Mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held on February 10, 2012, 2:00PM at 2 Metrotech Center, 5th Floor, Conference Room 145 A-B, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information, click here.

Non-Secure Placement Services (February 27, 2012) – The New York City Department of Administrative Children’s Services (ACS) is seeking appropriately qualified vendors to provide Non-Secure Placement (NSP) by operating facilities for youth who have been placed into the custody of ACS by a Family Court judge as the disposition of their juvenile delinquency case and who have been determined by the court or ACS to be appropriate for NSP. NSP will consist of an array of general and specialized juvenile justice residential care programs that offer high-level and intensive clinical services for youth who need this structure. For more information, click here.

FY 2013 New York City Capital Funding Application (February 28, 2012) – Organizations seeking to secure FY 2013 New York City Capital funds can apply for funding allocations through the Borough Presidents, New York City Council and the Administration. For instructions on cultural projects, please click here, for information on non-cultural projects, please click here.

Alternative to Incarceration Services(March 5, 2012) –For the provision of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Services for jail or prison-bound offenders through programs that provide direct services to clients. Programs would target offenders in any county or combination of counties citywide, and may feature an alternative-to detention (ATD) component, through which community-based supervision and services would be provided for eligible pre-trial detainees whom the court otherwise would not release. Please see the attachments in CROL for additional information. For more information, click here.

Universal PreKindergarten Services (March 5, 2012) – The proposal process is intended to identify eligible high-quality early childhood providers who are willing to collaborate with the Office of Early Childhood Education UPK Field Office(s) to implement the Universal Prekindergarten Program in New York City districts with a high need for prekindergarten seats. This RFP is open to providers serving any of New York City’s 32 community school districts. However, providers serving districts 10, 12, 17, 19, 23, and sites accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are strongly encouraged to apply. This proposal seeks vendors who can provide a consistent weekly schedule for a half day program (2.5 hours per day, between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, 5 days per week for 180 days of the school year). The information received through the proposal process will be used by a UPK Field Office to award a contract to an early childhood provider who demonstrates the ability to comply with the requirements of the New York City Department of Education’s Universal Prekindergarten Program goals, objectives and regulations. The term of the contract will be July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2015 and, at the NYC DOE’s option, the contract may be extended for two (2) additional one-year periods or one (1) additional period of two (2) years. Vendors with existing contracts with Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) for Child Care and/or Head Start contracts will not be invited to respond to this Request for Proposal. For more information, click here.

Consulting Services, Rockaway Courthouse RFEI(April 16, 2012) –New York City Economic Development Corporation on behalf of the City of New York is seeking expressions of interest for the purchase and redevelopment of the Rockaway Courthouse Building, a 24,000 square foot, three story limestone and Tennessee marble building that was constructed in 1932 and is located in the Hammels neighborhood in the Rockaways in Queens, New York. The purpose of the RFEI is to generate expressions of interest from qualified development teams for ways to revitalize a historic structure and continue the redevelopment of the Rockaways. Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about M/WBE certification and NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, please visit http://www.nycedc.com/opportunitymwdbe. Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to rockawaycourthouserfei@nycedc.com. For all questions that do not pertain to the subject matter of this RFEI please contact NYCEDC’s Contracts Hotline at (212) 312-3969. Answers to all questions will be posted by Monday, March 12, 2012 to www.nycedc.com/RFP. Please submit eight (8) sets of your expression of interest to NYCEDC. For more information, click here.

Saratoga Square (due May 18, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”) seeks proposals for the sale or lease of an approximately 25,762 square foot parcel of land located on Block 1557, Lots 3, 4, 23, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn (the “Site”). Through this Request For Proposals (“RFP”), NYCEDC is seeking individuals or organizations to develop the Site for a use that maximizes the creation of jobs for local residents, generates proceeds attributed to new development from tax revenue and purchase price/ground rent, and is contextually appropriate in terms of both design and use. For more information, click here.

Halleck Industrial Development Site at Hunts Point (due May 23, 2012) – The New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the New York City Department of Small Business Services (“SBS”), is seeking qualified proposals to develop an unimproved parcel of land in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx under a long term ground lease. The parcel, known as the Halleck Industrial Development Site, is a prime, shovel-ready site for new construction of a modern industrial facility. For more information, click here.

Industrial Space Modernization (December 12, 2012) – New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”), on behalf of the City of New York (the “City”), is seeking proposals from qualified individuals, organizations or companies (“Respondents”) to renovate and reactivate, via subdivision, privately-held vacant industrial building/space(s) in New York City that face challenges leasing to modern manufacturers and industrial companies. NYCEDC, in cooperation with the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), intends to disburse up to $8 million from the City Council Small Manufacturing Investment Fund (the “Industrial Fund”) to incentivize one or more property owners and developers to make capital improvements related to the subdivision and modernization of their industrial spaces. Both not-for-profit and for-profit Respondents are encouraged to submit proposals. The primary programmatic goal for the use of the funds is the subdivision of large floor plates tailored to the space needs of smaller industrial businesses throughout New York City as described above. Secondary programmatic goals for the Industrial Fund include, but are not limited to:
1. Improvement of space where leasing ability has been limited due to a lack of capital investment
2. Preservation of existing industrial space at affordable rents
3. Modernization of obsolete industrial space
4. Investment in raw industrial space to make available for leasing
For more information, click here.

Non-Secure Detention Group Homes (due May 31, 2013) – ACS Division of Youth and Family Justice is soliciting applications from organizations interested in operating non- secure detention group homes in New York City. This is an open-ended solicitation. For more information, click here.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Our new feature Food for Thought presents recently issued policy or research reports which you may find of interest.

New York City Wetlands Strategy: Draft for Public Comment

Much of the city’s natural waterfront consists of wetlands, the biologically rich area where water and land meet. Wetlands help improve water quality, control floods, capture storm water runoff, sequester carbon dioxide, moderate storm surges, provide habitat for local and migratory birds, fish and other wildlife, and create a unique opportunity for New Yorkers to observe wildlife and to undertake other quiet, contemplative recreation. When Henry Hudson first entered the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary in 1609, he was greeted with a breathtaking and amazing display of ecological diversity and natural beauty that is difficult to imagine when entering the Harbor Estuary. Yet despite the significant loss of historical wetlands and streams, New York is still home to many critical natural areas in Jamaica Bay, Staten Island, and along Long Island Sound. Wetlands are an important component of the City’s vision for a greener, greater New York, and have increasingly been the focus of restoration efforts over the past two decades. PlaNYC, released in April 2007 and updated in April 2011, recognizes the importance of wetlands and establishes several initiatives to address issues of protection and restoration. PlaNYC committed to a study to identify where existing regulations are not protecting New York City’s remaining wetlands as a first step in the development of a comprehensive policy. In January 2009, the City published New York City Wetlands: Regulatory Gaps and Other Threats, which described the gaps in federal and state regulations and recommended the exploration of policy options for the City to fill those gaps. This draft wetlands strategy builds on that white paper by examining all threats to wetlands and proposing policies to address them. To continue reading the report, click here.

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE week of 2/6 – 2/10

Please note that this calendar is subject to change.

There are no meetings currently scheduled for next week.

by Julie Shapiro

BATTERY PARK CITY — A new food truck lot is opening Monday in Battery Park City, spicing up lunchtime offerings in the neighborhood.

Kimchi Taco Truck, Taim Mobile, Gorilla Cheese and Van Leeuwan Artisan Ice Cream will all make appearances on the lot’s opening day at the World Financial Center Feb. 6, the office complex announced Friday.

After that, a rotating group of four trucks a day will park on North End Avenue near 4 World Financial Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., said Brookfield Properties, owner of the World Financial Center.

Other trucks that will make appearances during the lot’s first week include Frites ‘N’ Meats, Milk Truck, Coolhaus, Schnitzel & Things, Mexicue and Rickshaw Dumplings.

“There’s clearly a lack of food that’s served in Battery Park City today,” David Cheikin, Brookfield’s director of leasing, said when announcing the plan for food trucks late last year.

“The more dining options we can bring down, the better off it is for anyone.”

Brookfield Properties is working with the New York City Food Truck Association to pick trucks for the new lot.

The food trucks will be at North End Avenue and Vesey Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, through 2013. For a complete schedule, visit the World Financial Center’s website.

By Glenn Collins

And now, the food-truck court at ground zero.

On Monday, food trucks will congregate for the first time on North End Avenue by the Hudson River to the west of 4 World Financial Center, following three months of negotiations with the Battery Park City Authority and Brookfield Office Properties, owner of the center.

“We are really excited to find a safe place to vend where we can contribute to the local community,” said David Weber, president of the New York City Food Truck Association. The group will have the responsibility of coordinating a rotating roster of 21 trucks at the site — to be called the World Financial Center Food Truck Court — from Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Monday, Kimchi Taco Truck, Gorilla Cheese NYC, Taim Mobile and Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream are to be the first four trucks. They will be parked on the avenue adjacent to the waterfront, to the north of the yacht basin, on the pedestrian route to the ferry terminal. From the east, it will be accessible from Vesey Street.

The association established its first food-truck court at an empty lot in Long Island City, Queens, last year. Now, its new riverside court is expected to attract five trucks a day from a list including the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck, the Treats Truck, Mexicue and the Red Hook Lobster Pound.

Mr. Weber said the truck operators appreciated having a stable, legal location, since the trucks often compete for street spots with other vendors, and are sometimes ticketed, or required to move, by the police.

David Cheikin, Brookfield’s vice president of leasing, said that the new court would offer “a new type of dining experience to Lower Manhattan.”

The association will be paying Brookfield a license fee for the lunch court until 2013. “It’s a fair rent for food trucks,” Mr. Weber said, declining to specify the fee.

The food court is intended “for people in offices, local workers and tourists,” Mr. Weber said, adding: “Our goal is to have as much variety there as possible.”

by Greg Morabito

Battery Park City just got three sweet Danny Meyer restaurants, and now it’s about to get a big influx of food trucks. Next Monday, February 6, a food truck court will open outside the World Financial Center at North End Avenue and Vesey Street. Monday through Friday, five trucks will roll up and peddle their goods from 11 AM to 3 PM.

Participating mobile restaurants include: Bongo Brothers, Coolhaus, Gorilla Cheese, Eddie’s Pizza, Kimchi Taco Truck, Mexicue, Taim Mobile, Treats Truck, Van Leeuwen, Red Hook Lobster Truck, and Schnitzel & Things. The roster will change daily, but you can check the official World Financial Center food truck parking lot schedule to see when your favorites will be there.

A crowd of over 200 people gathered with special presentations by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Minister Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs, and Benjamin Patton, grandson of General George Patton.

Pat Thaler and Mayor Ed Koch

Benjamin Patton, Laurie Beckelman and Linda Lipman

Jim Capalino and Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Guastavino's.

Jim Capalino and Pat Thaler

Laurie Beckelman, Jim Capalino, Lee Botnick and Seth Botnick

Laurie Beckelman and Paul Wimpfheimer

Mark Thompson, Frank Lupo and Travis Terry

Melvin Salberg, Professor Benjamin Ish-Shalom and Mayor Ed Koch

Nahum Twersky, Melvin Salberg and Lee Botnick

Pat Thaler, Andy Groveman, Jan Groveman and Jim Capalino

Greta Wimpfheimer, Felix Wimpfheimer, Jim Capalino and Lee Botnick

Benjamin Patton, Mayor Ed Koch, Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon, Benjamin Ish-Shalom and Melvin Salberg

Amy Beren Bressman, Mayor Ed Koch, Benjamin Patton and Benjamin Ish-Shalom at Guastavino's