The NYPD is closing way too many streets. It is letting the terrorists define how we should live. Park Row is one of Manhattan's oldest streets. The segment running near Police Plaza predates the settlement of New Amsterdam.
wait. what? we should bypass environmental impact review on this project but not other development projects that significantly impact their neighborhoods?
wait. what? isn't there already a state-of-the-art facility in lower manhattan? oh, that's right. it was obliterated on 9/11 because it was located in a terror target.
wait. huh? i don't even know what to say when someone insinuates that just because nypd says they need something they're somehow immune from scrutiny or challenge. nypd has a tremendous track record when it comes to being forthcoming and up front about their intentions.
The residents of lower Manhattan never said this NYPD facility wasn't needed. They just don't believe it belongs in such a densely populated area. This is classic NIMBY, the kind that is espoused every day on this blog. Maybe the NYPD should put this new facility in Maspeth, after clearing away a few 100 year old houses.
Why would they need to clear away houses to put it in Maspeth? There's plenty of industrial land available here. The City LOVES to put their services here - NYPD, FDNY, EMS, DOT, DEP, MTA - you name it. There are already huge sanitation and police garages here. They want to put a bunker here, I have no problem with it.
The size of this building isn't changing. If you are afraid of terrorism maybe you shouldn't live next to police HQ. I don't get the controversy.
Maybe rather then expanding the size of 1 police plaza, the NYPD could open up a satellite office for the more non-essential services in places more in need of business development (including government) such as Queens or Brooklyn. After all most police officers live in either Queens or Nassau County and considering the population of New York out of 8 million people - almost 5 million live in Queens or Brooklyn. You would think most of the services of 1 Police Plaza would be located in Queens and only the commisioners office would be located near City Hall.
I would LOVE it if this were in my backyard. I'd feel safer, and maybe we'd get more than "we're busy in Ridgewood" from the 104th precinct. I was in favor of a police station at the gas tanks site but the city nixed that idea.
"And you think 1PP isn't already a terror target?"
Honestly? No. That's not how terrorism works. Al qaeda is trying to scare America at large, they are looking for high-profile national targets. Monuments, tallest buildings, big infrastructure projects. Our local police headquarters? Comeon, let's not be narcissistic.
Yes, that's right, you read it here - the nerve center of first responders is in no way a terror target.
How about this:
A city official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Police Department already has an emergency command center in Police Plaza. It is a central conference room and group of desks where everyone gathers during an emergency to coordinate their response.
The renovation of 109 Park Row would move those operations out of Police Plaza’s main building, giving police officers more space, the official said. The project will not add any new floors to the building or any new employees to police headquarters, the official said, so the building’s impact will be minimal. The renovated building will have new computers and equipment.
Al Qaeda didn't set out to kill first responders on Sept. 11, they set out to take down a high profile national target. The heroes of the FDNY and NYPD who lost their lives weren't the targets, the twin towers were the targets for their national visibility. If first responders were prime terror targets, we'd see carbombs at police stations and fire departments nationally. Clearly not the case.
I'm not arguing that One Police Plaza shouldn't be built. I'm saying that dealing with terrorism doesn't mean changing our fundamental freedoms. We need to constantly weigh this.
15 comments:
The NYPD is closing way too many streets. It is letting the terrorists define how we should live. Park Row is one of Manhattan's oldest streets. The segment running near Police Plaza predates the settlement of New Amsterdam.
Yes, and so do many of the streets of downtown where there are now highrises.
"It is letting the terrorists define how we should live."
No, the developers are the ones defining how we should live because Bloomberg is handing them the keys to the city to do carte blanche with it.
Report: NY residents protest expansion of fresh fruit isles in local stores.
Le sigh...
wait. what? we should bypass environmental impact review on this project but not other development projects that significantly impact their neighborhoods?
wait. what? isn't there already a state-of-the-art facility in lower manhattan? oh, that's right. it was obliterated on 9/11 because it was located in a terror target.
wait. huh? i don't even know what to say when someone insinuates that just because nypd says they need something they're somehow immune from scrutiny or challenge. nypd has a tremendous track record when it comes to being forthcoming and up front about their intentions.
how will it affect the neighborhood?
and yeah - it's replacing what we had in the first place so what's the big deal?
"it was obliterated on 9/11 because it was located in a terror target."
And you think 1PP isn't already a terror target?
The residents of lower Manhattan never said this NYPD facility wasn't needed. They just don't believe it belongs in such a densely populated area. This is classic NIMBY, the kind that is espoused every day on this blog. Maybe the NYPD should put this new facility in Maspeth, after clearing away a few 100 year old houses.
Why would they need to clear away houses to put it in Maspeth? There's plenty of industrial land available here. The City LOVES to put their services here - NYPD, FDNY, EMS, DOT, DEP, MTA - you name it. There are already huge sanitation and police garages here. They want to put a bunker here, I have no problem with it.
The size of this building isn't changing. If you are afraid of terrorism maybe you shouldn't live next to police HQ. I don't get the controversy.
what about environmental review? suddenly it's not as important when the project isn't in YOUR backyard.
Maybe rather then expanding the size of 1 police plaza, the NYPD could open up a satellite office for the more non-essential services in places more in need of business development (including government) such as Queens or Brooklyn. After all most police officers live in either Queens or Nassau County and considering the population of New York out of 8 million people - almost 5 million live in Queens or Brooklyn.
You would think most of the services of 1 Police Plaza would be located in Queens and only the commisioners office would be located near City Hall.
Yes, what about environmental review?
Why would this project require one when they aren't changing the size or use of the building?
I would LOVE it if this were in my backyard. I'd feel safer, and maybe we'd get more than "we're busy in Ridgewood" from the 104th precinct. I was in favor of a police station at the gas tanks site but the city nixed that idea.
"And you think 1PP isn't already a terror target?"
Honestly? No. That's not how terrorism works. Al qaeda is trying to scare America at large, they are looking for high-profile national targets. Monuments, tallest buildings, big infrastructure projects. Our local police headquarters? Comeon, let's not be narcissistic.
Yes, that's right, you read it here - the nerve center of first responders is in no way a terror target.
How about this:
A city official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Police Department already has an emergency command center in Police Plaza. It is a central conference room and group of desks where everyone gathers during an emergency to coordinate their response.
The renovation of 109 Park Row would move those operations out of Police Plaza’s main building, giving police officers more space, the official said. The project will not add any new floors to the building or any new employees to police headquarters, the official said, so the building’s impact will be minimal. The renovated building will have new computers and equipment.
What is the problem again?
Al Qaeda didn't set out to kill first responders on Sept. 11, they set out to take down a high profile national target. The heroes of the FDNY and NYPD who lost their lives weren't the targets, the twin towers were the targets for their national visibility. If first responders were prime terror targets, we'd see carbombs at police stations and fire departments nationally. Clearly not the case.
I'm not arguing that One Police Plaza shouldn't be built. I'm saying that dealing with terrorism doesn't mean changing our fundamental freedoms. We need to constantly weigh this.
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