The fate of the $7 billion "Avenir" casino and mixed-use development proposed for Manhattan's West Side is now in the hands of a small, local committee. The
The fate of the $7 billion “Avenir” casino and mixed-use development proposed for Manhattan’s West Side is now in the hands of a small, local committee. The project, put forward by prominent developer Silverstein Properties, has now completed its mandatory public hearings, with the final session on Monday night lasting nearly five hours and hearing from approximately 200 speakers.
Under New York’s unique licensing process, a local Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for each project must hold a binding vote of support. With four of the six members needing to vote in favour, the Avenir CAC now has until 30 September to make its crucial decision, effectively determining whether the project lives or dies.
The hearings have showcased a powerful and well-organised coalition of support for the Avenir proposal. Backers include a host of influential labour unions, such as the Building & Construction Trades Council, who have highlighted the promise of 8,000 new, well-paying union jobs.
Business groups and urban planning experts have also thrown their weight behind the project, arguing that it provides a long-awaited solution to the “Javits conundrum.” They contend that the convention centre is held back by a lack of nearby hotels, a problem the Avenir’s planned 1,000-room Hyatt hotel would solve. The project also has the backing of major non-profits like Covenant House, which has been promised affordable housing units and jobs for the homeless youth it supports.
Despite the strong institutional support, the proposal faces fierce and passionate opposition from those who live closest to the proposed site at 41st Street and 11th Avenue. A large and vocal contingent of residents from Manhattan Plaza, a nearby subsidised housing complex, has argued that a casino would erode the safety and character of the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood.
Opponents have repeatedly questioned why a casino is necessary to develop a site that has sat vacant for years, accusing Silverstein of engaging in “predatory development.” “ This site has been a pit for so long because Silverstein has waited for the political wind to be in his favour, not for any other reason,” said resident Sally Taylor during the hearing.
The CAC is now in the difficult position of weighing these two diametrically opposed viewpoints. Its vote is supposed to reflect the level of public support, but the “public” is clearly and deeply divided. On one side stands an organised coalition of economic interests, and on the other, a passionate community of local residents. The committee’s decision will be the first major verdict in New York’s community-led vetting process and will send a powerful signal about how the city intends to balance large-scale economic development against the concerns of its local communities.
