--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Hinge" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Below, you'll find the text to an email that I just received from
Hugh R. Lamle, President
> M. D. Sass Investors Services, Inc. in response to an email I sent
to him.
> His comments are within the quotation marks as answers to my
questions.
> "This is an unfortunate side affect of overhauling the existing
infrastructure systems that
> is currently inadequate and antiquated,. We are investing $60
million to completely rebuild
> the infrastructure and, new road, landscaping etc. We know of no
other project of this size
> that has progressed faster ."
I do, ground zero. While it only encompasses 16 acres, it contained
an amount of rubble unprecedented by any other project. The rubbleof
over 13 million sf of building area. Located in one of the most
densely populated and higly-trafficked places on earth. To
complicate matters, the clean up was coupled with sensitive recovery
of remains. It only took 8 months. 8 months, I repeat. The original
construction of the towers, including the demolition of structures,
excavation and building of the "bathtub" and using construction
techniques novel at the time, the whole thing took 7 years. It is
multiples of what will be built in AP in total. The lesson? If you
want to do it, you can do it. Everything about this
redevelopment,especially the infrastructure, has been done
piecemeal.
> "I would imagine that most sites you're referring to aren't 56
acres and in an active urban
> environment. Single building sites can be more easily disguised by
scaffolding and
> signage."
Another example, Time Warner AOL Center at Columbus Circle. A true
superblock at the site of the old Colesium. Demolished and built in
2 years.
> "Although we sympathize with your desire to redevelop Asbury asap,
please note that the
> "mess" is temporary, and it is a byproduct of the multi $100's of
millions of investment
> that's being poured into your community at no direct economic
expense to you or your
> neighbors.
I guess he expects us to simply say thank you.
> These conditions are always associated with large scale
development such as
> the Meadowlands and Ground zero in NY."
Does anyone see a large-scale development going on in AP?
> "Please consult Long Branch to compare our progress versus theirs
(from a redevelopment
> commencement through initial construction phases perspective). You
will find that we are
> moving at lightning pace when compared to comparable projects in
the State."
If they went any slower they would be going backwards. Take
Paramount for example. The had to find a new architect during
construction and that architect never designed a high-rise building.
I heard that Kushner has fired most of the people running the Wesley
Grove project while he was in the slammer. Have you had the chance
to go by that site during the day? Never more than a dozen workers.
That's not a lightening pace.
> "Again, we sympathize with your sense of urgency for the area's
redevelopment, but we
> don't feel it is appropriate to use such a tone to describe the
temporary side affects of
> redevelopment related construction. We are progressing as fast as
possible and are not
> prepared to provide firm timetables since we can not get firm
timetables from all the state
> and city agencies that must approve each phase of the project."
They don't even have subdevelopers. What about the stuff they are
responsible for? This deal has wrought what it tried to avoid - the
city held hostage by a single developer.
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