This morning, Mayor Bloomberg attended an event announcing that Brookfield Properties was starting work on its $680 million platform in the Hudson Yards, which will be home to Manhattan West—two office buildings, a residential building and 1.5 acres of public space. Which means it's a great time to make Zuccotti Park jokes!
Brookfield's co-chairman John Zuccotti introduced Bloomberg, taking the opportunity to effusively praise the mayor as a visionary (the man who "rebuilt" New York City in the modern era). The mayor was flattered, nearly hugging Zuccotti, and pointed out that Zuccotti is the "only living New Yorker with a park named after him," a park famous around the world, at that, in a reference to the Occupy Wall Street occupation. Bloomberg jokingly asked if Zuccotti would have wanted a park named after him, given everything that happened.
Later on, Dennis Friedrich, CEO of Brookfield Office Properties, discussed that besides 5 million square feet of space (two office towers and one residential tower, plus retail), the $4.5 billion project will include 1.5 acres of public space—but "it won't be called Zuccotti Park North." Manhattan West is in the area between 9th and Dyer Avenues and 31st and 33rd Streets; Related Properties is developing the area west of 10th Avenue.
Bloomberg, Zuccotti, Friedrich, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye, Hudson Yards Development Corporation President Ann Weisbrod and Brookfield Chairman Richard Clark all signed their names in an arch that will help support the platform.
