2016 Annual
Association for a Better New York Report Photo Credits: FXFOWLE Epstein/Neoscape, MCR, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, imgs.6sqft. com, Empire State Development, Image of Som|Volley POWER BREAKFASTS POWER
2016’S POWER BREAKFAST SEASON WAS ONE OF ABNY’S BUSI- EST ON RECORD, AND INCLUDED SOME OF NEW YORK’S MOST PROMINENT FIGURES. WE WELCOMED THE MAYOR, THE GOVER- NOR, THE NEW NYPD COMMISSIONER, AND MANY OTHER DIS- TINGUISHED GUESTS. BELOW IS A COMPLETE LIST OF ABNY’S 2016 POWER BREAKFAST EVENTS:
Charles Schumer United States Senator January 7, 2016 | 583 Park Ave. Senator Schumer spoke on critical issues facing the Senate and the legislative wins of 2015 that benefit New Yorkers, including details on the tax bill, commuter bene- fits program, and the $2,500 college tax credit.
John Flanagan NYS Senate Majority Leader January 28, 2016 | Sheraton New York Senator Flanagan spoke on challenges facing New York State, and legislation affecting New Yorkers. He also shared insights on the proposed state budget which touched on important topics such as family leave, educa- tion and housing.
Human Services Council Panel Steven Banks, Paul Francis, Christine Quinn, David Rivel, Pat Swann February 24, 2016 | The Puck Building ABNY partnered with the Human Services Council and NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service to convene a panel of leadership in the human services sec- tor to discuss the future of the industry in New York and in the aftermath of FEGS.
Thomas Prendergast MTA President & CEO March 9, 2016 | The Roosevelt Hotel Mr. Prendergast spoke about the capital program and reimagining the MTA, including Wi-Fi enabled buses and connectivity to New York City’s underground subway stations. 2016
2016 Annual Report 1 Ruben Diaz Jr. Bronx Borough President March 29, 2016 | Hilton New York Bronx Borough President Diaz discussed important topics impacting the Bronx such as job creation, increased devel- opment and tourism, the new Kingsbridge Ice Rink, and shared his thoughts on combating homelessness in New York.
Andrew Cuomo New York State Governor April 12, 2016 | 583 Park Ave. Governor Cuomo discussed the record breaking tax cuts for the middle class, the continued investment in the en- vironment, efforts to combat homelessness & terrorism, raising minimum wage to $15, the future of mass transit, and ambitious construction and development goals.
Melissa Mark-Viverito Speaker of the New York City Council July 13, 2016 | Grand Hyatt Speaker Mark-Viverito spoke about the state of immigra- tion in New York City, as well as the economic impact of proposed federal immigration policy would have on the city.
John Miller Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counter Terrorism of the NYPD July 20, 2016 | The Roosevelt Hotel Deputy Commissioner Miller addressed ABNY on the state of security in New York City, as well as tactics used by the NYPD to help counter threats against the city.
Carl Weisbrod Director of the Department of City Planning and Chairman of the New York City Planning Commission September 8, 2016 | Grand Hyatt Chairman Weisbrod remarked on the state of New York City growth and shared insights on the changing demo- graphics, diversity of New Yorkers over time, job growth, and zoning.
2 Annual Report 2016 Scott Stringer New York City Comptroller September 22, 2016 | Hilton New York Comptroller Stringer shared insights on the growth of New York City’s economy, his plans to promote affordable housing, initiatives to improve our education system, and promote women and minority owned businesses.
Andrew Cuomo New York State Governor September 27, 2016 | Hilton New York Governor Cuomo presented major infrastructure develop- ment projects and announced the development team and plans for the new Pennsylvania Station/Farley Complex.
James O’Neill Commissioner of the NYPD October 11, 2016 | The Roosevelt Hotel Commissioner O’Neill touched on his efforts to grow the relationship between the community and the police force through a proposed community outreach campaign as well as the steady decrease of crime in New York.
Bill de Blasio New York City Mayor October 14, 2016 | Hilton New York Mayor de Blasio discussed his commitment to early childhood education, professional development, tackling the literacy challenge in New York City, and promoting the growth of computer science in schools, all culminating to achieve his goal of the Equity & Excellence for All initiative.
Christine Quinn President & CEO of Women in Need (WIN) October 20, 2016 | Hilton New York
Ms. Quinn shared her insight regarding the state of homelessness in the city, outlining the strategy the city should take and displaying WIN’s efforts for compas- sionately caring for some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers affected by homelessness.
2016 Annual Report 3 Post Election Panel Mitchell Moss, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Susan Del Percio, Jefrey Pollock and Robert George November 9, 2016 | Hilton New York ABNY convened a group of experts to discuss the 2016 election results.
William Dudley President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York December 5, 2016 | The Roosevelt Hotel President Dudley presented a macroeconomic outlook and what it means for New York.
Gateway Program Progress Update and Panel Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Cory Booker, Senator Robert Menendez, Scott Rechler, Anthony Coscia, Ste- phen Gardner and Tom Wright December 12, 2016 | Sheraton New York ABNY hosted the Regional Plan Association, Amtrak, and Senators Schumer, Booker and Menendez to discuss the Gateway program, a large scale, regional infrastructure project. The event consisted of a presentation and was followed by a panel discussion.
4 Annual Report 2016 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS EVENTS: ABNY’S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK CONTINUED TO GROW STEADILY IN 2016, AND TODAY INCLUDES OVER 2,000 MEMBERS. BELOW IS A LISTING OF THE UNIQUE EVENTS AND 2016 OFFERINGS ABNY HOSTED THIS YEAR:
April 28, 2016 – Shaping the City: A Panel & Dis- cussion on Unique Public Works Projects in NYC
On April 28th, ABNY’s Young Professionals attended a panel at eBay on unique public works projects in New York City. The discussion was moderated by Robert Hammond, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Friends of the High Line, and included panelists Travis Terry, Board Member of the Friends of the Queensway, Dan Barasch, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Lowline, and Tom McKnight of the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
May 11, 2016 – East Side Access Tour On May 11th, ABNY took a select group of its Young Professionals on a tour of the East Side Access Project, led by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The tour was an informative and eye-opening look into a tunnel that will bring the Long Island Rail Road into Grand Central Terminal.
May 21, 2016 – Hudson River Park Games On May 21st, ABNY sponsored a team of young professionals to represent ABNY at the Hudson River Park Games, a fun-filled day of competitive sports that celebrates the park.
2016 Annual Report 5 June 9, 2016 – Governors Island Tour On June 9th, ABNY took a select group of Young Profes- sionals on a tour of Governors Island’s The Hills, its next 10 acres of parkland which opened in the summer of 2016. ABNY YPs got to tour the grounds, and learn about the latest public space development.
June 22, 2016 – ABNY Talks Session 1 - Zoning & Land Use and Affordable Housing On June 22nd, ABNY launched its new ABNY Talks series, where experts present on policy issues facing New York. This session included presentations on Zoning and Land Use by Vishaan Chakrabarti of PAU, and Affordable Hous- ing by Holly Leicht of Housing and Urban Development, and Adam Weinstein of Phipps Houses.
July 7, 2016 – ABNY Talks Session 2 - Population Migration and Waste Management
On July 7th, ABNY held its second installment of ABNY Talks, centered around Population Migration and Waste Management in New York City. The speakers were de- mographer, and Director of the Population Division at the Department Of City Planning, Joseph Salvo, and Ron Gonen, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Closed Loop Partners.
July 9, 2016 – Zoning Scavenger Hunt
On July 9th, ABNY sponsored a select group of Young Pro- fessionals to take part in a Zoning Scavenger Hunt hosted by Open House New York & the Museum of the City of New York.
July 14, 2016 - Hamilton! YP Ticket Giveaway ABNY YP raffled off two tickets to the award winning Broadway show Hamilton. The raffle was conducted through a referral program that integrated referring new ABNY Young Professionals and attending our ABNY Talks events.
6 Annual Report 2016 August 29, 2016 – Brooklyn Navy Yard Tour
On August 29th, ABNY Young Professionals took a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Young Professionals learned about past, present and future development at the site, in- cluding 1776, Brooklyn Brewery, and Russ and Daughters. The tour was given by David Ehrenberg, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.
September 19, 2016- What’s on Tap? Happy Hour Series
On September 19th, ABNY welcomed Robert Diamond, Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of Private Sector Engagement. He shared his insights on the importance of civic engagement, how he became in- volved in public service, and the current challenges facing the President and the efforts they are taking to combat those issues.
September 28, 2016- Pier 57 Tour On September 28th, ABNY hosted a tour of the planned development of Pier 57, led by RXR Realty. Following the tour, ABNY Young Professionals had a walking tour of Hudson River Park, led by Friends of Hudson River Park’s Mark Cheever. Networking then continued at the Frying Pan.
October 18, 2016 – ABNY Talks Session 3 - Elec- tion Polling Explained and Economic Develop- ment On October 18th, ABNY held its third installment of ABNY Talks, which focused on Election Polling and Economic Development in New York City. The speakers were RXR Realty’s Executive Vice President Seth Pinsky, & Jefrey Pollock, Founding Partner at Global Strategy Group.
November 1, 2016 – Community Policing Panel On November 1st, ABNY Young Professionals and Tech:NYC brought together a panel to discuss the new approaches to public safety in New York City community policing practices and the role of tech. The event was hosted at New York Law School and was moderated by Professor Deborah Archer. Panelists included Elizabeth Glazer from the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, Jose Lopez from Make the Road New York, and Councilmem- ber Jumaane Williams. 2016 Annual Report 7 December 6, 2016 - What’s on Tap? Happy Hour Series On December 6th, ABNY Young Professionals contin- ued its “What’s on Tap?” series with Councilmember Ritchie Torres. The Councilmember shared his experi- ences as the first openly gay and youngest member of the City Council, as well as his current vision and priorities for New York City.
8 Annual Report 2016 OTHER ABNY ENGAGED IN A HOST OF ADDI- TIONAL ACTIVITIES AND CAMPAIGNS ACTIVITIES: THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. HERE IS A SAMPLING OF WHAT WE LAUNCHED 2016 AND HOSTED IN 2016:
Promote the Vote: In the lead up to the 2016 general election, ABNY and the Partnership for New York City launched a campaign to increase voter participation in New York State’s primaries and elections, by highlighting a New York State law that grants employees two hours of paid leave to vote if they do not have four consecutive non-working hours between polls opening and closing. ABNY, along with the Partnership for New York City, successfully reached out to over 80,000 businesses covering over 1 million people who committed to posting about this law.
ABNY Women’s Committee: In Spring 2016, ABNY launched the Working Women’s Committee, a group of 70 women (both members and nonmembers) who are in leadership roles in New York City and inter- ested in civic engagement. The group came together in early spring at a luncheon, where issues in the workplace and potential agen- das for the committee were discussed, and then reconnected at the Highline Hotel for a summer cocktail event where original mem- bers were asked to recruit new members.
ABNY Tours: ABNY hosted an exclusive tour of what will be the world’s tallest passive house building, on Roosevelt Island, courtesy of ABNY member Related Companies. Members of the ABNY Steering Committee attended and were given access to the active construction site.
2016 Annual Report 9 ADVOCACY TOPICS:
AT ABNY, WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN ADVOCATES FOR MAKING 2016 NEW YORK CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT. WHETHER THROUGH TESTIMONY, LETTER WRITING OR PRESS RELEASES. BELOW IS A SAMPLE OF ABNY’S ADVOCACY WORK IN 2016:
JFK Airport Hotel Testimony In January and April, ABNY submitted testimony before Queens Community Board 10, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, and the Land Use Subcommittee on Planning Disposition and Concessions, to express ABNY’s support of MCR Development’s ULURP application for the TWA Flight Center Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Tin Building Testimony In March and September, ABNY submitted testimony before The New York City Land- marks Preservation Commission and New York City Planning Commission to express ABNY’s support of Howard Hughes Corporation’s preservation and reconstruction of the Tin Building and modification to the Pier 17 project, which aligns the timing of the Tin Building restoration with Pier 17 and allows use of the access road during limited hours.
Pedestrian Public Plaza Testimony On March 30th, ABNY submitted testimony before the New York City Council Committee on Transportation to express ABNY’s support of proposed Intro 1109-A regulating the use and activities of pedestrian public plazas.
Mayoral Control Testimony On May 4th, ABNY submitted testimony before the New York State Senate to express ABNY’s support of a seven year extension of mayoral control of New York City’s schools.
10 Annual Report 2016 Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project Testimony On May 17th and May 19th, ABNY submitted testimony before The Federal Railroad Administration & NJ Transit Public Scoping Meetings to express ABNY’s support for the completion of the Gateway Hudson Tunnel project.
St. John’s Center Testimony In May, August and November, ABNY submitted testimony before Manhattan Commu- nity Board 2, the City Planning Commission and the New York City Council to express ABNY’s support of the conversion of St. John’s Center into a residential building and the rehabilitation of aging Pier 40.
SL Green 125 Park Ave Testimony On July 19th, ABNY submitted testimony before the NYC Landmarks Preservation Com- mission to express ABNY’s support of the redevelopment of 125 Park Avenue and re- quest that the Landmarks Preservation Commission withhold designating the property.
Pfizer Sites Testimony On November 9th, ABNY submitted testimony before the Department of City Planning’s Scoping Hearing to express ABNY’s support of a proposal to create a residential develop- ment at the long-dormant Pfizer sites in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Link NYC Testimony On November 15th, ABNY submitted testimony before the New York City Council’s Tech- nology Committee in support of Link NYC’s efforts to bring ultra-fast public Wi-Fi to New York City.
2016 Annual Report 11 SPIRIT OF ABNY
THE ABNY FOUNDATION’S 10TH ANNUAL 2016 SPIRIT OF ABNY AWARDS TOOK PLACE AT THE ICONIC RAINBOW ROOM IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER, AND HONORED THOSE WHO INSPIRE AND MOVE US TO MAKE NEW YORK A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT:
Governor Mario Cuomo Lew Rudin Founder’s Award Accepted by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Archdiocese of New York Accepted by Timothy Cardinal Dolan
The 150th Anniversary of the FDNY Presented by Grace Hightower De Niro and accept- ed by Fire Commissioners Daniel Nigro, Salvatore Cassano and Thomas Van Essen
12 Annual Report 2016 2016 Annual Report 13 For membership information or to learn how you can get involved, please e-mail us at [email protected]
355 Lexington Avenue William Rudin, Chairman New York, NY 10017 Angela Pinsky, Executive Director www.abny.org Amanda Papir, Deputy Director 212.370.5800 Jean Dorak, Program and Membership Manager
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