Amidst Some Criticism, NY State, City Form Amazon Advisory Committee

NEW YORK CITY—Perhaps in response to some criticism over the estimated nearly $3 billion in incentives to lure Amazon to Queens, New York State and New York City have formed a Community Advisory Committee to share information and solicit community input about the e-commerce giant’s HQ2 project in Long Island City.

The CAC includes a host of political, civic and business leaders in Queens and elsewhere in the city, many who have expressed support for the project that is expected to involve $4 billion in investment by Amazon and the creation of 25,000 to 40,000 new jobs. Amazon announced in November it had selected Long Island City and Northern Virginia for its second headquarters requirement.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said of the committee’s formation, “The Community Advisory Committee will bring together stakeholders of all backgrounds to help shape this important plan. Robust community engagement is critical to ensuring that the investments and resources generated from this project serve the needs of everyone in Long Island City and beyond.”

“Amazon’s new headquarters in Long Island City is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our economy and community input will be a critical part of the development process,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Ardine Williams, VP, people operations, HR worldwide operations, Amazon, said, “Working with the CAC, we will build on Amazon’s existing job training and workforce development programs—ensuring they meet the needs of Long Island City residents and create pathways to the 25,000 new jobs we are bringing to the neighborhood. This joint effort will help ensure that our new neighbors benefit not only from corporate and technology jobs, but also the thousands more indirect jobs in construction, building services, hospitality and other service industry fields.”

Prior to its official formation, several critics of the project said they would have no part of the committee. On Nov. 21, two Queens politicos—New York State Senator Michael Gianaris (D-12) and New York City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer—did not mince words when they announced they would not participate in the community advisory council for the proposed Amazon development.

“This Community Advisory Council is a thinly veiled attempt to present the Amazon development as a fait accompli and move the discussion towards how to accommodate their entrance to the community. As we have made abundantly clear, we oppose the deal to bring Amazon to Long Island City and continue to fight against it. We will not participate in the Community Advisory Council, whose purpose is to give local validation to a project we are working to stop in its tracks.”

Sen. Gianaris stated in a report in Crain’s New York Business in response to the committee’s formation, “This is a process designed to give cover to a bad deal.”

Manhattan Borough President Gayle Brewer, who initially expressed some reservations about the Amazon project, is an ex-officio member of the Amazon CAC.

At the time of the Amazon announcement in November, Brewer said of the state’s intent to suspend local zoning on the Amazon project in Queens, “This sets a scary precedent for every neighborhood in every borough. This project should go through a full public review like any other major project and there should be a robust public engagement process.”

The full 45-member CAC will begin its quarterly meetings in January, and its three subcommittees will meet approximately monthly during the course of the planning process. The CAC will be led by a Steering Committee comprising the co-chairs of each subcommittee and will be staffed jointly by Empire State Development and the New York City Economic Development Corp. All elected officials representing Long Island City have been invited to join as ex-officio members. In addition, all five Borough Presidents will serve on the workforce development subcommittee in an ex-officio role.

Elizabeth Lusskin of the Long Island City Partnership and Denise Keehan-Smith of Queens Community Board 2 will lead the Project Plan Subcommittee, which will advise on the development of the General Project Plan and issues related to the construction of the new headquarters.

Melva Miller of the Association for a Better New York and Rob Basch of the Hunters Point Park Conservancy will lead the Neighborhood Infrastructure Subcommittee, which will advise the city and state on infrastructure priorities in the broader Long Island City neighborhood and build upon the $180 million investment plan the city recently announced in the Long Island City Investment Strategy.

Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor of Urban Upbound, Gail Mellow of LaGuardia Community College and Jean Woods-Powell of Information Technology High School will lead the Workforce Development Subcommittee.

The CAC leadership and members include:

Project Plan Co-Chairs:

Denise Keehan-Smith, Chair, Queens Community Board 2

Elizabeth Lusskin, President, the Long Island City Partnership

Neighborhood Infrastructure Co-Chairs:

Robert Basch, President, Hunters Point Park Conservancy

Melva Miller, Executive Vice President, Association for a Better New York

Workforce Co-Chairs:

Gail Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College

Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, CEO and President, Urban Upbound

Jean Woods-Powell, Principal, Information Technology High School

CAC Members:

Plinio Ayala, President and CEO, Per Scholas

Antonios Benetatos, President-elect, Dutch Kills Civic Association

Kyle Bragg, Secretary-Treasurer, 32BJ SEIU

Paul Camilierri, LIC Resident

Gianna Cerbone, Owner, Manducatis Restaurant

Meghan Cirrito, Board Chair, Gantry Parents Association

Claudia Coger, President, Astoria Houses Tenant Association

Lisa Ann Deller, Land Use Chair, Queens Community Board 2

Paul Finnegan, Executive Director, New York Irish Center

Angie Kamath, University Dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, CUNY

Sister Tesa Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Hour Children

Debra-Ellen Glickstein, Executive Director, NYC Kids RISE

Tom Grech, President and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce

Kenny Greenberg, Neon Artist and CB2 Member

Chris Hanway, Executive Director, Jacob A. Riis Settlement House

Jukay Hsu, Founder and CEO, Pursuit

Richard Khuzami, President, Old Astoria Neighborhood Association

Debby King, Former Director, 1199 Training Fund Director and LIC resident

Sheila Lewandowski, Executive Director, The Chocolate Factory Theater

Reverend Corwin Mason, Community Church of Astoria

Annie Cotton Morris, President, Woodside Houses Tenant Association

Joey Ortiz, Executive Director, NYC Employment and Training Coalition

Tom Paino, Chair, Hunters Point Community Coalition

Santos Rodriguez, Director of Community Affairs & Strategic Initiatives, NYC Building Trades Council

Julie Samuels, Executive Director, TechNYC

Carlo Scissura, President and CEO of New York Building Congress

Seema Shah, Director of Technology and Innovation Initiatives, LaGuardia Community College

April Simpson, President, Queensbridge Houses Tenant Association

Alvarez Symonette, Chief of Staff, Lady M Confections

Marie Torniali, Chair, Queens Community Board 1

Matthew Troy, Executive Director of Variety Boys & Girls Club, Queens

Andre Ward, Associate Vice President of Employment Services and Education, The Fortune Society

Carol Wilkins, President, Ravenswood Houses Tenant Association

Tom Wright, President and CEO, Regional Plan Association

Frank Wu, Transportation and Safety Committee Chair, Court Square Civic Association

Kathryn S. Wylde, President and CEO, Partnership for New York City

Judith Zangwill, Executive Director, Sunnyside Community Services

A CUNY student representative