Governor Hochul: “Hundreds and hundreds of new jobs for residents. Howland Hook has now poised to become even more vital in our supply chain, boosting New York City's economic growth. This is a good day. Brooklyn gets a revitalized waterfront, Staten Island gets a stronger, more competitive Howland Hook, New York gets a more efficient port system, good paying jobs, and reconnection to the waterfront. That's a good day at the office, right, Mayor? That's a good day at the office.”
Hochul: "Together, we'll make sure that it becomes a thriving place that benefits it all. But when you look back, all those decades of wasted time, today we're not just building a new harbor, we're building a legacy. A legacy of accomplishment that those of you who are here today who had a role in this, can be proud of when your children and grandchildren look back and say, “We got it done because we decided it's long overdue.”
I say Knicks and Rangers can do it, so I'm not leaving anybody out, Mayor. It is an exciting time. The world is watching New York City for many reasons: trials, our sports teams, and a lot going on, but this is what really matters. You look out at this site. This is spectacular. And this reminds me, this gathering here, that New York City is a city of true believers. People who never give up. Those who had an idea to convert this land into something more useful for the neighborhood and for the entire City decades ago, they stuck with it.
But what has changed is the fact that there are new two leaders in office who are the most impatient people you'll ever meet. We've been on the job two years. We're like, “Why didn’t we do this yesterday?” Right, Mayor? That's how we operate. And people are starting to see the benefits of this. We want to get it done together. And so I'm really proud that we're ready to set sail on a whole new chapter for New York's maritime future.
And once and for all, unlocking the full potential — not just here — but also on Staten Island. I want to thank our mayor for being that partner in everything we touch. There's so much synergy now. And realizing that all those decades when governors and mayors were competitive, fighting each other — those were lost opportunities because we have so much shared property and shared ideas.
My team at Empire State Development, James Katz is here representing us. Hope Knight. We have a great, great team — but also Rick Cotton. Thank you for bringing me some of the most outrageous ideas, but you're so persuasive, you always get me to yes, and we are transforming all the possible properties and the properties we have because your leadership, Rick Cotton. So, thank you for your stellar leadership as the Executive Director of the Port Authority.
And all the advocates and everybody. This is a team effort. It truly, truly is. But, as you know, you heard from the Mayor, we struggled for decades to have a vision that we could actually implement here. And we finally realized that working together, we can take the key and unlock the full potential.
We can help the role of the State of New York and help unstuck what would have been jammed up for a long time because there was no interest in helping the City out doing something spectacular here. So, this reflects the collaboration that we've always had. And with the $65 million initial investment — and as you mentioned, $90 million collectively — we'll build on that model of Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Who is not proud of what happened with Piers 1 through 6? That's something people talk about, not just across this state and this nation, but across the world. People want to come see this. What about the rest? How we can't leave any properties behind? We're going to breathe new waterfront and make it more accessible to the community.
People living here have no access to this. That's unconscionable to me. These barriers, the ghost of yesteryear, and yes, this was once a thriving port, but reality has settled in. It is no longer the port that it once was. And for all of us to sit here and think that it's going to be, and let more and more decades pass, that's just irresponsible with this incredible asset.
So, we want to explore mixed-use development opportunities, including housing. A 21st century port deserving of this great city. And it will be driven by a robust, community driven process because the community members who love this area, who love this community, they have a voice that needs to be heard. And that is the process that will be launched almost immediately. We want it to be a place where families can flourish and businesses can come.
It's also about infrastructure. We're building for the future by taking into account the realities of our world today. I have staff members who live here. They complain all about the deliveries, constantly. Their streets are clogged, narrow streets are clogged with delivery trucks that are here all day long. Amazon and other online retailers. It has an effect on the neighborhood, safety for children to take walks, push a stroller. It has an effect on the environment. And the livability of our neighborhoods.
So, we want to find ways for these deliveries to occur without clogging the streets and the roadways. So this is particularly important here in this community. So, we're focusing on this, a modernized freight facility will prioritize sustainability and we can move more packages by barge and bike, reducing our resilience on trucks.
So, I'm proud to announce here today the state will commit $15 million for a future cold storage facility on this site. Because of the lack of a cold storage facility, there has been an enormous amount of pollution and traffic because perishable merchandise is constantly moved in and out of here. A simple solution: $15 million, can solve for something that has been a barrier all these years. So, we're committed to improving the quality of life for residents.
But this vision extends beyond Brooklyn. Staten Island, the Holland Hook Marine Terminal. We're going to be charting a course for absolutely unprecedented growth there. By transferring from the City, this terminal to the Port Authority, we're empowering them to drive even more investment there. Now it's already started. We already announced $200 million commitment from company CMA CGM, which is the largest investment in the history of this facility.
Supporting what I love to hear, hundreds and hundreds of new jobs for residents. Howland Hook has now poised to become even more vital in our supply chain, boosting New York City's economic growth. So, here's the deal. This is a good day. Brooklyn gets a revitalized waterfront, Staten Island gets a stronger, more competitive Howland Hook, New York gets a more efficient port system, good paying jobs, and reconnection to the waterfront.
That's a good day at the office, right, Mayor? That's a good day at the office. So, as I mentioned. The voices of the residents and stakeholders are so critical to moving forward and shaping this transition.
So, let's get started. Together, we'll make sure that it becomes a thriving place that benefits it all. But when you look back, all those decades of wasted time, today we're not just building a new harbor, we're building a legacy. A legacy of accomplishment that those of you who are here today who had a role in this, can be proud of when your children and grandchildren look back and say, “We got it done because we decided it's long overdue.”
Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I have another commitment I have to run to, but appreciate everybody's effort here today. Thank you.
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