*“The Gerson-Quinn Agreement” is a somewhat dubious document, drafted by Council Member Alan Gerson and Speaker Christine Quinn, dated October 6, 2005, and sent to Parks Commissioner Benepe.
In the document, the Council Members put forth a framework for “resolving the outstanding major issues pertaining to the renovation of Washington Square Park.”
The only problem is that the outstanding major issues were(are): the reconfiguration of the entire park, the reduction in public space, the aligning and moving of the fountain, the moving of the dog runs, the cutting down of the park’s trees, removing the “sunken plaza” around the fountain, the lack of input from community members, a 4 foot fence around the park, among others. These issues are not addressed in the Gerson-Quinn Agreement in any substantive fashion. Nonetheless, it contains guidelines within it that they ask the Parks Department to adhere to. (I’ll cover some of these in the coming days.)
Basically, the Gerson-Quinn Agreement followed the principle of ‘ask what you think you can get, vs. what you want.’ (Many would argue they just stayed cozily in line with what Mayor Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe wanted.)
November 7, 2008 at 12:52 pm
[...] WSP Task Force is supposed to be the body that follows up on the tepid Gerson-Quinn Agreement and the “stipulations” put forth in that letter dated October 6, 2005 from Gerson-Quinn [...]
November 11, 2008 at 10:32 pm
[...] Artists Protest Gerson-sponsored Vending Bills Friday, November 14th at City Hall The “Gerson-Quinn Agreement” that NY City Council Member Alan Gerson (Washington Square Park is in his district) and Speaker [...]
November 13, 2008 at 4:30 pm
[...] Mr. Hoylman and Mr. Bergman are adamant that the Task Force was only created to uphold the Gerson-Quinn “letter.” While others on the Task Force seem ready to go further, they are continually reined in by [...]
December 8, 2008 at 5:35 pm
[...] (WSP falls in his district) like to talk about an “agreement” (the so-called “Gerson-Quinn Agreement“) they have with NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe which allegedly resolves “the [...]