Brooklyn honors builders, planners
Amanda Burden, chair of the NYC Planning Commission, and director of the NYC Department of City Planning, along with Thomas Renyi, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Bank of New York Company, Inc., were recognized during the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s 2004 Annual Building Brooklyn Awards on July 21 at the Brooklyn Museum.
The Annual Building Brooklyn Awards honor individuals who have made significant contributions toward enhancing the business conditions and economic climate of Brooklyn.
The event also recognizes recently completed construction projects that have had a positive impact on the borough’s economy and quality of life.
“The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is proud to salute Amanda Burden and Thomas Renyi for their efforts to promote Brooklyn’s economic prosperity,” said Brooklyn Chamber President Kenneth Adams.
“Brooklyn is booming with new construction thanks to the Bloomberg administration’s vision and the commitment of our borough’s builders, owners, architects and contractors.
“This year, our Judging Committee selected nine excellent projects out of a large and competitive field of nominees. These awards remind us how much new investment is driving development all over Brooklyn.”
The Department of City Planning is responsible for the city’s physical and socioeconomic planning, including land use and environmental review for projects. Ms. Burden advises the Mayor, the Borough Presidents and the City Council on all matters relating to the development and improvement of the city. She played a critical role in the Downtown Brooklyn Development Plan.
The Downtown Brooklyn Plan, recently approved by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYC Council, will allow the development of 4.5 million square feet of new class A office space, nearly one million square feet of new retail and over 1,000 new units of mixed income housing. The Plan is a critical component of the Bloomberg Administration’s comprehensive strategy to stimulate growth in New York City’s diverse business districts and increase jobs in all five boroughs.
Mr. Renyi is a distinguished financial sector leader. He has successfully directed The Bank of New York’s transformation from a traditional commercial bank to a global leader in securities services. The Bank and its 1,400 employees recently moved to the Atlantic Terminal building at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues.
The nine winning construction projects that will be honored during the 4th annual event on July 21 are:
Peter Jay Sharp Center for Opportunity in the Community Facility category–renovation of a 75,000 square foot knitting factory into transitional housing for 400 homeless men; state of the art computer labs, office space and an industrial kitchen; transformation of an adjacent garbage dump into a recreational area. (East Williamsburg)
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COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
