Industry Leaders Discuss West Side, Downtown Development

NEW YORK CITY-Some of the real estate industry’s heavy hitters offered up their opinions on hot topics in the news during the Real Estate Board of New York’s members’ luncheon. Moderator Jonathan Mechanic of Fried Frank started it off with a query about the status of the West Side now in the wake of a state agency turning down financing for the effort the other day.

“Why did it have to come to this impasse?” asked CB Richard Ellis’ Mary Ann Tighe, adding that the city should be able to maintain two capital projects at the same time–Downtown and West Side initiatives. Cushman & Wakefield’s Bruce Mosler pointed out the need to look forward and believes the New York Sports and Convention Center will move forward. Mosler concurred with Eastdil’s Douglas Harmon in expressing the need for improved infrastructure on the West Side, particularly moving forward with plans to extend the No. 7 subway line.