Thursday, September 26, 2013

Observing the Wheel

In several cities that I have visited there is some sort of Observation Wheel that is a main tourist attraction.  The London Eye comes to mind, it's huge cars...big enough to hold up to 12 people, and  so very s-l-o-w rise and descent made it one of the highlights of a trip to London back in 2001.

While visiting Seattle in the fall of last year, an impulsive go round on the observation wheel there was a fun way to see the picturesque harbor and coastal buildings of that lovely city.  The cars there only held four people, and felt more like a Ferris wheel, but nonetheless, it was fun and a great spot to take pictures!

In case you are wondering, a Ferris wheel has open cars, with swinging seats; an observation wheel has enclosed cars with either seats facing each other, or, like the Eye in London, cars big enough to host dinner for eight.

A big local controversy here on the Island of Staten is the local debates surrounding the proposed observation wheel and outlet stores that may or may not be built next to the SI Yankee Stadium by the ferry terminal.  If completed, it will be the tallest observation wheel in the world.  The operative works are "if completed". 

Several of our local politicos have been saying this is a done deal and a really great thing for the re-development of what they are calling "Downtown Staten Island"...just for the record, there really never was a "downtown" on Staten Island.  Various communities on the North and East shores were prime shopping areas in the past like Port Richmond, New Dorp and Great Kills...we could even throw in Perth Amboy in NJ which was at one time easily accessible by local ferry.  St George, where I now live, is the civic center with many municipal buildings, but never was a shopping hot spot.

Yet it could be if the additional Outlet Mall is built by a separate developer on land adjacent to the ferry to be built over present parking facilities. And, guess what??? NY Ferries, who run a private $5 a ride ferry service, want to provide service for tourist from mid-town to circumvent the local ferry service, which is free

But if you listen to regular locals, the idea is sort of held in contempt.  Many feel that parking problems that currently plague the area will be further strained.  Others, including union leaders, point to the less than stellar safety record of the Outlet Mall developer who in his "zeal" to provide work to "locals" has indicated only 20% of the work will go to the trade unions, and the rest will go to "currently unemployed" workers and local contractors, many of whom use unskilled workers.

The politicians, many of them Republicans, have cobbled these projects together in seeking approval from the New York City Council. They did not take into consideration the North Shore City Council member, a Democratic woman of color, who is questioning the hiring pattern proposed by the mall developer.  There is an option on the table that is interesting.  Split the project in two...there are already two developers for this program.  The Observation Wheel guy will be using local trade union labor...perhaps because they know what they are doing?  And who wants to have an observation wheel disaster on your hands due to shoddy work?

Now the local newspaper is beginning to put the screws to the Democrat on the City Council, but, gee whiz, she is merely saying out loud and in public, what many local residents have been saying all along. "This isn't for us; it is for the Manhattan greed mongers."

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