Now that the Mayor and City Manager have returned from New York and their visit to Related’s Hudson Yards grand opening, we will resume our Council meetings.
Related is perhaps the nation’s largest builder or, at least one of the largest.
It was Related’s interest in our golf course five years ago that promised delivery from despair and the deep recession we were weathering.
They desired to build a $6 billion-dollar project that would be hailed as the largest retail/office facility in the Bay Area.
While it might take 15 to 20 years to build out, it would be done in three phases with phase one to start within a couple of years. This phase would include retail shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment options.
At its completion, the project would include jobs for 23,000 workers.
Think of the benefits this project would bring to our City? And, this was what our City officials were thinking. Tax revenue would sky rocket. Employment would explode and we would be the envy of the Bay Area.
Now fast forward to 2019. Related has held this wonderful option on our golf course for more than four years. Not one shovel has touched the ground. There are no new buildings, streets, parking structures, hotels or restaurants.
Most important to our City, Related has not paid one dime in rent or lease payments.
Oh, that’s right, they did fly some of our City officials to New York and host them for their grand opening of Hudson Yards.
Now back at home we wait for something positive to transpire on the 240 acres known as our golf course.
So far, the only action we have seen from this Council has been voting Eminent Domain against David’s Banquet facility. The Council’s embarrassing offer of $5,000 to leave his property with 11 years left on his lease was abysmal.
In asking Steve Eimers, Vice President of Related, how it’s going, we received no comment.
You would think that a mega billion-dollar company would be interested in maintaining good public relations with the community. Of course, having a PR representative like Jude Barry may explain the lack of transparency.
Then there is the ground water issue. The plan to build a concrete platform over the golf course and former land fill has not been all positive. It appears there is concern that driving pilings 200 feet into the ground could create seepage of ground fill contamination into the water table.
Speculation continues as to what, where, when or if ever?
Meantime, the City will continue to sublease the golf course which continues to lose over a $150,000 a year.
Funny, the golf course loses a $150,000 annually and the Council keeps it going. The Chamber of Commerce makes $2 million for the Convention Center and are fired.
But the, who deals with logic in politics?
Did you notice that former Acting City Manager Rajeev Batra sued the City on 2-8-19 (Santa Clara County Superior Court case No. 19CV342946). His attorney is shown as Steven P. Cohn of San Jose. You can get a copy of the complaint by visiting the court clerk’s office, records division, first floor, 191 N. First Street, San Jose. Order a copy on one of the computers in records division. Get it at 50 cents per page at the clerk’s window, Or Maybe Mr. Cohn will just email you a copy of the complaint.