Bloomberg on Rail Yards: M.T.A. and Tishman Should Play Nice, Work Things Out

Speaking from London earlier today, Michael Bloomberg said the deal for the West Side rail yards was still alive, and called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to work out its differences with Tishman Speyer and come to an agreement. The M.T.A. said it reached an impasse with Tishman Speyer yesterday.

“These projects are phenomenally complex—they have lots of different layers of government involved,” Mr. Bloomberg said, speaking to reporters. “My hope is that the state government, really the M.T.A. in this case, can get together and solve the problems that they have and that Tishman Speyer has so that they can come together. But I don’t think it’s the least bit fair or accurate to say that anything’s dead.”

One of the sticking points, he said, was Tishman C.E.O. Jerry Speyer’s concern that the 1.5-mile extension of the No. 7 subway line would not be completed, leaving the site without transit access. Many have questioned whether the M.T.A. has the financing for the line, as the $2 billion budget has remained the same for years despite rising costs and only modest scale-backs.

On this issue, however, Mr. Bloomberg seemed to side with the Speyers.

“They want to be able be sure that we are going to build that line,” he said. “I talked to Jerry last week or two weeks ago, and I said, ‘If I were you, I would make absolutely positively sure that we are going to build that subway before I put one dime of my own money.’”

Mr. Bloomberg also praised the new nominee for the executive director position at the Port Authority, Christopher Ward, whom we profiled earlier this week, and suggested the prior director who was forced out, Tony Shorris, should have another role in government.

"I saw the Port Authority appointed a very good executive director, Chris Ward, who as you know used to work for the city," Mr. Bloomberg said. "That’s a big step forward. Tony Coscia is a great chairman. Shorris was a pretty good guy. Hopefully he’ll survive in some other capacity here."