Tuesday, June 09, 2015 Dear Food Center Drive Tenants, As the Executive Director of the Hunts Point Economic Development Corp. and the Greater Hunts Point Chamber, I have been working to stop the one way Food Center Drive direction that may take place during the summer that will cause endless confusion and extensive financial loss to the businesses on Food Center Drive as well as additional pollution to the adjoining neighborhood. We have the support of Senator Jeffrey Klein, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, and our Councilwoman Carmen Arroyo but they need to hear from the businesses themselves. Last year the one way changed created such a disaster that it was reversed. The purpose of putting a bike lane has been achieved by the environmentalists along Food Center Drive and still there is a movement to change Food Center Drive into a one way. As you can see, both has been achieved so there is no need for further for the conversion into a one way direction. I have been pleased to speak with CEOs and Transportation Managers from the Produce and Meat markets, Krasdale Foods, Baldor Specialty Food, Dairyland and Budweiser who all agree that the one way conversion will hurt their businesses short term and long term causing more money to the bottom line and cuts to hiring more local people. This does not explain the heartache in overtime and loss of any benefit in being at Hunts Point. TOMORROW at the Community Board 2 meeting that will include the New York City Department of Transportation and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, they will present a traffic study from 2005 that is outdated and irrelevant to the major economic changes along Food Center Drive. The study does not include the exit change of the Produce Market, the major move of Dairyland with increased trucking traffic, the true movement of traffic of a Baldor, etc. It does not include the economic cost to business and that is why I am asking you to come tomorrow to the Community Board Meeting where a decision will be made to go through the traffic change. Please send your transportation or CFOs who understand bottom line and the added burden this will bring to your business. They need to see you. Help me help you!!!! Josephine Infante
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