Moskowitz of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan moderates NYC Charter Review Critical to Future of City

New York, NY A panel of New York’s leading real estate thinkers discussed the current New York City Charter review, which could turn out to be the most momentous change in city real estate decision-making since 1989.

Held on March 26, at New York Law School, Center for Real Estate Studies and Center for New York City Law, and moderated by Ross Moskowitz, partner, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, the group concluded that the team leading the Charter review process have a heavy responsibility to present to the public ballot well considered options that don’t dilute or jeopardize New York’s current success. 

The central issue is how to facilitate better quality community engagement that is resistant to manipulation or the insertion of narrow interests claiming to speak for the full community. While impacting all New Yorkers, the full importance of pending ballot measures may elude the smaller number of voters expected at the polls this November. 

The city has also had the capacity to evolve the mix of industries and communities as the national and global economy has changed, refreshing its urban ecosystem before being caught in any particular dying cycle, but New York’s success is not inevitable, the panel reminded the assembled crowd.

Additional panelists included:

• Carl Weisbrod, Senior Advisor, HR&A Advisors, Inc.
• Catherine McVay Hughes, Former Chair, Community Board 1
• Miriam Harris, EVP, Trinity Place Holdings Inc.
• Basha Gerhards, VP of Policy and Planning, REBNY
• David G. Greenfield, CEO, Met Council