Details Behind Halt to NYBG Garage Construction... (a mere $20 million will finish the job)

Rendering of NYBG garage as it will look upon completion
(whenever that may be...)
Courtesy of crainsnewyork.com/NYBG


BoogieDowner photo of stalled worksite from a few months ago

We have been hearing at our Bedford Mosholu Community Association meetings that the construction of the New York Botanical Garden's parking garage on Bedford Park Blvd. and Webster Avenue had come to a halt because of the pesky global credit crisis we currently find ourselves in... but until now we didn't have too many nitty gritty details about the stalled project.

Big ups to Crain's New York Business for the story they posted today on the issue. Click here to check it out.

In a nutshell, NYBG has already forked over $13 million to purchase the plot of land and design the site. However, the project has been stalled since the summer due to both credit and revenue crunches, leaving nothing but a gaping hole in the ground. NYBG is appealing to Washington for stimulus funds in the amount of $20 million in order to complete the job.

BoogieDowner sure hopes this project gets back on track somehow... Just from a local pedestrian's standpoint, the inactive work site is a huge nuisance because it forces residents to walk essentially right IN the right northbound lane of Webster Avenue. All that stands between me and Pearl in her stroller and the Bx41 bus is a temporary blockade. Very dangerous stuff...

~ErLu