Although the demise of the West Side stadium has been reported far and wide, the NY Jets organization has not relinquished its claim to the development rights above the MTA’s West Side rail yard (though they have not formally closed the deal either). How or whether a football stadium end game plays out, a number of key issues for the district will continue to be major issues for the city:

• The #7 subway extension. The MTA is set to begin eminent domain proceedings for the project, with a hearing scheduled for June 16. The city has been willing to pay for the $2 billion project up to now, though likely cost overruns may end up in the MTA’s lap. It, and probably other mass transit improvements, will be needed to anchor any major development on the far West Side. The MTA admits that without other subway system expansion, like the 2nd Avenue subway, the #7 project could cause crowding problems in transfer stations like Grand Central Terminal.

• Whether the Jets abandon their interest in the West Side site or the dispute over the MTA’s award of the development rights to a low bidder remains mired in court (petitioners in the recently dismissed lawsuit on the issue of the MTA’s award of the development rights are appealing), the MTA’s 2005-2009 capital program depends in part on reaping a strong return on this asset.

• West Side community groups have sued the city over its rezoning plan for the area because its relaxation of parking restrictions in effect for Manhattan south of 60th Street violates city and state plans to meet U.S. Clean Air Act goals.

The NY Times recently called for the city to begin its work to develop the far West Side by getting the transformation of the Farley post office building into a train station moving. The project has been agreed to in concept for years, but neither city or state leadership has exerted the pressure needed to get it moving. A Newsday editorial writer cast its net wider, calling for a return to solving the funding problem for the LIRR Grand Central connection and the Second Avenue subway.

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