On Saturday, November 21st, 2009 from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Manhattan Community Board 9 (CB 9) kicked off the process of developing a unified community vision for the future of the abandoned and now vandalized Garbage Marine Transfer Station at 135th Street and the Hudson River with the 135th Street MTS Community Forum. The event, held at City College of New York, attracted a diverse group of almost 70 community residents, leaders, local businesses, developers, seniors, advocacy groups, and students.
 
Council Member Robert Jackson served as the event's opening speaker. The program featured a presentation by the Mayor's office about the history and current conditions of the 135th Street MTS, a review of several possible reuses that CB 9 supports, and a presentation about next steps in the process. Building on the success of the West Harlem Piers Park Campaign, WE ACT have partnered with CB 9 to redevelop the abandoned 135th St. Marine Transfer Station (MTS), and continue the transformation of the West Harlem waterfront.

(Please click here for more pictures.)

 

Through presentations and forum discussions, the event succeeded in its goal of educating participants about (and creating a dialogue on) the history, current conditions, obstacles, and opportunity of redeveloping the MTS. After the presentations, forum participants and presenters engaged in a lively two-hour discussion on key issues, including the potential reuses of the site, concerns about current conditions, and next steps.
 
Everything discussed at the forum will be used to inform our next steps as CB 9 and WE ACT move forward together with a visioning session. In the near future, we will recruit community members to serve on a steering committee, which will help both CB 9 and WE ACT as we begin with planning and execution of the visioning session and future community town halls.
 
We look forward to your continued participation in this effort to build a better, greener, healthier waterfront for our West Harlem community. In the meantime, if you would like to either volunteer with the campaign or join the steering committee, please contact James Subudhi at 347-464-8484, or James@weact.org.
 
We'd like to thank CB 9 for their willingness to partner with us, City College for providing space and facilities, Café One for providing breakfast, Domestic Workers United for providing daycare, Fernando Parra for providing translation, Next Generation Caterers for providing lunch, and Alejandro Baquero-Cifuentes of the Mayor's Office for participating. 
 
Finally, thanks to everyone who made it out to the MTS Community Forum. 

Sincerely,
 
Team WE ACT