June 1, 2017

Mr. Louis Kestenbaum

Chairman
Fortis Property Group, LLC
45 Main Street #800
Brooklyn, NY 11201

RE: Concerns regarding parkland and publicly-accessible open spaces at the former Long
Island College Hospital campus.

Dear Mr. Kestenbaum:

We write to express our concern regarding the Fortis Property Groups evident disregard for the
public approval process that governs the redesign of parkland in New York City. Your firms
marketing materials for the redevelopment of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) tout the
alteration of City-owned property, without any prior public consultation and repeat a troubling
pattern of privatizing land that is required by law to be publicly-accessible.

In a press release dated April 17, 2017, the redevelopment of LICH is rebranded River Park and
described as fronting a newly re-envisioned park. Further, a spokesperson for Fortis issued a
statement to Curbed New York pointing to the existing park space surrounding and within the site,
which Fortis will only enhanced [sic] and beautify.

It is troubling to promote the re-envisioning of public parkland without first consulting with the
public. Adjacent to the former LICH campus is Van Voorhees Park, located along the Brooklyn-
Queens Expressway with well-used play equipment, fitness equipment, and sports courts. Within the
former LICH campus are three well-used parks: Henry Street I (also known as the blue and yellow
playground), Henry Street II (a toddler playground), and Henry Street III (a sitting area). Proposals to
alter parkland must be approved by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR),
which in turn consults with local elected officials, the Community Board, civic associations, and
neighbors.

It is our understanding that the Fortis Property Group has not communicated with any public officials
regarding alteration of these parks.

This cavalier attitude to private alterations of public open space is of heightened concern given
Fortis troubling pattern of privatizing land that is required by law to be accessible to the public,
including:
 Repeated and prolonged closure of the Henry Street Parks and the Pacific Street easement for
use as construction staging locations.
Failure to adequately maintain the portions of the Henry Street Parks which remain open to
the public, including: failure to replace damaged or missing play equipment, dangerous
protrusions in the play surface, damage to the drainage system, and inadequate cleaning and
debris removal services.
Proposal to use Pacific Street from Henry to Hicks Streets, where a public easement is in
place, as a private driveway to receive deliveries and access parking garages.
Unpermitted and illegal use of public on-street parking spaces on Henry Street between
Pacific and Amity Streets by construction contractors, which caused the wrongful issuing of
parking tickets to neighborhood residents.

We intend to work aggressively with DPR to ensure that public access, rights, and control of these
open spaces is not undermined by private action.

If you wish to speak with us about your proposals to alter any of these parks, you can contact
Catherine Zinnel, in the Office of New York City Council Member Brad Lander, at 718-499-1090.

Sincerely,

Brad Lander Letitia James Scott Stringer

New York City Council Member New York City Public Advocate New York City Comptroller

Eric L. Adams Nydia M. Velzquez Daniel Squadron

Brooklyn Borough President Member of Congress New York State Senator

Jo Anne Simon
New York State Assembly Member

CC: Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Mr. Martin Maher, Borough Commissioner for Brooklyn, New York City Department of
Parks & Recreation
Mr. Ty Beatty, Assistant District Manager, Brooklyn Community Board 6
Ms. Amy Breedlove, President, Cobble Hill Association