- 1 year ago
On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) delivered remarks on the construction of a new Port Authority Bus Terminal.
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00:00Hello everyone. What a spectacular to be here today with all of you on this
00:09historic day for New York City and our entire region. You know 75 years ago the
00:16Port Authority bus station opened its doors. Looks like it, doesn't it? I had
00:22lived that. Countless millions have passed through since then on their way
00:26to work, to shop, to see Broadway shows, to visit loved ones, or to experience our
00:32magnificent city for the very first time. And for many this bus station is
00:38their first impression of New York City. We can do better. We must do better. This
00:47is about our image and I will digress to say and we're going to do the same with
00:52Penn Station. I want that to be magnificent and we're going to get that done.
00:59Well let's be honest, after more than seven decades of non-stop use, this
01:05terminal is showing its age. And in recent decades many have tried, yet many have
01:14failed to get this station rebuilt. In 2007 there was a plan with the developer to
01:24renovate it with a tower on the top. Well that didn't go anywhere. In 2013 there was
01:31another attempt met by fierce community pushback. As recently as 2019 there was an
01:38effort started to bring back the 2013 plan. And none of these proposals managed to
01:46achieve what we're doing collectively today. Breaking ground on a new Midtown bus
01:53terminal.
01:55This is a once in a generation to get it right. And here we are because of the dedication of so
02:10many people who could believe that this day would come. Now I want to acknowledge my
02:15partner in government and you don't hear this a lot with respect to New York and
02:20New Jersey. But we actually like each other. We're both Irish. You're going to have a beer
02:26as soon as we leave here. And that's what was missing perhaps Phil. But I'm so proud to
02:33be here today with you to show your residents that we believe they also deserve more when
02:40they come in to their jobs, to work, to recreate because they're part of our regional family.
02:47And to all the commuters coming in from Orange County and Rockland, you deserve better as
02:52well. This Bud's for you. This is a once in a generation opportunity. Thank you Phil.
03:01Thank you to Kevin O'Toole, our chairman of the Port Authority who's had to overcome so
03:06many challenges and I respect him immensely. Rick Cotton who comes to me with the most brilliant
03:13ideas and I always say Rick you had me at hello. I mean I want to build. I want to do more. I want
03:20to show our audacity, our ambition to remind people how great we are and I want to thank
03:25you for extraordinary leadership for many many years. And then who's going to build it? I know
03:31who's going to build it. Gary LaBarber and his men and women are going to build it.
03:34And our members of Congress who support it. Congressman Jerry Nadler who believed we could
03:42do better as well. Let's give him a round of applause. Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro representing
03:50the city has joined us here today. And council members Eric Botcher, Sylvina Brooks-Powers,
03:56who never gave up on this. And I see Brad Hoylman, the late entry. There you go. Brad Hoylman,
04:03Seeger who's been a longtime friend of mine. And all the community board members. If you're
04:08part of a community board, raise your hand and thank you for all you do. Pushing us to
04:12do better. Pushing us to do better. Meeting the moment. And all the local businesses and
04:20the advocates. This takes not a village. It takes a city. It takes states. And that's why
04:26we're here today. And we worked hand in hand with local officials. And get this. You don't
04:31hear this every day of the week. We secured unanimous approval through the city council's land
04:39use project. Anybody hear that through the URL? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well done.
04:45We negotiated a $2 billion pilot agreement with the city and the port authority. Unlocking financing
04:52that's finally making this project possible. And we're delivering a project that meets the
04:57moment. Transportation that is worthy. This transportation hub that is worthy of the greatest
05:04city in the world. Because in New York we don't just talk. We build. Just look what we did.
05:10Not far from the gateway tunnel. That project was dead on arrival when I first became governor.
05:16Everyone said it was impossible. It had gone through countless governors and mayors and presidents.
05:23But I said this must happen. I would not take no for an answer. Teamed up with my partners
05:30and said we can get this done. Work with Governor Murphy. So we rolled up our sleeves. With all
05:36the federal leaders and the regional partners we secured $16 billion to make Gateway become
05:43a reality. But you know what's even more exciting to me is someone who's born and bred in a labor
05:48family. That's 100,000 good-paying labor jobs. Same story with the 2nd Avenue subway extension
05:59East Harlem. It was completely stalled when I first became governor. We brought it back to
06:04life with $3.4 billion of federal funds. Don't touch our federal funds for the 2nd Avenue subway
06:13if anybody's listening in Washington. It's another fight you don't want to have. We also secured
06:19money for the engineering and design of the Interboro Express. How exciting is that? That'll transform
06:25how New Yorkers can get from Brooklyn to Queens and vice versa. And we broke ground on the Penn
06:32Station Access Project that finally gives the Bronx and Westchester residents that direct line
06:39into Penn Station. And now the Midtown bus terminal. Time and time again I have worked with my extraordinary
06:50team to bring projects, legacy projects that could have happened at any point in our history
06:55and should have. But people said they were too hard. Just too damn hard. And we made them
07:01become a reality. That's what New York deserves. And this terminal sees upwards of 8,000 buses going in and out every
07:11single day serving 200,000 people every weekday. Those are extraordinary numbers. As I said, there are
07:20commuters from New Jersey, Rockland, Orange Counties and people from around the world. And the demand is just
07:27growing. So we're stepping up today with the Dyer Avenue deck overs. May not sound exciting to a lot
07:33of you, deck overs, okay? Believe me, ribbon cuttings are a lot more fun. And I plan to be around when this
07:40ribbon cutting is accomplished a decade from now. You know what? They told me 10 years, Rick,
07:50you know I'm going to make you shave off time. I mean, that's just how I operate. Like, you know,
07:54Gary, we can do it sooner than 10 years, right? All right. Gary says we're going to make it happen.
07:59We're going to shave off time. That's how we roll here. But we're going to lay the groundwork for a
08:03world-class terminal. It's not just any project. It's going to have a gleaming 2.1 million square
08:09feet main terminal. Drivers' seamless trips for hundreds, hundreds of people. And alleviate the
08:17traffic for this community. This is so important to our residents. And remove the inner city buses from
08:22the neighborhood streets. That's why I also want to get this done. This community deserves better.
08:30They don't need their kids growing up with idling buses, with all the fumes, making them sick.
08:37They deserve better. And we'll also give them what they deserve. 3.5 acres of open green space for
08:45recreation. This is going to be transformed. It's going to be a new civic landmark.
08:51But when it comes to delivering projects, the Port Authority delivers. And I want to thank them again
08:58for everything they've done. We work closely on the JFK Airport, Terminals 1 and 6. We got those going.
09:04And creating a world-class experience. So my point is this. Whether you're flying in,
09:10taking a bus in, taking a train in, I want everyone to have a wow factor when they come
09:16to this city. And to walk away or drive away or go away and say to others, New York has finally
09:23met the moment. We are a city, a region, worthy of all the ambition that people imagine around
09:31us. Because we got it done. I'm excited about this project, if you can tell. I'm going to be pushing
09:37it hard for an accomplishment. But this one is for the community and all of our communities. You've
09:43deserved this for a long time. And today, the future has arrived. Congratulations to everybody involved.
09:49Please welcome to the stage, Governor Phil Murphy.
10:08It's like old home week over here. Steve Sweeney and Bob Gordon. Good to see you guys.
10:13Good afternoon, everyone. It is a real treat to be here. It is incredible.
10:19It is a real honor to be back in Midtown Manhattan to mark the beginning, as Kathy said, of a new era
10:25in transportation for New Jersey, for New York, and our entire region. Once completed, the new
10:33Midtown bus terminal will offer our riders and commuters a more reliable, accessible, and enjoyable
10:41public transit experience period. And crucially, it will help transform our vision for creating a
10:49world-class transportation system into a reality, right here in the greatest region in the world.
10:57So first and foremost, I want to thank all of our partners at the federal, Jerry, good to see you,
11:03state and local level, who are working together on both sides of the Hudson to get this project done
11:09once and for all, starting with my friend and fellow governor, Kathy Hochul.
11:15Kathy, thank you for your friendship, for your leadership, for your partnership across countless
11:21areas that we work on together. To you and your colleagues here on the New York side, to each
11:28of you, I say thank you for supporting this project. I also want to thank in absentia both current
11:35Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, along with his entire team and their predecessors in the Biden-Harris
11:42administration. Just earlier this year, the Department of Transportation approved a nearly $2 billion federal loan
11:50to support the first phase of construction for this project. And we are incredibly grateful for their
11:57continued support. We're also incredibly grateful for the Port Authority, Chairman Kevin O'Toole and all of his
12:04colleagues on the Board of Commissioners with us today from the Jersey side, Joe Kelly and Mayor Chris Bullwitch.
12:11Chris and I are at not our first, but our second port event today, having just cut the ribbon in Elizabeth on the port security section,
12:19along with the port's executive director, Rick Cotton, and his extraordinary team. And we're also going to hear from him in a few minutes,
12:28but I want to thank a particular shout out to one of Kevin's fellow commissioners and the president of the New York Building and Construction Trades Council,
12:37Gary LaBarber. Gary, great to be with you as always. And to all of our brothers and sisters in labor, bless you.
12:45This project, as Gary knows better than anybody, is going to create thousands of good-paying union jobs for Gary's members,
12:53along with so many construction workers in the Great Garden State as well. And together,
12:58they're going to build the future of public transit right here in the heart of Manhattan.
13:04It's almost hard to wrap your head around the fact that the Midtown bus terminal is the busiest bus terminal in the entire world.
13:15But as any of our region's commuters will tell you, it is incredibly challenging
13:20to meet the growing demand with outdated, as Kathy mentioned, with outdated infrastructure.
13:27And considering that the current Midtown bus terminal was first built during the days of the Truman administration,
13:35I've become an aficionado of Toots Shore.
13:39Toots was at his apex at 51 West 51st in 1950 when this opened.
13:45And God bless Toots.
13:46Toots died 48 years ago.
13:50We've got to turn the page.
13:52This much is clear.
13:53It is time for a much-needed upgrade and overhaul.
13:58And that's exactly why this transformational project to fully replace, ultimately,
14:03the Midtown bus terminal is so important.
14:06Once it is completed, it will offer an entirely new and improved experience
14:11to the hundreds of thousands of riders and visitors who will walk through its doors every single day.
14:20And this project will directly benefit the thousands of New Jerseyans who commute to and from the Midtown bus terminal.
14:28It will also directly impact and benefit the New York fans, the New York firms, rather, that those commuters populate.
14:37In fact, it will nearly double the terminal's capacity for buses,
14:41from being able to handle nearly 600 buses per hour to up to more than 1,000 buses per hour once completed.
14:52And given the fact that buses account for the biggest portion of NJ Transit's ridership,
14:59this means this new terminal will be equipped to meet growing demand for our state's riders and commuters for many decades to come.
15:09And even better, this new terminal will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure
15:14to accommodate NJ Transit's growing electric bus fleet.
15:18And I want to give a shout-out to its chief executive, Chris Colori,
15:21and board chair, Fran O'Connor, who are with us today.
15:24So the bottom line is we are modernizing our entire public transit system
15:33while also making our streets cleaner and safer at the same time.
15:38And whether you commute to the Midtown bus terminal for work every day
15:42or if you are a tourist visiting our region for the very first time,
15:47this new facility will also offer you a far more pleasant and enjoyable experience.
15:54Because much like the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty Airport or LaGuardia
16:00or the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub downtown,
16:04the new Midtown bus terminal will have dedicated spaces for retail, restaurants, and entertainment.
16:11In other words, this will be a transportation hub that welcomes travelers
16:16so they can take a few minutes to grab a bite and catch their breath
16:20or just kick back and relax while they wait for their bus to arrive.
16:25And at the end of the day, that is what it means to build a world-class transportation system.
16:31Fewer headaches, better service, and greater peace of mind.
16:36So again, this new terminal is going to be a game-changer for New Jersey, for New York,
16:42and for visitors from across the entire globe.
16:46And it will help ensure that we preserve our region's proud reputation as the gateway to America.
16:54So thank you all for your commitment to completing this project
16:58and for creating the best possible public transit experience for our commuters, workers, and families.
17:06God bless you all.
17:12Please welcome Chairman Kevin O'Toole to the stage.
17:16Thank you, Governor Murphy.
17:23Thank you, Governor Hochul, for coming here today and kicking off.
17:27We could say deck overs, but it's really the kicking off of the bus terminal.
17:30Gary, are we going to hear that from you?
17:32Yes, you are.
17:33Thank you very much, Governor Hochul, for your support.
17:36Your interaction with the Port Authority has always been wonderful.
17:39Your commissioners have been terrific.
17:40Governor Murphy, I will tell you, thank you again for the interaction,
17:43the cooperation we've had from you and your office over the last eight years has been magnificent.
17:50I wasn't quite sure how today was going to start and finish.
17:53I got here early to kind of check out the setup.
17:57As a former staffer, in my heart, I'm a staffer.
18:00You want to make sure the chairs are okay, the nameplates are okay.
18:03Congressman Nadler wanted to make sure you had a front row seat.
18:06And I got here, the first person I met with was Gary LaBarbera.
18:09And Gary walks up to me and he said, Kevin, are you okay?
18:12He goes, you look like shit.
18:13I said, what?
18:14And I said, well, I'm a little tired, Gary.
18:16I flew in yesterday from Tokyo and I'm operating like 36 hours of deficit of sleep.
18:22But Gary was kind enough to point that out to me as I first saw him.
18:26Thank you, Gary.
18:28So when I landed in Newark Airport last night and went through immigration,
18:33first of all, the wonderful thing when you fly internationally and you come into the States,
18:37you hear the pilot say, welcome back to the United States of America.
18:41And as a first generation, as a mom who was born in a communist country,
18:45when I hear that every time, it really makes my heart swell and say, this is the greatest country in the world.
18:52It really is.
18:53And as I landed in Newark and you see, welcome to the United States in a Port Authority asset,
18:59I said, you know, I'm coming here today and saying, the Port Authority always answers the call.
19:08Since its start in 1921, it's been asked to do a lot of things.
19:13And it has always answered the call.
19:16Whether it was building the George Washington Bridge in the 30s or building the Lincoln Tunnel in the 30s,
19:22acquiring the Holland Tunnel, building the bus terminal, 1950, the ports, the world trade, several times over,
19:30PATH.
19:31The Port Authority has always answered the call.
19:351944, we talk about the history, 1944, Mayor LaGuardia asked the Port Authority,
19:40you got to build the bus terminal.
19:42It's too important.
19:43This region, this area, New York, New Jersey, you have to build the bus terminal.
19:47So true to form, the Port Authority answered the call.
19:52Governor Hopewell talks about since 2007, we've been talking about a bus terminal.
19:55So in 2017, the reason I'm here, I got a phone call from Senate President Sweeney.
20:02He says, come to my office.
20:04And he says, Kevin, I know you love serving in the Senate.
20:07He says, but I want you to do something different.
20:09In my own sense, I said, it's going to answer this call.
20:11So what is it, Steve?
20:12And Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg was with him.
20:15And she should be here, by the way.
20:17Senator Weinberg gets as much credit for this thing happening as anybody else.
20:21So Steve and Bob, I will say, I can't give you, Senator Gordon, as much credit as Senator Weinberg,
20:29because you know she had her heart and soul into this.
20:32So Senate President Sweeney sat me down and says, Kevin, I know you love the Senate,
20:35but there's a different calling for you.
20:38And we want you to go over to the Port Authority and serve as the chair with this fellow, Rick Cotton.
20:44I said, Steve, that's a really unusual ask.
20:47I said, why?
20:47He says, there's a lot, because one thing you have to do is focus on getting us a bus terminal.
20:52So we've been talking about it, planning about it.
20:54Now we are answering the call of the bus terminal.
20:58And we talk about once in a generation, and we've talked about the dynamics and the dimensions
21:02of what this new bus terminal will look like.
21:04And the reason it's going to get done is because we have an exceptional once in a generation leader,
21:09Rick Cotton, who's going to make sure we get it done in less than 10 years.
21:12I will tell you, Governor Hochul, and I committed to Governor Murphy, in less than 10 years.
21:17And the reason it's going to get done is because this place answers the call.
21:21There's people here that I have to acknowledge who are part of the Port Authority family,
21:26who have been part of this for 10 and 20 and 30 years.
21:30Lillian Valenti, head of purchasing, has to be.
21:34Libby McCarthy, our CFO.
21:36Diane Eller, head of bus.
21:37Diane, this is yours.
21:38Riz, Riz Beige is our engineer, our engineer, head of engineering.
21:45That's for you, Riz, by the way.
21:46That's planned.
21:48Steve Plait, I'm sure he's here somewhere.
21:52Have to be.
21:54Peter Simon, we know what your role here.
21:57And let me just ask, and like Hirsch Parekh and all of everybody from GOCOR,
22:00I want everyone to acknowledge the Port Authority family who has made this thing happy.
22:04If the Port Authority family could just stand up for a moment and take a bow for being part of this magnificent day.
22:10Port Authority, please stand.
22:17And after eight years of doing this, I will tell you, this is what we do.
22:22We build great projects.
22:24We do them with excellence.
22:26And it's state of the art.
22:27It is on time, under budget.
22:29And we do this to represent New York and New Jersey.
22:32So we answer the call.
22:33That's what we do.
22:34So I thank the Governors Hochul and Governors Murphy for giving us this opportunity.
22:38I want to thank my fellow commissioners, first of all, Kelly and Bulwidge and LaBarbera.
22:43And most importantly, my vice chair, Jeff Linford.
22:48So we talked about the unanimous vote from New York City Council on these permits, which never happens.
22:52Well, I will tell you, Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy, for eight years,
22:55the Board of Port Authority in New York and New Jersey has had a unanimous vote
22:59on every single board item we have voted for in eight years,
23:03which has never happened before in the history of the Port Authority.
23:06And it's because these people, these commissioners here,
23:09who last Thursday pledged their commitment to make sure that we're going to fully fund this bus terminal
23:13to make sure it gets done and represents the Port Authority answering the call one more time.
23:24Please welcome to the stage Executive Director, Rick Cotton.
23:39It is really wonderful to be here.
23:42This project has a long history.
23:45The program this afternoon is beginning to be a little long.
23:53I'll try not to be one of the speakers that says what everyone else has said.
23:59And what I do want to celebrate is what the previous speakers have said,
24:05which is this is an extraordinary example of a bi-state cooperation between New York and New Jersey.
24:11And I'd like to thank Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy for being here with us today.
24:18It is a real testament to the importance and the support that both of you have given,
24:24particularly to this project.
24:27The current bus terminal, as everyone has noted, is more than 70 years old.
24:33But let's be blunt.
24:34It's undersized, obsolete, structurally and architecturally archaic.
24:38It has become a notorious eyesore that fails the commuters who use it
24:43and fails the community that's surrounded.
24:48The worst place on planet Earth was how one comedian famously described our current bus terminal.
24:57And that might even be an understatement.
25:00It's bad enough that the bus terminal has become one of the most reviled buildings in America.
25:05But it's located in the heart of Manhattan, near what is called the crosswords of the world
25:11and right in the middle of the nation's largest and most famous city.
25:17While there has been a longstanding consensus on the need to replace the bus terminal,
25:22the path to getting here today was not easy.
25:25Both governors have recognized that this project has needed to be done for decades
25:31and it has simply not gotten done.
25:36Indeed, within the last decade, there's also a consensus to replace it.
25:44But earlier proposals of that era regarding the new bus terminal were mired in controversy
25:50when the port authority, at the port authority, and faced opposition from the surrounding community.
25:59The stalemate derived from debates a decade ago about whether to build in Manhattan or New Jersey,
26:06a debate that divided the states.
26:09And from design competitions that were dominated by projects requiring extensive takings of private property
26:16by eminent domain that precipitated intense opposition from the local community.
26:22To break the stalemate, the chairman and I decided that we would map a way forward
26:28by focusing on two fundamental and actually fairly obvious propositions,
26:35but that we thought was the solution.
26:38Eight years ago.
26:39Pillar one, the terminal must be of the highest quality and it must be capable of meeting
26:45the needs of commuters who will use the terminal for decades into the future.
26:51And pillar number two, the way forward must take fully into account the needs of the community
26:58surrounding the bus terminal, and most importantly, with no taking of private property.
27:04To that end, we conducted hundreds of meetings with community leaders, many of whom are here today,
27:12elected officials on both sides of the river, and transit advocates.
27:16We incorporated that feedback and released a new proposal in January of 2011, 2021,
27:26that was dramatically different, totally different, from any preceding plan
27:31in order to respond to what we heard.
27:36So for commuters and bus riders, what would they get from this revised plan,
27:42which is the plan that is what we are building?
27:47Thanks to this plan, commuters will get a modern, well-organized, inspiring new terminal
27:55with top-quality concessions, brightly-lit gates and corridors, easy-to-follow wayfinding,
28:01and a striking, light-filled central atrium, something they will remember with pleasure.
28:08The new terminal will be able to accommodate more and larger buses and fully electric fleets.
28:13It will use artificial intelligence to coordinate bus movements and drive efficiencies
28:18to reduce the time that commuters now spend waiting in line or waiting in buses for their gate to clear.
28:26For the community, what would they get from the revised plan?
28:29The larger bus terminal combined with the addition, brand-new addition,
28:35of a storage and staging facility,
28:38which may not sound sexy,
28:40but it will dramatically take buses off the street.
28:43No idling buses, no pickups and drop-offs on the street.
28:47All of that will occur inside our new terminal complex.
28:53Also, the new ramp system to and from the Lincoln Tunnel
28:56will eliminate the need for buses coming from or going to the tunnel
28:59to ever touch city streets, a key concern within the community.
29:04The blank outer walls with the crisscross steel beams of the current bus terminal
29:11that make it look more like a fortress than a transportation system
29:16will be torn down, and the new terminal will offer outward-facing retail
29:20that enlivens the blocks around the bus terminal
29:23and revitalizes and contributes positively to the ambience of the community.
29:29And right here where we are standing, once construction concludes,
29:34the Dyer Avenue deck overs will be expanded and converted,
29:37as you've heard, into three-and-a-half acres of open, public green space,
29:43something that is scarce in Hell's Kitchen.
29:47This is the proposal that was analyzed in an exhaustive environmental impact statement
29:52and was approved by both the Federal Transit Administration,
29:56and we are grateful to them for their support,
29:58not only in approving our plan for the bus terminal,
30:02but also for a $1.9 billion loan contributing to its financing.
30:11It was approved by the New York City land-use process,
30:16concluding with the unanimous vote of approval from the New York City Council,
30:20and it has received unprecedented support
30:23from the two relevant community boards and the five elected officials
30:28whose districts encompass the bus terminal.
30:31We all know that this project has been needed for decades.
30:36Finally, we are here to put a shovel in the ground
30:39for the first stage of construction, the deck overs.
30:43We are able to celebrate this moment
30:45because we adhere to those two basic propositions,
30:49addressing the needs of commuters and of the community.
30:53And when we're done, we'll have a transportation center
30:55that this region can finally be proud of,
30:59that commuters will enjoy and that the community can embrace.
31:04But getting here today, as I said, was a long path,
31:09and the key role or the key thing that I want to do right now
31:14is a list of thank yous to people without whose support
31:18we would not be here today,
31:21beginning with Governors Hochul and Governor Murphy.
31:28Thank you for your support and your advocacy of this project.
31:34Thank you to Mayor Eric Adams and his team at City Hall,
31:38represented here today by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro.
31:41Thank you to Congressman Jerry Nadler.
31:45Thank you to State Senator Brad Hoyland-Siegel.
31:48Thank you to Assembly Member Tony Simone.
31:51Thank you to Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
31:54And thank you to City Council Member Eric Botcher.
31:57Thank you to Dan Grodnick and his staff at the New York City Department of City Planning,
32:04who were key to the approval process,
32:07New York City Department of Transportation staff,
32:10and City Council Member Sylvina Brooks-Power.
32:14Without those supporters, we would not be here today.
32:18And I also have to thank, as the chairman did,
32:22the senior staff and all of the staff at the Port Authority
32:26who have worked literally on this phase of the plan.
32:31Many of them have worked for multiple decades,
32:34but in terms of the past eight years,
32:37who have brought this to reality.
32:41Steve Plait and Alan Reese,
32:43to Diane Eller,
32:44to Lillian Valenti,
32:46to Derek Utter,
32:47Jim Heitman,
32:48Libby McCarthy,
32:49Amy Fisher,
32:50Rizwan Baig.
32:59And I guess that is it.
33:01So thank you.
33:02I guess...
33:04And finally,
33:12to recognize that this
33:14project will be built
33:16day and night
33:18by the members of organized labor.
33:22And we, as in all of our projects,
33:24are enormously gratified
33:26for their efforts.
33:37Please welcome Gary LaBarbera to the stage.
33:44Well, good afternoon, everyone.
33:46It's good to be here.
33:48So I want to share a few comments,
33:50and I will keep it brief.
33:52And I want to talk about two different topics.
33:56But the first topic I want to do also is I want to thank all of the people at the Port Authority
34:04and all of the elected officials, but in particular, I truly want to thank, and I really applaud both
34:10Governor Hochul and Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy, and I want to share something with you, you know, I've seen you together many times, and I know you've worked on a lot of things in true partnership, and I want you to know that your relationship, but the bi-state relationship literally transcends to the Port Authority Board.
34:32I have said this publicly many times, and I will say it again, and I will say it again, in my 32 career in union leadership, I think one of the most high honors I've had, and Rick, you know I've said this publicly, is to have the opportunity to serve as a commissioner to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
34:51This organization, this agency, this authority is outstanding, the people that run the authority, the people that, all of the staff, outstanding, and this authority's commitment to, as Rick Cotton and Kevin say all the time, best in class.
35:12Well, the Port Authority in New York and New Jersey, as far as I'm concerned, compared to any other agency or authority, is absolutely best in class.
35:22So thank you for your leadership, Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy.
35:30The relationship between New York and New Jersey is, as Chairman O'Toole said, I've been on that board since 2017, it's eight years,
35:41and in my time, and in my term as a commissioner, we have had many, many tough issues, many votes, and every vote for eight years has been unanimous between the New York commissioners and the New Jersey commissioners.
35:57So I wanted to point out how well the two states and the representatives as commissioners work together on behalf of the public and on behalf of the agency.
36:10So thank you again, and believe me, I attribute that to Governor Hochul's leadership and Governor Murphy's leadership, as well to Chairman O'Toole's leadership and the Executive Director, Rick Cotton,
36:22and we certainly would not mention who is a brilliant, brilliant person and is really an asset to the board, our Vice Chair, Jeff Linford.
36:32You know, Jeff is a very impressive person, so we were chatting earlier, and we were talking that, you know, the members of the Billion Trades are going to build it,
36:42and, you know, he is a real finance guy, and he goes, oh, I just got to figure out how to finance it.
36:47And I said, well, that's what you're here for, along with our CFO, and I'm sure we're going to be able to do that.
36:53So it is great.
36:55This is a very, very significant moment in time.
36:58It is, in my opinion, a transformative moment for this community, for the ridership, and for the economy in Hell's Kitchen.
37:08Let me just now kind of talk to you from the Billion Trades perspective.
37:12You know, this is a project that will literally create, you know, tens of thousands of union construction jobs, right?
37:18But not only will it create these opportunities for current members, when you have significant large projects,
37:25we will now be able to bring more people from underserved and marginalized communities into a middle class career as a union construction worker in the city of New York.
37:36So this project isn't just about the current members, it's about the future as well.
37:41It's about the future of opportunity for workers to go into the middle class.
37:45It's about the future of opportunity for this community.
37:49You think about when you have thousands of construction workers and you think about local shops and bodegas,
37:54any place, any community, whether it's any of the boroughs, you walk in to a local store or a local shop when there's a construction project going on,
38:04they are thrilled and they really never want to see it end because of how their businesses flourish.
38:10And so this is an economic driver for not only for the workers, but for all of the retail, all of the bodega owners, all of the community.
38:22It just is creating an enormous opportunity.
38:25So really, again, really what I'm here to say is thank you to so many, to all of our elected officials and the city council, everyone,
38:33and the mayor's office as well.
38:35And look, the bottom line is this, right?
38:38This is going to be one of the best in quality terminals, I would say, anywhere in the world.
38:47And why would I say that?
38:49Well, think about LaGuardia Airport, right?
38:52Best in class, one of the top five airports, not in North America, in the globe.
38:59And I will tell you that JFK will be the same.
39:04And I will tell you that the bus terminal will be the same.
39:08Best in class.
39:09And I guarantee both governors that the tradesmen and women that work on this project and build this project will be and are best in class.
39:20Thank you so much, everyone.
39:22God bless you all.
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