Listening to the City

For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Steve Rubel, CooperKatz 212-455-8085 srubel@cooperkatz.com
Lesley Weiner, CooperKatz 212-455-8079 lweiner@cooperkatz.com

City Council Members Urge Region Residents to Participate in July 20 "Listening to the City" Town Hall Meeting

New York, NY - June 24, 2002 - On the steps of City Hall today, City Council Member Alan Gerson, Chair of the Council's Select Committee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment, José Serrano, Chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee, and David Weprin, Chair of the Finance Committee, urged residents of the tri-state area to participate in the "Listening to the City," a 21st century town hall meeting to consider plans for the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan and the creation of a permanent memorial to the victims of 9/11. "Listening to the City" will take place on Saturday, July 20th at the Jacob Javits Center.

Up to 5,000 individuals can participate in the free, day-long event, which will be the first opportunity for the public to voice its views on the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's six scenarios for the area and to discuss other concerns and ideas for revitalizing the region. To register for the event, individuals should call 1-800-862-3154 or visit www.listeningtothecity.org. Check-in and breakfast start at 8:00 a.m. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

"People of all walks of life have expressed their strong desire to be part of the planning process for Downtown New York," said Council Member Gerson. "'Listening to the City' is an innovative way for many voices to be heard. We strongly encourage residents of New York City and the surrounding region to participate and help shape the future."

Listening to the City is being organized by the Civic Alliance to Rebuild Downtown New York, a coalition of more than 85 civic, labor, business, environmental groups and academic institutions, all committed to ensuring that community voices are heard.

"We are delighted that City Council members are urging residents of the area to participate in 'Listening to the City,' said Robert D. Yaro, Chairman of the Civic Alliance and President of the Regional Plan Association. "We want to ensure that this event is representative of the region's great diversity. The Council members' encouragement will help us meet that goal."