I’m the co-founder of Whitmans Restaurant. After launching our flagship location in the East Village in 2010, we opened a second branch in West Chelsea in 2016. Business was great, albeit with some normal ups and downs that come with running a restaurant in New York. But then the COVID pandemic hit, which was a huge blow to our city’s small businesses and economic health.
While the restaurant industry and popular businesses like mine have largely bounced back, thanks in no small part to huge companies like those headquartered at Hudson Yards bringing tens of thousands of workers back to the office, anyone who has been to our neighborhood knows we have more to do. There are still shuttered storefronts and we have yet to see tourists back in full force at pre-pandemic levels.
To fully realize our neighborhood’s potential, we need bold plans for growth that will attract other New Yorkers and tourists, maximize the way we use our public spaces, and invest in our infrastructure and community needs.
That’s why I firmly support plans to build a new community hub at Hudson Yards West that will be anchored by the Wynn Resort and Casino and make billions in other investments in our city possible. If built, it will be a huge boost for the neighborhood – especially for those of us who rely on foot traffic to keep the lights on.
Why am I so confident in this next phase of Hudson Yards? Hudson Yards has already transformed the neighborhood into a bustling hive of activity containing dozens of businesses that draw millions of visitors annually. There are also tens of thousands of office employees at Hudson Yards, many of whom frequent neighborhood businesses like Whitman’s on a regular basis.
Now it’s time to build on that success. The Hudson Yards West project will bring critical jobs, housing, and quality-of-life improvements to all New Yorkers – not just small businesses like mine.
If approved by city and state officials, the investment by Related and Wynn Resorts to build a casino and hotel, commercial office tower and 1,500 housing units would bring 35,000 construction jobs and 5,000 permanent, good-paying jobs. The plans also call for a new public school, childcare center and huge green park, all of which will draw thousands of visitors to the neighborhood.
Don’t just take my word for it. Dozens of community members spoke in favor of the project at a city hearing in February, including my fellow business owners, longtime neighborhood residents, and nonprofit leaders.
If approved, our neighborhood stands to benefit from at least $200 million in community investments over the next decade—funded by the Casino’s gaming revenues. That’s not only money for local non-profit organizations, soup kitchens and job training programs; plans also call for a new neighborhood foundation with a $4 million annual budget to quickly pay for quality-of-life improvements in West Chelsea.
I know there are some in our community who don’t like casinos and want to say no to developing this site. But it is easy to constantly say “no” without offering any solutions. That ability to say no often comes from a point of privilege; from people who can afford to wait for the perfect plan, or aren’t looking for a new job or steady income. But what Chelsea — and New York City — needs are bold ideas for our future.
Hudson Yards West means progress: It means good-paying jobs, community investments and planning for the future. We must say “yes” to this project.
Larry Kramer is the co-founder of Whitmans Restaurant in Hudson Yards and the East Village.
