Peter Kalikow

Council member Melinda Katz, a candidate for city comptroller, is having a June 19 fund-raiser that will showcase strong support from black and Latino lawmakers.

The elected officials on the host committee for the event include Yvette Clarke, Jeff Aubry, Jose Peralta, Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Maria Baez, Helen Foster and Melissa Mark Viverito.

One of her strongest opponents is Adolfo Carrion, the only Latino in the race.

It’s worth noting that Arroyo, Baez and Foster are also, like Carrion, from the Bronx.

The invitation also includes a number of big real estate people who sit on Katz’s finance committee: Douglas Durst, Peter Kalikow and Richard Ravitch. Katz recently said that her connections to the real estate industry are an asset to her.

Michael Bloomberg hosted a fund-raiser in his East Side townhouse for Peter Vallone, Jr. last night.

Attendees included noted real estate developer Jack Rudin, former MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow aspiring mayoral candidate, John Catsimatidis, and DC 37 union boss Lilian Roberts, and president Ed Malloy of Building and Construction Trades Council.

Vallone apparently took the opportunity to unofficially declare his candidacy for higher office.

According to an attendee, Vallone pointed out that the mayor was on the cover of Newsweek with a big article about how he’s not running for president, then declared jokingly that he was "raising money to not run for borough president."

According to a source close to Vallone, the event raised $200,000.

It’s now unpaid, largely ceremonial, and you’re under the thumb of the most powerful Governor in a long time. Welcome to the post-Ravitch chairmanship!  read more »

Peter Kalikow’s Monday morning announcement that he would step down after six years as chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority surprised no one, not least of whom Mr. Kalikow himself.  read more »

The departure of MTA chair Peter Kalikow got a mixed reaction from uber-advocate Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign, who noted that Kalikow "wisely invested recent surpluses in worthwhile needs, including pension liabilities, more security, painting all 468 subway stations and a holiday fare bonus program" but also that he "fueled poor labor-management relations by refusing to sign the fair contract MTA staff had negotiated with Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union."

Russianoff's full list of Kalikow highlights is after the jump.  read more »

It is a wonder Peter Kalikow held on as long as he did as chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, because, in announcing his resignation today, he certainly didn’t sound like he had had a good time:  read more »

Today is the day Governor Spitzer has been waiting for: Peter Kalikow plans to announce that he is resigning as chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to a state official.

It was back in June that Mr. Spitzer, at the time simply the presumptive governor, vowed to replace Mr. Kalikow, a real-estate developer and former owner of the New York Post, even though he really would not have the power to do so. Mr. Kalikow, just reappointed to a six-year term, promised to stay on—at first he said for one or two years or more, then he said until projects he wanted had gotten off the ground, and then he said sometime in the spring.  read more »

Today is the day Governor Spitzer has been waiting for: Peter Kalikow plans to announce that he is resigning as chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to a state official.

It was back in June when Mr. Spitzer, at the time simply the presumptive governor, vowed to replace Mr. Kalikow, a real-estate developer and former owner of the New York Post, even though he really would not have the power to do so. Mr. Kalikow, just reappointed to a six-year term, promised to stay on—at first he said for one or two years or more, then he said until projects he wanted had gotten off the ground, and then he said sometime in the spring.  read more »

New M.T.A. chief Lee Sander was a skeptic about the long-planned East Side subway. Now he’s in charge of completing 33 blocks by 2013.  read more »

Spitzer, Schumer, Clinton And Rangel: Time to Deliver for New York    read more »

Spitzer, Schumer, Clinton And Rangel: Time to Deliver for New York    read more »

Spitzer, Schumer, Clinton And Rangel: Time to Deliver for New York  read more »

Spitzer, Schumer, Clinton And Rangel: Time to Deliver for New York    read more »

As previewed in today's Times, The Real Estate Board of New York announced today that Related's Stephen Ross will replace John Zucotti as its chairman, putting the kibosh on its earlier offer to Peter Kalikow. -Matthew Schuerman

In what looks like a conscious echo of Ned Lamont's attention-grabbing literature in Connecticut, here's part of a campaign flyer being handed out by one of the opponents of Transport Workers Union president Roger Toussaint opponents showing him hugging MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow.  read more »

For more information on the flyer, or the union's election later this year, check out Chuck Bennett.

-- Azi Paybarah

Isn't it ironic that the city's MTA chairman, Mr. Pete Kalikow, has his own special form of transportation? From The New York Times:

Another of Pininfarina's one-of-a-kind projects was a car for Peter S. Kalikow, the New York developer and chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The car is a tweaked Ferrari 612 -- what Bill Gates might call Release 1.1 of the Scaglietti. Mr. Kalikow and Mr. Pininfarina call it the 612K...

Ferraris are as much legend as brand, and Mr. Kalikow's brief to the designers of his special 612 has already become legendary. The charge was to change the basic car only slightly -- so slightly, in fact, that only 10 percent of Ferrari owners would notice the difference.

10%, huh? Contratulations, Mr. Kalikow.

- Max Abelson

• Governor-to-be Spitzer has made it clear that he doesn't want Peter Kalikow around at the helm of the MTA--even though Georgie Pataki has reappointed him for six years. But an oh-so-awkward stalemate has been avoided, because the heroic Real Estate Board of New York has asked Mr. Kalikow to become the group's chairman. If politics won't have you, REBNY's arms are always open wide. (New York Times)
• If you live in the United States, you've probably never heard the name of yoga-friendly Canadian retailer LuluLemon Athletica. But if sometime over the next decade you happen to wander through Midtown, SoHo, Union Square (or two other neighborhoods yet to be disclosed), you'll certainly hear the name. Over and over again. (Crain's)
• That voluminous ripping you heard last night near Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village was the sound of $4,500,000,000 checks being torn out of mega-gigantic checkbooks. Will the winning bidder be Trump? No. Might MetLife sell the 110 buildings to its tenants if the price is right? Maybe. Maybe. (NY1)
• Jim Carrey has signed a one-year lease on a Lincoln Center penthouse, and it's a mere $45,000 a month! He got the four-bedroom place because he's supposed to be in town to shoot A Little Game Without Consequence. BUT: a day after that item was reported, Mr. Carrey and his co-star and director have abruptly abandoned the project, which tragically leaves the comedian an unwanted $540,000 rental. New York real estate is not a little game. (New York Magazine)
- Max Abelson  read more »
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The deal to rezone the West Side Yards is still not done. M.T.A. board member Mitch Pally, who had been a thorn in the side of Chairman Peter Kalikow before, pointed out at this morning's meeting that no where did the memorandum of understanding he was asked to vote on stipulated that the city would bear the costs of buying property for the No. 7 line extension. "We will," Kalikow said. "The agreement will be amended appropriately." The board voted unanimously anyway, though the amendment will also have to be approved by the city. -Matthew Schuerman

M.T.A. Chairman Peter Kalikow invented his own language in a hearing this morning on the state transit agency's potential sale of the West Side rail yards to the city.

"The city of New York has guaranteed us $2 billion for the No. 7 line," he said at first, but under questioning from Assembly Member Richard Brodsky, backed down and said, "My 'guarantee' was a term of mine, not a term of law. I regret the choice of words."

Once upon a time, the city had all but promised the $2 billion to the M.T.A. (PDF) to extend the No. 7 to 11th Avenue, using the money from real estate developers that it would get as a result of the up-zoning. But now that the city says it needs those rail yards in order to sell the bonds for the extension, suddenly the whole enterprise is in jeopardy.

When asked after the hearing whether the city would give the M.T.A. the $2 billion is the two parties didn't make a deal, Kalikow said, "I don't know."

If a deal is reached, the next Governor or even Governor-elect will have a chance to review it, Kalikow said, and Eliot Spitzer has already said he thinks the city's $500 million offer is too low.

-Matthew Schuerman

The Democratic front-runner Eliot Spitzer formalizes his earlier objections to the city's bid for the West Side Rail Yards in a letter today to M.T.A. Chairman Peter Kalikow (PDF), which seem designed to frustrate any potential profit that Mayor Bloomberg might realize by taking control over the land.

More significantly, the letter drips with distrust: First, Sptizer suggests that M.T.A. staff, and not Kalikow, conduct the negotiations with the city, which are taking place this month and early next. Failing that, he writes, bring in another member of the M.T.A. board, like Nancy Blakeman, the head of the agency's real estate committee and a vice president at her father's trucking company who was appointed to the board by Gov. Pataki.

On the face of it, it doesn't seem like Kalikow would have much reason to listen to directions given by a private citizen (the letter was written on personal stationery) who has essentially asked him to resign. But, hey, that's just Eliot's style.  read more »

-Matthew Schuerman

This morning, board members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority took it for granted that Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff's No. 7 extension was going to cost more than its $2 billion estimate, even throwing around numbers as high as $3.5 billion.

What that means is that the developers' tax payments would no longer cover the cost of running the line out to 11th Avenue and down to 34th Street. Instead, the M.T.A.--and, indirectly, the poor schmucks who take it to work each day--will have to help out.  read more »

"I don't think they are going to give us a billion-and-a-half-dollar blank check if there is an overrun like that," M.T.A. Chairman Peter Kalikow told his board. "I clearly think there are some areas where we should be covered for some of the overruns."

From a readers' Q&A in Saturday's Daily News, MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow answers a request to give a Queens resident a lift to the store:

As long as you don't have too many groceries. There's not much room. We'll see what we can do.

-Matthew Schuerman

The Times reports state lawmakers have reached agreements on Medicaid fraud and an expanded DNA database.

The Daily News reports Peter Kalikow will not resign if requested to do so by the next governor.

The Albany Times Union reports Senate Democrats are crying foul over George Pataki's appointments, extending his influence into the next governor's term.

—Nicole Brydson

The Sun asks if the budget will strain the Mayor's relationship with the Speaker; and Tom Manton gives up his day job.

Over at the Daily News, Ben Smith writes about the Clinton-Murdoch relationship.

The Post writes that Peter Kalikow may endorse Hillary Clinton.

And the Times looks at the Sweeney-Gillibrand match up in the 20th congressional district.

—Nicole Brydson

As the labor dispute afflicting the city’s transit system trundles on—yes, the subways a  read more »

As the labor dispute afflicting the city’s transit system trundles on—yes, the subways and buses  read more »

• Having just completed his truncated jail sentence, Roger Toussaint is fired up once again. The Transport Workers Union is suing the MTA for not accepting the contract the two feuding sides worked out after the strike. Well, it should be noted that the TWU had voted against this contract, before voting for it. Peter Kalikow now says it's off the table. (The New York Post)
• About 500 surveillance cameras are about to be installed throughout the city. First stop: Hot 97's Hudson Street building. Even with yet another shooting, the radio statio still has a lease until 2012. (Daily News)
• Sopranos star and lad mag pin-up Jamie-Lynn Sigler has just signed a contract for a Tribeca loft that's a bit under $3 million. Alas, she decided against the Urban Glass House. (New York)

-Michael Calderone

After digging himself out of financial difficulties in the 1990’s, Peter Kalikow thought there was  read more »

After digging himself out of financial difficulties in the 1990’s, Peter Kalikow thought there  read more »

Matt Schuerman and I argue that the transit strike is less about dollars and cents and more about the character of the two men at its center, Roger Toussaint and Peter Kalikow.

Jess Bruder profiles sack-racing champion Joe Crowley.  read more »

And Jason Horowitz finds turmoil at the city ballet.

These daily disclosures of campaign spending continue to yield interesting tidbits.

One is that major real estate developers appear to have noticed that Scott Stringer, the Democratic nominee for Manhattan Borough President, is about to have a say over their projects, and are responding accordingly.  read more »

The last few days show contributions totalling $13,500 from developers Peter Kalikow (who runs the MTA on the side), Harry and William Macklowe, and Stanley Chera.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, one David Levner has demonstrated some serious faith in Green Party Borough President candidate Gloria Mattera by floating her a $20,000 loan.

(UPDATED)*

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, the anti-Ratner/Nets Stadium organization, just released a letter it sent to M.T.A. chairman Peter Kalikow last Friday, cosigned with 44 other city groups.

The neighborhood group wants the M.T.A. to release information about bids the agency is receiving to develop the Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn.

Extell--the developer that's also pursuing a controversial (and recently deadly) development on Brodway and 100th Street--recently put in a bid for the property, setting the stage for another Cablevision/Jets-like showdown with Ratner and the Nets.

"The people will not accept a repeat of the West Side process," wrote Daniel Goldstein in the accompanying press release. "We are expressing very clearly to the MTA that there are two legitimate proposals that they must give equal consideration. The MTA and Ratner have been negotiating for two years, the least they can do is refrain from rushing to a decision in two weeks. Also, the land they are dispensing is public land and therefore the bids should be made public before a decision is made."

No response yet from the M.T.A.  read more »

Rumors the Carlyle group was involved in the Extell bid were prevalent in the conversation about the Atlantic Yards, though a recent report carries a statement from the controversial organization isn't working with Extell on the Brooklyn project, though they have helped Extell acquire property in the past (see second-last graf).

* Original posting omitted 44 signatories to the letter besides DDDB; also asserted Carlyle Group's involvement with the Nets project. - Matthew Grace

Sure, a majority of the MTA board favors the Jets proposal for the West Side, but chairman Peter Kalikow just may have his own reasons to prefer Cablevision. He's pals with Rand Araskog, who was recently named to the board of Cablevision and also sits on the board of several other companies, including ITT and Rayonier, a forestry products company, and was formerly on the board of Hartford Financial and Starwood Hotels. According to Kalikow's 2004 financial disclosure forms, he owns stock in six companies - three of them are Starwood, Rayonier and Hartford Financial and he earns interest income from ITT.  read more »

"It's a dog-and-pony show without the dog or the pony," one reporter muttered as Charlie Schueler, a  read more »

George Pataki has been noncommittal about whether he'll seek a fourth term as Governor of New York,  read more »

Peter Kalikow's legacy is about to take another left turn.The white-haired, dapper-suited chairman o  read more »

PRECIS: You can’t say you weren’t warned: A year ago, The Observer’s Marcus Baram  read more »

In the Jets' first-ever television ad for the team's planned stadium, to be built atop the West Side  read more »

There was little surprise when New York was selected on May 18 as one of five finalist cities in the  read more »