After Toil and Trouble, Rec Bubble May Rise

By Ronald Drenger

The proposal to construct a 30,000-square-foot indoor recreation bubble in Tribeca for Downtown kids, which looked all but dead not long ago, gained new life last month, possibly paving the way for the $1.9 million structure to be inflated and running by September.

In late March, bubble advocates were offered a daunting challenge by a foundation considering a million-dollar donation for the project: raise $900,000, secure a site and produce a construction schedule—in 30 days.

The advocates, led by Community Board 1 chair Madelyn Wils, came through, sending their proposal by messenger to the Robin Hood Foundation on April 24, the deadline.

"It’s not easy to get that kind of money, get the city to move quickly, and make the push in such a short time, while so much else is going on," said David Feiner, an aide to Councilman Alan Gerson and former chair of CB1’s Youth and Education Committee, who was involved in the effort.


  The bubble team, which included David Leach, fundraising chair for the P.S. 234 PTA, got $250,000 from Chicago-based Bank One; another $250,000 from the September 11 Relief Fund; and up to another quarter million, if necessary, from the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. The American Express Corp. pitched in $50,000, but more important, provided the link to Bank One.

Under a preliminary agreement the city would provide Site 5B, the vacant development site across Warren Street from P.S. 234, for 18 months, with a possible extension.
The community promises to vacate, with no opposition, when the city requests it back. The developer Edward Minskoff plans to build an office tower on the site.

The deal with the city has to be finalized and the foundation must give its approval. But those involved were optimistic. "I think we managed to get enough to them that it made it difficult for them to say no," said Wils.

Shawn Pattison, a spokesman for the foundation, said the proposal was under review and a decision would be made early this month. "There are some concerns—construction costs, construction timeline, and how much does this really relate to Sept. 11."

P.S. 234 parent Nicholas Goldsmith designed the bubble to include an artificial-turf field, a basketball court, a running track and batting cages. The organizers hope to have it ready in time for soccer this fall.

The bubble proposal first surfaced in November. With air quality a major concern, and the Battery Park City ballfields slated for reconstruction, it would provide year-round play space for Downtown kids.

The project quickly won a preliminary funding commitment from the foundation. But when preparations, including talks with the city, dragged on over the following months, the foundation balked, saying the project was no longer related to the World Trade Center disaster, for which it was distributing funds. Pressure from the community group eventually led the foundation to offer its new challenge.