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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. issued an audit today finding that the New York City Parks and Recreation Department has taken 13 years – so far – to start open-space improvements at the 59th Street Recreation Center.

The audit determined that, more than 13 years after a restrictive declaration was drafted, requiring a developer to make certain improvements at the center, the Parks Department has yet to begin construction. Based on a July modification, the improvements will include a multi-purpose room and expand the fitness center over the site of the outdoor pool.

“The open-space improvements were significantly delayed because, between 1993 and 1999, Parks failed to interact with the developer to ensure that improvements were completed as required by the restrictive declaration,” Thompson said in the audit.

The audit, which covered March 1993 to August 2006, is at: www.comptroller.nyc.gov.

The 59th Street Recreation Center at West End Avenue is one of 15 City-operated recreational facilities in Manhattan. It offers an indoor pool, a fitness room, gym, and afterschool programs such as basketball, cheerleading and a climbers club.

A restrictive declaration – an agreement between the City and a party specifying conditions on a property’s future use and development – was created in March 1993 to require a developer to make open-space improvements, including restoration of a deteriorated outdoor pool, renovation of locker rooms, and repair and replacement of a filtration pump. The project didn’t advance until 1997, by which time Parks opposed rehabilitating the outdoor pool and instead sought larger-scale alternative improvements.

Three years later, in July 2000, the declaration was modified, requiring the developer to put $2.7 million into a fiduciary account rather than complete the initial improvements, and requiring Parks, the local City Council Member, and Community Boards 4 and 7 to develop a scope of work for the improvements that would use the developer’s cash contribution and other sources of funding. Since its creation, the fiduciary account has grown because of interest; it now holds $3.3 million.

Thompson’s audit noted that during this time, Parks used other City funds to make some improvements that should have been completed by the developer.

“The delays,” Thompson noted, “have had the unfortunate effect of severely limiting the public’s recreational opportunities while additional funding was sought to renovate the facility.”

The Comptroller recommended that Parks immediately comply with the terms of the modification to the restrictive declaration that requires Parks to expend the fiduciary account’s $2.7 million for open-space improvements to the Center. Parks should develop a written plan for carrying out the specific improvements to be made. The plan should include project start and completion dates, critical construction milestones, and the costs associated with each milestone.

The Parks Department says it now has a plan for open-space improvements and has secured additional funding so the work can begin this year, and conclude in late 2008 or early 2009. However, a spot check by the Comptroller’s Office on June 25 determined that work had yet to begin.

Additionally, Parks anticipates spending about $6 million, including the $2.7 million of the fiduciary account funds, to complete open-space improvements first envisioned 13 years ago.

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