Hall Asks Removal of Treasure Island
Board Members
Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) executive director
Tony Hall fears Navy will auction off Treasure Island
Photo(s) by
Luke Thomas
By Pat Murphy
Copyright fogcityjournal.com 2005
October 3, 2005
The U.S. Navy would have conveyed Treasure Island to San Francisco
as early as 1999 had the city presented standard proof of development
benchmarks, Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) Tony
Hall said Saturday.
Hall said he received that word from Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Wayne Arney, after Arney became frustrated with press accounts
indicating the Navy had drug its feet in the transaction.
At that time, base conveyance to local communities centered on
community improvement rather than sale revenues, Hall said. Today,
under the Bush Administration, base sale income is predominant,
explained Hall.
The Navy still owns Treasure Island and is free to put the property
up for auction at any time, continued Hall.
However, it now seems the Navy is interested in acquiring partial
equity jointly with the developer, and therefore is less likely
to quickly drop San Francisco current conveyance plans, he stated.
Should Treasure Island ultimately be auctioned, Lennar developers
have bid highest in other closed bases, Hall said.
Hall is seeking a meeting with Mayor Newsom, whom Hall termed
as a victim of poor advice and incomplete knowledge of TIDA development.
Newsom and Hall can work well together, Hall predicted, but replacement
of TIDA directors Matt Franklin, Marcia Rosen, and Jesse Blout
would be necessary.
Hall made the remarks following a campaign
office opening for treasurer candidate Calvin Louie.
####
|