NYC Horse Carriage Ban a Real Estate Scheme, Businessman Claims
John Catsimatidis alleges the ban is motivated by lucrative property development opportunities for stables.
Businessman John Catsimatidis has asserted that New York City's ban on the horse-drawn carriage industry is a calculated move to benefit real estate interests. Catsimatidis, CEO of grocery chains Gristedes and D’Agostino Supermarkets, claimed on Thursday that politicians are more interested in redeveloping the sites of three long-standing Manhattan stables into high-rise buildings than in freeing the horses.
"They want to build skyscrapers where those stables are, so they want to kill the horses!" Catsimatidis stated on 77 WABC radio. He urged the U.S. Attorney to investigate alleged covert efforts by "real estate guys," including stable owners, to eliminate the industry.
"I want to know who they paid off and let the US Attorney do their job, because I’m not sure the local DAs will do their job," he added, suggesting that the ban is part of a larger plan to eliminate elements of New York City's ambiance.
The Transport Workers Union and carriage horse drivers have voiced similar concerns for years, according to the New York Post. The stables, located in Hudson Yards and Hell's Kitchen, are employee-owned businesses that will become obsolete following the passage of a law set to outlaw the industry by 2028.
Christina Hansen, a carriage horse driver and union representative, explained that without income from the carriage business, the stables will be unable to afford property taxes, Certificates of Occupancy, or necessary renovations, forcing them to sell.
"The real estate people want the carriage people to sell," Hansen claimed. She noted that while developers have shown interest in the prime real estate for years, the stable owners have held onto the properties as long as they could house the horses. The sites could potentially be redeveloped into high-rise buildings, with a portion allocated for affordable housing.
The West Side Livery and Central Park Carriages stables are each owned by a single operator. The Clinton Park Stables are collectively owned by 15 individuals, most of whom are or were carriage drivers. These owners collectively pay $25,000 monthly for their mortgages.
According to a 2016 report by The Post, the three stables could have collectively sold for up to $70 million at that time. Hansen reiterated that the inability to generate income post-ban will compel the owners to sell their properties due to mounting financial pressures.