Dave Cook (carriage driver since 1982) testifies on real estate motivations

Hi, my name is Dave Cook.

I have been a carriage driver since August of 82.

And yes, the correct characterization is long in the tooth.

I have been, this is third, possibly fourth of my appearances before this August board.

And the issues are almost always the same.

The real estate that the carriages hold is extraordinarily valuable.

And the amount of effort to obtain that real estate knows no bounds.

And ethically, morally,

Precisely what's going on today as in 40 years ago is a walk down 38th Street starting at 10th Avenue.

You walk west towards the Javits Center.

You're going to come upon the Manhattan Hotel, 10, 12 stories.

It looks like 1970s architecture to me, boarded up, ready for demolition.

Directly across the street, what was probably originally built as livery 100 some odd years ago, the last 100 years has been doing automotive repair, boarded up, ready for demolition.

You walk down the street.

100 yards, another building that was probably originally built for livery, has been doing automotive repair, boarded up, set for demolition.

You look to the left, and there's our stables, 38th Street.

You walk a few more steps, and you'll see the other stables, identical architecture, directly behind ours at 37th Street.

But you continue your gaze to the left, and there is the hood ornament of Hudson Yards, the vessel, two blocks right south of there.

There is no more precise...

Definition of what is going on with the carriages.

One of my great loves of living in New York City is the level of critical thinking here is high.

You don't take the testimony of, what are they called, night class?

They're fully funded by the real estate industry.

That is not testimony.

That is propaganda.

All right.

Thank you, Alexis.

Oh, I'm, what, the panel's not done yet?

Oh, okay.

No, I'm just letting him know that.

Oh, all right.