On April 17, the SRA board of directors made public Executive Director and General Counsel Paul Neidzwiecki’s letter of resignation, dated April 10, 2019 and effective April 21, 2019. Also tonight, Brittany Besler joined the SRA board as the neighborhood association appointee, to serve out the remainder of Lyndsey Kruzer’s term. Lyndsey resigned from the board earlier this month, as she will be moving out of Union Point and will no longer meet the residency requirements of a neighborhood appointee.
We will keep our comments about Paul’s departure limited to those in the press release issued by the board (see below). We would, however, reiterate our view that the SRA remains capable of vetting a new master developer and and committed to approving a credible development plan.
We are committed to keeping residents informed and will schedule a community meeting in May to update you in person. Also, we are always available by email or phone if you have specific concerns.
Sincerely,
David Rubin & Brittany Besler
David, ubinray@gmail.com (508) 454-6816
Brittany, snabrittany@gmail.com (609) 658-6571
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the Southfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) Board of Directors accepted Executive Director and General Counsel Paul Niedzwiecki’s letter of resignation, effective April 21. The board thanked Paul for his professional leadership, and in particular his central role in the difficult process of terminating LStar Southfield LLC as the project's master developer.
Paul leaves the authority well positioned to assist in the selection of a new master developer, and approve a development plan which provides the maximum economic benefit to all stakeholders. The staff continues, on an aggressive timeline, to compile the technical, regulatory and financial data necessary for a comprehensive request for proposal which fully outlines the scope and complexities of the project.
The SRA had no input or control of the process of selecting the previous master developer, but has final authority in the approval of the next master developer. The next master developer must come with a proven track record of success in similar projects, sufficient capital resources to satisfy their obligations, and provide financial transparency adequate to ensure project benchmarks are being met. Any new master plan will be vetted publicly, grounded in economic reality, and address the significant infrastructure requirements necessary to realize the full development potential of the property.
The Authority continues to meet with the property’s major creditors, as well as local, state and federal authorities whose approval and participation are pivotal to restarting development. The SRA, in partnership with all constituencies, will zealously pursue a well vetted plan which maximizes economic return to Abington, Rockland, Weymouth, the region and the Commonwealth.
Southfield Board of Directors