Stuart Appelbaum, President of the RWDSU in an op-ed published in the Commercial Observer, offered his strong support for Freedom Plaza. The project will greatly affect Manhattan’s East Side with housing, jobs, public space, and cultural investment. The development is a community-driven mixed-use development that will generate thousands of union jobs as well as hundreds of affordable housing units.
“This project represents one of the most significant opportunities in a generation to create good, union jobs for working New Yorkers,” said Appelbaum. “No other currently proposed development in New York City comes close. It’s a project informed by our values: equity, inclusion, solidarity, and opportunity. And it’s a chance for us to say loud and clear that we are a city that still believes in the dignity of work.”
Mr. Appelbaum highlighted that Freedom Plaza is projected to create 25,900 union construction jobs and 13,400 permanent, union positions, backed by Memorandums of Understanding with 31 labor and workforce organizations, including the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, SEIU 32BJ, and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council. The op-ed also emphasized the development’s commitment to housing affordability and livability, with more than 1,000 new apartments, including over 500 permanently affordable units, along with a new 4.77-acre public park, on-site daycare, a food market, and retail — all designed to support a walk-to-work community for local families.
Freedom Plaza is a $11.1 billion mixed-use development from Soloviev Group and Mohegan, spanning 6.3 acres from 38th to 41st Street east of First Avenue on Manhattan’s East Side. The project will deliver 1,049 new homes—including 513 units that working families can afford. Nearly 5 acres of public open space will be created, locally oriented retail, and a wide range of shopping and dining options, plus a daycare center, food market, museum dedicated to democracy, and community center. Two world-class hotels from Mohegan and the owners of Banyan Tree will feature retail, dining, and entertainment, including modern gaming for those 21 and over. Built entirely with union labor, Freedom Plaza will support 17,000 high-quality full- and part-time union jobs during construction and operations and nearly 40,000 jobs overall throughout the economy, while generating $3.2 billion in annual economic impact.
President Appelbaum’s support further strengthens the growing coalition of labor, civic, business, and faith leaders who view Freedom Plaza as an important investment in New York’s future.
