To: Thomas F. Prendergast, Chairman & CEO - MTA - Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York, Nancy Marshall, Director Grand Central Terminal Development - MTA - Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York, Jeff Rosen, Director of Real Estate...
Save The Campbell Apartment - a New York City Cultural Institution
This petition states that citizens of New York, and those elsewhere who love and/or visit New York:
- Do not want The Campbell Apartment as run and created by Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. ~ over 17 years ago ~ to change hands to any new ownership or operator (including but not limited to The Gerber Group and their Principal & CEO, Scott Gerber; and their affiliates or other partnerships i.e. such as The Gerber Group Limited Partnership.)
- We ask the MTA (Chairman & CEO Thomas Prendergast, Nancy Marshall - Dir. of Grand Central Terminal Development, Jeffrey Rosen - Dir. of Real Estate, and any other relevant MTA executives or employees) to cease all eviction actions towards Mark Grossich & The Campbell Apartment and specifically the eviction in place asking Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. to vacate and close The Campbell Apartment by July 28th, 2016.
- We want Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. to remain as operator of The Campbell Apartment. We ask that The Campbell Apartment -- and specifically the cocktail space renovated by Mark Grossich -- not be handed over to any other operator.
- We do not feel what is happening at The Campbell Apartment is fair or reasonable & we want it to stop. (i.e. a couple people at the MTA handing over a cultural icon / entity / institution to another operator, one who did not create it nor run it for nearly two decades.)
- We feel The Campbell Apartment as run by the originators and current operators are part of the cultural fabric of New York City -- like a museum, like The Statue of Liberty -- and we are not comfortable with the cavalier and swift actions to hand it over to another operator against the will of the original creator & operator.
- Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. renovated a dilapidated space of historical significance at their own investment and expense (2 years and millions of dollars) --- and created a business that enhanced the value and appeal of Grand Central Station from the first day it opened; and enhanced the quality of life for New Yorkers and those who love and visit New York. For nearly two decades now.
- We ask that a new lease be fairly and reasonably negotiated with Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. for The Campbell Apartment located in Grand Central Station since 1999.
- Do not want The Campbell Apartment as run and created by Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. ~ over 17 years ago ~ to change hands to any new ownership or operator (including but not limited to The Gerber Group and their Principal & CEO, Scott Gerber; and their affiliates or other partnerships i.e. such as The Gerber Group Limited Partnership.)
- We ask the MTA (Chairman & CEO Thomas Prendergast, Nancy Marshall - Dir. of Grand Central Terminal Development, Jeffrey Rosen - Dir. of Real Estate, and any other relevant MTA executives or employees) to cease all eviction actions towards Mark Grossich & The Campbell Apartment and specifically the eviction in place asking Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. to vacate and close The Campbell Apartment by July 28th, 2016.
- We want Mark Grossich & Hospitality Holdings, Inc. to remain as operator of The Campbell Apartment. We ask that The Campbell Apartment -- and specifically the cocktail space renovated by Mark Grossich -- not be handed over to any other operator.
- We do not feel what is happening at The Campbell Apartment is fair or reasonable & we want it to stop. (i.e. a couple people at the MTA handing over a cultural icon / entity / institution to another operator, one who did not create it nor run it for nearly two decades.)
- We feel The Campbell Apartment as run by the originators and current operators are part of the cultural fabric of New York City -- like a museum, like The Statue of Liberty -- and we are not comfortable with the cavalier and swift actions to hand it over to another operator against the will of the original creator & operator.
- Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. renovated a dilapidated space of historical significance at their own investment and expense (2 years and millions of dollars) --- and created a business that enhanced the value and appeal of Grand Central Station from the first day it opened; and enhanced the quality of life for New Yorkers and those who love and visit New York. For nearly two decades now.
- We ask that a new lease be fairly and reasonably negotiated with Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. for The Campbell Apartment located in Grand Central Station since 1999.
Why is this important?
The people of New York City and those who love New York City are disturbed by the unfair actions and hostile takeover of the current and original incarnation of The Campbell Apartment.
Mark Grossich and his company, Hospitality Holdings, Inc., spent 2 years and millions of dollars renovating an unused historical space, a drop-ceilinged shell, that was nothing but a room full of sawdust, a water-damaged space that had been used as a temporary jail and a storage space.
Hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, from New York and all over the world have developed a very strong emotional attachment to Mark Grossich's version and creation of The Campbell Apartment -- and we do not want nor understand this swift and aggressive change of a cultural landmark that is part of the fabric of our lives --- by the actions and decisions of 2 or 3 people at the MTA.
People have been married at The Campbell Apartment, gotten engaged, have had almost two decades of experiences under the thoughtful operation of Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. --- and we don't want Hospitality Holdings to hand over the lease. This is much more significant than deciding if Chipotle can have some square footage at the mall. It's much bigger than that.
This is not about "hanging on to the past" -- this is a matter of fairness. It's a sad day in New York when someone can create something great, from their own vision, idea, and hard work --- something that enriched the city and people's lives --- to faithfully create a wonderful contribution to the community ... only to have it unfairly ripped from beneath his or her feet. This is not fair. Mark Grossich's space created memories, experiences and more, that will stay with people and the city forever --- this is no way to treat such a contributor.
As well, it is not unreasonable to consider that through Mark Grossich's renovation of a dilapidated unused space, and the creation of a business that has been thriving for 17 years -- that the MTA has been able to charge higher rents to other commercial tenants since the day The Campbell Apartment opened. Mark Grossich created a draw, a destination, a cultural landmark -- and a space that elevated Grand Central Terminal.
We don't want the eviction of Hospitality Holdings, Inc. from The Campbell Apartment and we are emphatically asking the MTA to stop it.
As well, we are prepared to boycott The Gerber Group and all of their properties if the eviction proceeds.
Reference:
http://nypost.com/2016/06/30/all-the-history-thats-going-to-die-with-the-campbell-apartment/
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/news/a6854/campbell-apartment-grand-central/
http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_26202.htm
Mark Grossich and his company, Hospitality Holdings, Inc., spent 2 years and millions of dollars renovating an unused historical space, a drop-ceilinged shell, that was nothing but a room full of sawdust, a water-damaged space that had been used as a temporary jail and a storage space.
Hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, from New York and all over the world have developed a very strong emotional attachment to Mark Grossich's version and creation of The Campbell Apartment -- and we do not want nor understand this swift and aggressive change of a cultural landmark that is part of the fabric of our lives --- by the actions and decisions of 2 or 3 people at the MTA.
People have been married at The Campbell Apartment, gotten engaged, have had almost two decades of experiences under the thoughtful operation of Mark Grossich and Hospitality Holdings, Inc. --- and we don't want Hospitality Holdings to hand over the lease. This is much more significant than deciding if Chipotle can have some square footage at the mall. It's much bigger than that.
This is not about "hanging on to the past" -- this is a matter of fairness. It's a sad day in New York when someone can create something great, from their own vision, idea, and hard work --- something that enriched the city and people's lives --- to faithfully create a wonderful contribution to the community ... only to have it unfairly ripped from beneath his or her feet. This is not fair. Mark Grossich's space created memories, experiences and more, that will stay with people and the city forever --- this is no way to treat such a contributor.
As well, it is not unreasonable to consider that through Mark Grossich's renovation of a dilapidated unused space, and the creation of a business that has been thriving for 17 years -- that the MTA has been able to charge higher rents to other commercial tenants since the day The Campbell Apartment opened. Mark Grossich created a draw, a destination, a cultural landmark -- and a space that elevated Grand Central Terminal.
We don't want the eviction of Hospitality Holdings, Inc. from The Campbell Apartment and we are emphatically asking the MTA to stop it.
As well, we are prepared to boycott The Gerber Group and all of their properties if the eviction proceeds.
Reference:
http://nypost.com/2016/06/30/all-the-history-thats-going-to-die-with-the-campbell-apartment/
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/news/a6854/campbell-apartment-grand-central/
http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_26202.htm