Latest news with #GFP
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Allow a 30-minute discussion on TCP Act's Sec 39: GFP to speaker
Porvorim: Following the town and country planning department's refusal to respond to legislative assembly questions (LAQ) related to land conversions, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) approached speaker Ramesh Tawadkar seeking a 30-minute discussion on Section 39A of the TCP Act. GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai's request followed Tawadkar's decision to adjourn the House for 10 minutes because of the protest by the opposition MLA in the legislative assembly. The opposition MLAs were protesting against the TCP department's move to deny replies, claiming that the matter is sub judice. Rane provided a standard reply to several LAQs, claiming that 'the subject matter is sub judice under Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Goa Legislative Assembly' and thus the LAQ could not be responded to.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Agents take Rs 1 lakh for rental car licences, says Vijai
Panaji: GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai on Saturday alleged that agents have been collecting Rs 1 lakh for rent-a-cab licences, which is then passed to transport minister Mauvin Godinho's personal assistant. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said the sudden halt on rent-a-cab licences is a govt move to pre-empt scam revelations in the House. 'The department has appointed agents in Margao, Panaji, and Vasco, and they are taking Rs 1 lakh in cash from each applicant. They are now refusing to return the money,' said Sardesai. 'One agent from Margao has taken money from 250 to 300 people... that is Rs 3 crore. Some vehicles have arrived and owners are paying premiums, but they have not received the letter from the transport department, so they can't get their cars. The agents claim that some money was given to the minister, and the minister says he is going to make a movie on Ram Mandir,' said Sardesai.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP member files complaint against Vijai for casteist remarks
Margao: A senior BJP functionary lodged a police complaint on Wednesday against GFP President Vijai Sardesai, alleging that he made 'casteist' and 'derogatory' statements targeting the Speaker, Ramesh Tawadkar. Dhaku Madkaikar, a zilla panchayat member from St Lawrence constituency and member of the Gawda community, filed the complaint at Fatorda police station. BJP held a press conference at its party office in Margao to condemn Sardesai's remark. The complaint refers to a video posted on the official Facebook page of GFP on Tuesday in which Sardesai, objecting to Tawadkar's presence at the BJP's legislative party meeting to discuss floor management ahead of the assembly session, allegedly called the Speaker a 'puppet' of a political party. Madkaikar, in his complaint, stated that these statements were made with 'malicious intent to humiliate and demean the constitutional office of the Speaker and the social standing of the Gawda/ST community.' He claimed the remarks deliberately insulted 'a constitutional authority holding the highest position in the state legislature,' and also targeted the ST community, 'of which the Speaker is a prominent member. ' Madkaikar further alleged that Sardesai's remarks 'created enmity and resentment between communities.
Hans India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Students paraded in undies during Goa varsity fest
Panaji: The Goa State Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the vice-chancellor of Goa University over an alleged incident in which male students were paraded in their underwear during a cultural festival at the institution earlier this year, an official said on Friday. The commission issued a notice to Vice-Chancellor Harilal B Menon, asking him to appear before it and submit a reply by July 23. A senior official from the University said the incident occurred during an inter-departmental festival called 'Frolic' held in February. 'During a competition called 'Third Degree', the jury asked the participants to strip to their underwear,' he said. The rights panel took suo motu cognisance of a report about the incident that appeared in a newspaper this week. The commission, in its notice, stated that it was taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, which prima facie makes out violations of the human rights of the students. Condemning the incident, National Students Union of India (NSUI) leader Naushad Chaudhury said that female students were part of the crowd that attended the festival. 'Students were not allowed to leave. It was an embarrassing situation for both male and female students present there,' he said. The NSUI has planned protests against the event. The opposition Goa Forward Party (GFP) was the first to bring the incident to the fore in the media. GFP chief Vijai Sardesai said that his party had questioned the authorities about the incident. Goa University, meanwhile, announced a 'discretionary holiday' on Friday.
New York Post
11-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NYC's former New York Stock Exchange swept up in burgeoning office-to-residential trend — with 382 luxe units to come
One of Wall Street's former hubs is trading finance employees for residents. GFP Real Estate has filed plans to convert 40 Exchange Place — a 20-story, 240,000-square-foot office tower in Manhattan's Financial District — into a mixed-use development with 382 residential units and ground-floor retail, according to the Commercial Observer. The project adds to a growing list of office-to-residential conversions sweeping the neighborhood, as aging commercial buildings grapple with high vacancy rates in the wake of COVID and shifting demand. Advertisement 5 The former home of the New York Stock Exchange at 40 Exchange Place in Manhattan's Financial District is set to become a 382-unit residential and retail development, marking another major office-to-residential conversion in the area. GFP Real Estate 5 The New York Stock Exchange was located in this edifice in the 19th century. Getty Images Originally designed in 1893 by architect John Townsend Williams, the building was once home to the New York Stock Exchange in the mid-19th century, between 1856 to 1865. Advertisement More recently, it has served as traditional office space, with some tenants — such as A360 Media — signing short-term or modest long-term leases. GFP acquired the property in 2015 alongside Northwind Group for $115 million and invested $20 million in renovations before Northwind exited the partnership in 2018. Yet Northwind maintained financial ties to the property, issuing a $50 million mortgage to GFP in early 2024. 5 GFP Real Estate filed plans this week for the 20-story building, following its earlier $288 million loan for a similar project at 222 Broadway. GFP Real Estate This isn't GFP's first foray into adaptive reuse. The firm partnered with Metro Loft and Rockwood Capital to redevelop 25 Water St. into a 1,320-unit residential complex — currently the largest office-to-apartment conversion in the country. Advertisement Its latest project at 40 Exchange Place follows a $288 million loan secured in January to redevelop 222 Broadway. The Financial District has emerged as a hot bed for New York's office conversion trend, driven in part by the city's 467-m tax abatement program. The initiative offers developers a 35-year tax break if at least 25% of the new units are designated as affordable housing. 5 GFP and Northwind Group acquired the building for $115 million in 2015, with GFP later taking full control. Google Maps 5 25 Water St. before and after the conversion. Stefano Giovannini/Streetsense Advertisement Nearby, developers have transformed several high-profile properties, including 55 Broad St., the former Goldman Sachs headquarters, now home to 571 apartments and 25,000 square feet of amenities. Other recent conversions include 77 Water St., 160 Water St., 111 Wall St. and One Wall. GFP did not return The Post's request for comment on the plans for 40 Exchange Place by press time. The current occupancy status remains in flux, as many leases are short-term and no formal timeline has been announced for vacating the offices.
