New York City Council members are demanding answers following an investigative report by the I-Team that revealed a top aide to Mayor Eric Adams has financial connections to Taconic Partners, the real estate firm chosen to privatize the city’s public health laboratory.
The public health lab, a crucial facility in combating disease outbreaks for decades, is slated for relocation to Harlem. The Adams Administration is seeking City Council approval to proceed with this move, which would pave the way for the transfer of the vacated property at 455 First Avenue in Manhattan to Taconic Partners, a private developer.
Earlier in January, an I-Team investigation brought to light financial disclosure documents indicating that Nathan Bliss, a City Hall chief of staff overseeing the NYC Economic Development Corporation, was employed by Taconic Partners for two years prior to joining the Adams administration. Notably, Bliss disclosed receiving between $100,000 and $250,000 from Taconic Partners in his final three weeks at the firm before transitioning to City Hall.
Mayor Adams further appointed Bliss to lead the NYC Land Development Corporation (LDC), an agency responsible for disposing of public property. This appointment raises eyebrows as the LDC would play a significant role in any potential transfer of the lab building to Taconic Partners.
Prompted by these revelations of close links between City Hall and Taconic Partners, two prominent members of the NYC Council have formally requested further information regarding Nathan Bliss’s relationship with his former employer. In a drafted letter, Council Members Gale Brewer and Amanda Farias, leading the Oversight Committee and Economic Development Committee respectively, voiced their concerns.
“The overlap between Mr. Bliss’ financial ties to Taconic Partners, his roles at City Hall overseeing EDC and LDC, and his involvement in projects like Innovation East raise significant concerns about potential conflicts of interest,” the Council members stated.
City Hall Defends Transparency Amidst Taconic Partners Controversy
Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams, stated that City Hall is currently reviewing the letter from the City Council and reiterated that Nathan Bliss had been transparent about his prior association with Taconic Partners through financial disclosures.
“As the Mayor has made clear, we expect every employee to avoid any potential conflict of interest, which is exactly what Nate Bliss did,” Garcia asserted. “We will review the letter and will respond to the Council accordingly.”
The NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), spearheading the laboratory redevelopment project, clarified that the bidding process for the project commenced in 2018. According to his LinkedIn profile, Nathan Bliss was an EDC staff member during that year. An EDC-provided timeline indicates that negotiations with Taconic Partners began in January 2021, at which time Bliss was employed as a Vice President at Taconic Partners. The selection of Taconic Partners as the developer was officially announced in April 2022, while Bliss was serving in his City Hall position.
The EDC has not yet provided bid documents to the I-Team, which would reveal other companies that submitted proposals for the redevelopment of the laboratory property.
Jeff Holmes, an EDC spokesperson, mentioned that the agency is preparing a response to lawmakers and referred back to his earlier statement. In that statement, Holmes affirmed that Nathan Bliss was not involved in the selection process that led to Taconic Partners being chosen for the project.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams is facing scrutiny as questions arise about potential conflicts of interest related to Taconic Partners and a City Hall staff member.
According to Holmes, choosing Taconic Partners as the developer for the lab property “was the result of a competitive and robust selection process,” and “Nate Bliss was not part of this selection committee nor was he employed at the New York City Economic Development Corporation when the project entered into negotiations.”
Ongoing Financial Ties Between Bliss and Taconic Partners Under Question
The City Council’s letter also seeks clarity on Bliss’s ongoing financial connections to Taconic Partners, even while serving in City Hall.
Financial disclosures from 2022 and 2023 reveal that Bliss is entitled to “future distributions” from a closed real estate fund managed by Taconic Partners. These documents indicate that the fund encompasses “investments in six properties in the New York City area.” The City Council is now requesting a list of these properties to further assess the situation.
Council Member Amanda Farias, who co-signed the letter and serves as the Council Majority Leader, questioned the Adams Administration’s lack of transparency in providing detailed documentation about the lab project’s conception and development.
“Transparency is important when it comes to transferring city-owned property to private entities, particularly when questions of potential conflicts of interest have arisen,” Farias’s office stated.
The City Council letter of inquiry regarding City Hall’s connections to Taconic Partners was also addressed to the NYC Department of Investigation (DOI). The DOI, possessing independent authority to investigate potential criminal and administrative violations of government ethics, has confirmed receipt of the letter but has not commented on whether an investigation is currently underway.
Nathan Bliss has not responded to requests for comments from the I-Team.
Taconic Partners has also not responded to written inquiries. However, following a City Council presentation on Innovation East on January 9th, Taconic Partners Vice President Benjamin Baccash stated that he did not believe Nate Bliss was involved in the selection of Taconic Partners for the project.
“I’m sure no,” Baccash said, “but I can’t speak for him.”
