[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 151 (Thursday, November 29, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1842-E1843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF WEST HARLEM'S BELOVED ADVOCATE PATRICIA ARLENE 
                                 JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 29, 2012

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of West 
Harlem's beloved businesswoman, managing director, visionary, community 
resident and advocate Patricia Jones, who unexpectedly passed away on 
Friday, November 16, 2012. On Tuesday, November 27, friends, residents 
and community leaders gathered at Convent Avenue Baptist Church to 
reflect and celebrate the life of our beloved Pat Jones, who was a 
faithful and dedicated public servant to residents, non-profits and 
businesses throughout West Harlem and the City of New York.
  It is with great sorrow that my wife Alma and I joined members of the 
West Harlem Local Development Corporation, Community Planning Board 9, 
elected officials representing the New York State Legislature and the 
New York City Council in mourning the unforeseen death of our beloved 
Pat Jones who left an unforgettable and indelible mark in all of our 
political and community hearts and minds. We are truly thankful for her 
decades of service to our community, and for the many memories that I 
will personally cherish forever.
  Great women like our beloved Pat Jones are precious gifts we 
temporarily have in this world, but their assistance, contributions and 
accomplishments are far remembered and everlasting. Pat was a dear 
friend and was known to many of us as a brilliant hardworking community 
leader who dedicated her life work to fighting for and expanding 
historic and landmark preservation, positive community, public safety, 
health care, environmental justice and education.
  Patricia Arlene Jones was born on July 17, 1953 in Flushing, Queens, 
New York. She was the youngest of four children of Darline Clark Jones 
and Herman Lee Jones. Pat's family affectionately called her Trisha. 
Young Trisha was baptized by the late civil rights Preacher, Reverend 
Timothy P. Mitchell at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in 
Flushing, Queens. Trisha graduated from Flushing High School, where she 
was a member of the Arista Club, a student organization dedicated to 
educational excellence. She matriculated to Michigan State University 
in East Lansing, Michigan majoring in Mathematics. Pat graduated from 
Michigan State in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business 
Administration.
  Pat was recruited by Price Waterhouse Coopers where she worked as an 
audit manager for over five years. She moved on to JP-Morgan & Company 
where she managed over 100 finance employees and eventually rose to 
become the first African American woman to serve as a Managing 
Director. During her tenure, Pat also served as a manager of diversity, 
establishing mentoring programs for African American employees, and 
establishing a women's speaker series featuring powerful professional 
women, including former U.S. Senator, First Lady and current United 
States Secretary of State, the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, and 
former National Security Advisor and United States Secretary of State, 
the Honorable Condoleezza Rice. Managing Director Jones retired from 
JP-Morgan after 17 years of service. Pat was also a Certified Public 
Accountant and played key leadership roles in organizations such as 
American Women for Economic Development and the American Institute of 
CPAs. Highly respected for her achievements in business, Pat was 
mentioned in the 1981 edition of Outstanding Young Women of America.
  Pat, an accomplished businesswoman and retired Managing Director, 
volunteered and joined Manhattan Community Board 9 in 2001 to advocate 
and serve on behalf of the West Harlem community, where she owned her 
home and which she loved so much. Pat's dedication, professional skill 
and wit led her to be elected 2nd Vice Chair of the Board, serving 3 
terms from 2004 to 2007. In 2008, Pat was elected Chair and served for 
two consecutive terms, from 2008 to 2010, receiving the admiration and 
support of her fellow board members. Pat concurrently co-chaired the 
Manhattanville Rezoning Task Force, as well as Chair of the 197-A 
Planning Committee. I am also proud to say that Pat Jones was appointed 
to the Board of Directors of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, 
which is one of nine federal zones established by President William 
Jefferson Clinton, by legislation I authored and sponsored in the House 
of Representatives.
  More significantly, history will remember Pat Jones as the co-author 
and chief navigator of the historic Community Benefits Agreement 
between Columbia University and the City of New York on behalf of West 
Harlem and Community Planning Board 9. After successfully negotiating 
the 197-A Plan for Community Board 9 through the New York City Planning 
Commission approval process, Pat Jones was elected to fill one of the 
Community Board seats on the West Harlem Local Development Corporation.
  Pat took on the leadership role as Chair of the West Harlem Local 
Development Corporation (WHLDC) at a very difficult and contentious 
time during the negotiating process. Many long mornings, afternoons and 
evenings shepherding through the complex personalities and agendas was 
no easy task by any means, but somehow Pat was able to move the WHLDC 
above and beyond those personalities and agendas, which led to one of 
the most significant Community Benefits Agreements ever achieved in the 
City of New York and in the nation that will positively enhance and 
improve the quality of health, environment, education and affordable 
living for all the residents of Community Board 9, West Harlem and 
beyond.
  The origin and purpose of the West Harlem Development Corporation are 
connected with the 25-year expansion project of Columbia University in 
the City of New York. This educational mixed-use complex that began in 
2009 will eventually span 17 acres and will include academic, 
commercial, cultural, and community facility space as well as open 
space. It is bounded by West 125th Street to the south, West 133rd 
Street to the north, Broadway on the east, and Twelfth Avenue on the 
west. The integrated teaching and academic research campus would create 
6.8 million gross square feet in 16 buildings at a projected cost of 
$6.28 billion.
  A consequence of this expansion project is the Community Benefits 
Agreement (CBA) which is a legally enforceable document between a real 
estate developer and a community that binds the developer to provide 
agreed-upon benefits. The West Harlem Community Benefits Agreement 
Between the West Harlem Local Development Corporation and the Trustees 
of Columbia University in the City of New York was signed on May 18, 
2009, initiating phase one of the Columbia University's Manhattanville 
Expansion project.
  In 2005, Community Board 9 of New York City voted to approve the 
creation of the local development corporation to engage in negotiations 
with Columbia University on behalf of the community of West Harlem. It 
was initially incorporated on March 16, 2006 as the D9 Local 
Development Corporation, a nonprofit New York State entity. 
Subsequently, an amendment was filed to change the name to West Harlem 
Local Development Corporation (WHLDC).
  Through Pat's effective and determined leadership, and with the 
support of our elected body of public officials, the WHLDC was able to 
negotiate a total of $300 million in CBA benefits for housing, 
employment and economic development, education, environment, 
transportation, arts and culture, community facilities and historic 
preservation, which included $150 million from the City of New York to 
preserve affordable housing.
  It also included $150 million from Columbia University, which 
included the creation of a $20 million Affordable Housing Fund; up to 
$4 million in related legal services; a $30 million commitment for a 
planned Demonstration Community K-8 Public School to be established in 
conjunction with Teachers College; $76 million in Columbia University's 
financial contributions to a benefits fund that will be paid out in 
installments over sixteen years, which allows the WHLDC to determine 
the programmatic uses of these funds; $20 million worth of access to 
Columbia University services and facilities to be apportioned over 
twenty-five years (``In-Kind contributions''); and a commitment from 
Columbia University to provide ``Advice and Guidance'' to the WHLDC on 
a range of issues and programs.

[[Page E1843]]

  During Pat's amazing community career she served as Chair of the 
Board of Trustees for the Children's Arts Carnival, Treasurer of the 
Hamilton Heights-West Harlem Community Preservation Organization, 
Member of the Board of the Harlem Venture Group, Treasurer of the 
Hamilton Heights Homeowners Association (HHHA) and Chair of HHHA's 
Annual House and Garden Tour Committee.
  Let me share with you a poem Patricia Jones authored in the 4th 
Grade, entitled I am Thankful. ``I am thankful for many things. One is 
that I have a nice home and wonderful parents in them. Some children 
overseas don't have homes as we do, and some do not even have parents. 
I am thankful for the schools we have in New York because some children 
in other countries don't have schools and need the education badly. 
Many people in the United States are grateful for the world peace we 
have. In some countries people have to do what their leaders say to do, 
and they don't have the right to do what they want to, and to tell 
their feelings. I am very grateful for all the things that I have, and 
I hope that many people all over the world have the things that I 
have.''
  Mr. Speaker, Pat Jones was a strong black woman, who understood the 
true meaning of commitment, sacrifice, hard work and effort. She now 
takes her place alongside our other Freedom Sisters of extraordinary 
women who, while less prominent in the media, shaped much of the spirit 
and substance of civil rights, social and economic justice in America, 
just as our beloved Pat Jones, whose important historic contribution to 
the West Harlem community will surely be missed. I ask you and my 
colleagues to join me in this very special congressional salute to West 
Harlem Advocate, Patricia Arlene Jones.

                          ____________________