Empire on the Hudson: Entrepreneurial Vision and Political Power at the Port of New York Authority

Columbia History of Urban Life

by Jameson W. Doig

Revered and reviled in almost equal amounts since its inception, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has been responsible for creating and maintaining much of New York and New Jersey's transportation infrastructure--the things that make the region work. Doig traces the evolution of the Port Authority from the battles leading to its creation in 1921 through its conflicts with the railroads and its expansion to build bridges and tunnels for motor vehicles. Chronicling the adroit maneuvers that led the Port Authority to take control of the region's airports and seaport operations, build the largest bus terminal in the nation, and construct the World Trade Center, Doig reveals the rise to power of one of the world's largest specialized regional governments.

This definitive history of the Port Authority underscores the role of several key players--Austin Tobin, the obscure lawyer who became Executive Director and a true "power broker" in the bi-state region, Julius Henry Cohen, general counsel of the Port Authority for its first twenty years, and Othmar H. Ammann, the Swiss engineer responsible for the George Washington Bridge, the Bayonne and Goethels bridges, the Outerbridge Crossing, and the Lincoln Tunnel.

Today, with public works projects stalled by community opposition in almost every village and city, the story of how the Port Authority managed to create an empire on the Hudson offers lessons for citizens and politicians everywhere.

Genres: Nonfiction

620 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[John Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t need the conclusion, should have provided more details and been less dry, but only book on PANYNJ, need more.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating subject matter. After reading "The Box," on the containerization phenomenon, I looked everywhere to read more on the Port Authority. The Port Authority I knew from living in New York was slow, political, inefficient, and generally in the way of progress. Yet ‘The Box’ showed me an innovative institution that used its unique bi-state, independent status to spur development with efficient business practices.

I was surprised by the dearth of organizational biographies on the PA, and gave this book a chance despite the lack of quality endorsements/reviews I usually require.

I found ‘Empire on the Hudson’ extremely disappointing. It reads like a 400-page undergraduate essay. The themes which the author continually brings up are obvious, poorly chosen, and add little to the analysis, which is, in itself, unsophisticated and onerous.

The story arc of the Port Authority is cut woefully short by the author just as it -the actual story, not the book- gets interesting: I believe the last 50 years gets 20 or so pages of epilogue. You get a slice of the rise of this fascinating institution (though without the clarity that a political economist might add), and that’s about it – the author quickly skips through the PA's decline in montage form before ending with a rumination on what about the PA made him warm and fuzzy.

It’s hard to be too critical of the book, because I simply don’t believe the author was equipped to give the Port Authority the treatment it deserves. He is clearly a fan of the PA and what it represents – apolitical technocratic progressivism. He is simply isn’t able to provide the comparative analysis necessary to understand: what made the Port Authority special, where it succeeded, where it failed, and what lessons in political economy can be derived for the future. His analysis goes no deeper than: 1) apolitical is good, 2) technocratic is good, 3) provincialism is bad, and 4) cooperation is good.

(I can't leave out the cringe-worthy explanations he offers for reconciling the PA with democracy: the type of argument you have to apologize for if you happen to agree with the overall point. The author appears woefully ignorant of basic political theory, and ends up reinventing the wheel ... poorly ... like a square... )

Those hoping to learn lessons from this innovative institution should look elsewhere if at all possible, and if they find no alternative, prepare to brave through 400 tedious pages while collecting meager scraps of institutional characteristics and facts that you can later analyze on your own.

Two stars for scarcity.

[Frank Stein · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this book by far were the chapters on municipal bond taxation, the development of LaGuardia and JFK airports, and the construction of the the port authority bus terminal. They make clear that the Port Authority of New York was really at the center of American urban redevelopment debates in the first 50 years of this century, and that Austin Tobin might have been the most under-appreciated public official of the 20th century.

The book also makes clear that the author writes like someone's overly loquacious grandfather. Stories are repeated so many times that one gets the feeling the book was never edited or re-read, by anyone, ever, for any reason. God knows if I was the editor I wouldn't even try to slog through this book a second time, or try to explain to the author why it isn't necessary to remind the reader about a story or event that you just finished writing about. "If you remember..."

Glad I read the good parts, glad I skipped over most of it. I wouldn't recommend this book on a bet.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up in Bergen County at the west end of the GWB. Walked across the bridge many times as a boy. Louie Vinetza used to have a hot dog stand in Fort Lee near the entrance to the east walkway.
The premise of a regional authority staffed with experts and side stepping political patronage is in my mind very sound. The book clearly showed the great progress made under the leadership of talented dedicated managers. It is a shame that in recent years poor management and political patronage have taken over.
A very interesting and scholarly book.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

visionary, competent and responsible government agencies have been and continue to be essential to the proper functioning of modern societies.

story of the development of the Port Authority speaks to the central importance of a regional perspective in developing the NY-area economy.

[Thomas-lily Heaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent