With the first Democratic primary debate for mayor less than a week away, candidate Sal Albanese is attacking Mayor Bill de Blasio for his ties to a prominent lobbyist. The mayor, meanwhile, is laying low on vacation. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

An East Harlem park may soon be shutting down, disappearing to make room for a massive real estate development that includes three new schools and 1,100 apartments.

Sal Albanese, a Democrat running for mayor, says the deal is part of a pattern for his opponent, Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"This is what the administration does. They try to paint over these giveaways to developers as helping the communities," Albanese said. "They are helping the developers. That's their bottom line. And their lobbyists."

For several years, the developer, AvalonBay, was a client of the lobbyist Jim Capalino, who has close ties to the mayor and his administration.

"We have a shadow government of lobbyists, and Bill de Blasio has turned over the government to these people," Albanese said.

A spokeswoman for the mayor defended the project. 

"These are the first new high schools in East Harlem in 50 years, and they come alongside 300 permanently affordable apartments, new jobs for local residents and a full replacement of the playground. Anyone saying the status quo is better is turning a blind eye to this community’s need for better schools and homes people can afford," the spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, a little-known, largely self-financed candidate also on the Democratic ballot, Mike Tolkin, made a last-minute plea to the city's Campaign Finance Board to participate in next week's Democratic debate. Tolkin is a tech entrepreneur.

"We are all about re-imagining government from the ground up for today and, more importantly, for tomorrow," Tolkin said.

Because Tolkin is not participating in the campaign finance program, it is up to debate sponsors, including NY1, to decide whether to include him. He has not been invited. 

Unlike his rivals in the mayor's race, de Blasio has been absent from the campaign trail this week. He has been vacationing in Rhode Island.