From all reports, last night’s hearing on the environmental impact of the Bruce Ratner’s proposal for the Atlantic Yards project was a boisterous affair. With the 880-seat auditorium at New York City College of Technology almost filled to capacity, emotions ran high as neighborhood groups, business associations and unions all voiced their opinions, usually with a back-drop of booing and cat-calling. Most of the opposition came from people who actually live in or near the Atlantic Yards, including Prospect Heights and Park Slope. Beyond aesthetic concerns and worries about forever changing the character of the neighborhood, opponents cited specific concerns about the existing infrastructure–from schools to parking to sewers–and its ability to accommodate the increased population density. The only people featured speaking out for the project (in the two articles we read) were both union leaders whose quality of life (other than their paychecks) we doubt will be impacted should the project go forward. The crowd also had no patience for wafflers: Councilman David Yassky was heckled for his middle-of-the-road stance: He’s for the project if it’s “done right.” Our sense is that even Brooklynites who are generally in favor of the project are worried about the scale and about Ratner going reneging on promises after he gets final approval.
The People Shout on Arena Project [NY Times]
SRO Crowd Takes Shots at Nets Plan [NY Daily News]