The Daily News reported this weekend that a group of six local politicians wants to cut back the size of the Atlantic Yards project by about a third. Led by Assemblyman James Brennan (D-Brooklyn) Assemblyman Roger Green (who’s been a big supporter of the project thus far) are introducing a bill that would reduce the project to 6 million square feet. In exchange for the 3 million-square-foot reduction, they’re offering to cut the amount Ratner has to pay to the MTA from $450 million to $140 million; in addition, under the proposal, the state would subsidize the 2,000 affordable apartments that have been proposed–the logic being that therefore Ratner wouldn’t have to build as much to clear a profit.
Pols Try Cutting Ratner’s Yards by a Third [NY Daily News]