Atlantic Yards Will Survive...Kind Of

Onevalianteffort- Pro-AYers use the NIMBY label, usually screamed at the top of their lungs so as to provide maximum distraction from the fact that few people are NIMBY- they just want intelligent, responsible development.

Have you seen the plans for AY? It's huge, it's ugly, it puts enormous strain on the area infrastructure and will pack a kizload of people into the area without increasing or improving public transportation and utilities. It will close off a substantial part of Pacific St. (how do we give up public streets to a private developer is anybody's guess- and what, if anything is giving us in return)?

On top of the taxpayers are seeing a big chunk of change going to Ratner for this, he keeps changing the plans so that any promises he may have made in order to get the project going, are now off the table, he paid next to nothing for the air rights, he bypassed the proper vetting process (he's got friends). And he has the nerve to want eminent domain for this.

So if I would rather see that hole in the ground instead of AY- yep. If we're going to build there, do it rightand do it responsibly because we'll be living with that monstrosity for a long time.

Posted by: bxgrl at December 11, 2008 10:59 AM

"Bxgrl, you know as well as I do that Brooklyn is OVERPOPULATED with people that (literally) have nothing better to do (retirees? trustafarians? wackos?) than protest, stonewall and block."

I think that's typical of the thinking of Pro-AYers. Demean your opposition instead of deal with them. (Hmmm...sounds like a recent presidential campaign. You remember- older white guy, bimbo running mate)?

Maybe it's easier for you to think that way, but there are plenty of us out here who are against the sheer size and scale of it for many reasons. Ratner has no one but himself to blame- he thought he could just march in and do whatever he wanted. Obviously not. All he has invested in Brooklyn is money. The rest of us have money, homes and quality of life invested in Brooklyn.

The Unity Plan? Can't say, but from what I've seen it's a lot better than Ratner's (of course, IMHO). Of course there will be people to fight it- but I doubt you'll see the same opposition to that plan because it addresses the issues in a more realistic and integrated way.

AY isn't about people- AY is a big ego trip for Ratner and Gehry. It's a huge warehouse- in a not luxury location. People love Brooklyn housing stock and the smaller scale. I don't see people with money rushing to live packed like sardines in apartments no matter how hi end the bathrooms and kitchens. It's not Manhattan, the train commute will be nightmarish and the car commmute will be worse.

Posted by: bxgrl at December 11, 2008 11:51 AM