FCR Calls Off The Bulldozers, For Now
If buildings had lungs, four properties in the Atlantic Yards footprint (189 Flatbush (pictured), 191 Flatbush, 193 Flatbush and 618 Pacific Street) would be breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning. With a demonstration planned to coincide with the start of demolition of a cluster of buildings near the intersection of Flatbush and Dean…
If buildings had lungs, four properties in the Atlantic Yards footprint (189 Flatbush (pictured), 191 Flatbush, 193 Flatbush and 618 Pacific Street) would be breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning. With a demonstration planned to coincide with the start of demolition of a cluster of buildings near the intersection of Flatbush and Dean this morning, Develop Don’t Destroy petitioned the Manhattan State Supreme Court for a Temporary Restraining order against Forest City Ratner yesterday. After a two hour session, FCR agreed to call off the bulldozers until the end of the week to give Justice Joan Madden time to consider the case. If the TRO gets denied, the rally will most likely be held on Monday morning at 8 a.m.
Forest City Ratner Agrees Not to Demolish [Develop Don’t Destroy]
Demolitions Postponed; Protest May Be Monday [AY Report]
Why Protest When You Can Sue? [NY Mag]
Photo by Tracy Collins
I live in the AY area I am glad the Arena is coming.
delaying construction has forced the ONLY concessions from FCR right now – the shrinking of Miss Brooklyn (shudder) and a few other buildings, the inclusion of a school, the inclusion of affordable apartments for sale, and a couple other small things.
the reason these minor improvements are attributable to delay is because without the protesting and lawsuits, Ratner’s plan was going unchanged through the process.
only because normal brooklynites had to revert to being pains-in-the-asses (with protests and lawsuits) did anyone take notice and attempt to placate us.
so I admit that long-term, it hasn’t been as effective as we wanted. but short-term, again, the only improvements to the project are because of protests and lawsuits.
The opponents are more concerned with being right than being effective. One of many reasons why their efforts have failed so miserably.
it was not possible to work with FCR in a constructive way because FCR refused to. that’s what people are angry about.
I live in the neighborhood and I am glad the atlantic yards is here.
Still, no one has explained how delaying the start of construction has improved the project?
To those who say ‘fight to the bitter end’, wouldn’t you have been better served by trying to work with FCR in a constructive way instead of endless lawsuits? As someone said above, seems pretty juvenile to me.
5:48,
the only truly rich guys in the room are the ones who rubber-stamped this project, and they’re laughing with glee as they read statements like yours!
you’re lucky though right now because once they finish the project you are the LAST thing that will be on their mind.
“How often does the average person get the change to irritate a big developer”
Since when does being so rich that you can forego work and devote several years to “activisim” make one an average person?
Anon at 4:26 — because this project was entirely developer driven. Amazing but true — 22 acres adjacent to the hottest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, some of it state property, some of it city property, some of it private property seized via eminent domain — these 22 acres are being developed according to the needs and wishes of the developer with the help of substantial public subsidies paid for by you and me. The developer was allowed to by-pass the City land use review process and get his project approved by rubberstamp at the state level. A particularly vivid example of money and power trumping all else.
To Anon at 11:37, who atacks AY opponents for demonstrating against demolitions that will create enormous parking lots — what gives? Don’t you think we should try to stop FCRC from creating a gigantic parking lot? Traffic is one of the number one problems with the AY plan. Creating enormous parking lots that may be with us for the next 20 years (which is how long the build-out could take) is a truly terrible idea, as it will absolutely guarantee that many people will drive to arena events rather than use public transportation.