Flatbush Streetlamp Project Draws Criticism
A $4.7 million project to replace 500 working streetlamps in Flatbush with antique bishop’s crook lamps has met with local resistance, reports the Daily News. Some residents do not understand the utility of spending $10,000 per lamp (standard streetlamps cost $4,000 each) when the current fixtures work just fine and when the neighborhood could spend…
A $4.7 million project to replace 500 working streetlamps in Flatbush with antique bishop’s crook lamps has met with local resistance, reports the Daily News. Some residents do not understand the utility of spending $10,000 per lamp (standard streetlamps cost $4,000 each) when the current fixtures work just fine and when the neighborhood could spend the money elsewhere, such as streets and sidewalks in disrepair. “It’s ridiculous,” Kent Thomas, 24, told the News. “The lights we have work fine. There are hungry people in this neighborhood who need help; we need shelters and soup kitchens.” The project, which is half complete, received funding from the borough president’s 2007 capital budget. In contrast, Brooklyn Heights has launched a similar, $2.7 million campaign to install bishop’s crook streetlamps, with support from the Brooklyn Heights Association. Whereas opponents of both projects decry the waste of funds, the BHA defended the new street lights, saying they are beautiful, they enhance the neighborhood, and they are historically significant.
Flatbush Street Lamp Replacement a Dud [NY Daily News]
Brooklyn Heights’ Lights [Brownstoner]
Bx, these projects do create jobs and they correct the wrongs that were done to these areas when the powers that be yanked all the orginals and installed the modern ones. 10k per light could include fabrication,removal of old and installation during off hours.
Other than that, right now, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. That’s too much money for his particular project and I don’t say that lightly- I love the old style lampposts and I am a big supporter of landmarking. But in this economy to spend money on pretty lights when we have so much else that needs addressing seems a little let them eat cake-ish to me.
Not to be the hall monitor but i wasn’t thrilled with your comment, minard “If the funds are withdrawn for this project what will it be used for? To rent a huge tent and buy liquor for the next satmar all-guy party by the waterfront?”
It wasn’t really necessary.
Minard- you reach an illogical conclusion. The fact that one may have a moral objection to spending money on unnecessary street lamps in a time of recession does not lead to the conclusion that such a person believes that no money should be spent on public projects. I don’t know how you get there. Sure, wise spend of public funds can have a stimulative effect on the economy during a recession, but not all expenditures are equal. I would think it were self-evident that public spending is not evil. In my view, public spending should be used wisely during these times- provide necessary services to people, rebuild infrastructure that needs repair, etc.
I said contrarians not snarkarians.
> There are always the contrarians…
I disagree!
There are always the contrarians (like spafucile) who always enjoy having the opposite opinion.
“It’s ridiculous” Can someone please send Kent Thomas a banjo and clue.
I like them very much on my street (Lefferts Ave. in PLG), although my neighbor commented that she thought they would make her taxes go up. I told her that had already happened.