Quote of the Day
The final dots that need to be connected are left unconnected by Ourossoff. Bait-and-switchers don’t just bait-and-switch once, it is a pattern. And if Ratner’s Gehry bait-and-switch is stunning, so is the bait-and-switch on “affordable” housing, “publicly accessible open space,” job creation, commercial space, reneging on a contract with the MTA, and changing the project…
The final dots that need to be connected are left unconnected by Ourossoff. Bait-and-switchers don’t just bait-and-switch once, it is a pattern. And if Ratner’s Gehry bait-and-switch is stunning, so is the bait-and-switch on “affordable” housing, “publicly accessible open space,” job creation, commercial space, reneging on a contract with the MTA, and changing the project timeline from 10 years to, unofficially “decades” and officially 6 years to build just the arena according to state financing documents. Atlantic Yards itself is a monument to bait-and-switch.
— by DDDB in Ratner Cans Gehry For Good
“-one can examine the constraints and drivers they face, be they economic, regulatory, whatever, so that postive changes can be made.”
Why don’t you answer the call. If you’re so convinced, show us why it’s impossible to do better.
Actions not words!
Petunia lists all the reasons against development and progress. Although I understand this is the fashionable position at the moment it should be noted that building a public stadium and large mixed-use complex diretly over a mass transit hub is precisely the sort of redevelopment advocated by enlightened planners and environmentalists. It is not as if the proposal was to be sited on a residential street in the center of Park Slope or in Fort Greene Park. The outrage was not commesurate with the quality of the proposal. But the public does not differentiate between good and bad; they just want nothing built anywhere at any time. This is a knee-jerk reaction that is not in the best interests of the future of the Borough. I say it is a shame that the original project was not able to be built, perhaps scaled back in a reasonable way. There is too much negativity regarding new buildings and modern architecture in Brooklyn. One would think this was a backwoods community in Vermont seeking to preserve its rural character. Public input is fine as far as it goes but it can be as often hysterical and ridiculous as it can be legitimate and rational. The process should be able to discriminate between the two extremes.
Petunia and Maly;
I might be more inclined to believe what you say if I saw ANY development receive positive treatment here. If someone loves brownstones, that wonderful – I like them too. However, I fail to see where admiration of brownstones translates into the constant derision for developers seen on these pages.
With regard to “Fedder” homes: I once challenged Mr. B to go out and interview one of the builders of these homes, to see what “drivers” they are under. “Fedder” homes are built by 100’s of small builders in this city. So,in order to improve this situation, one can do two things:
-one can, as Mr. B. does, pretend that these 100’s of builders collude to produce this stuff. Yes, 100’s of independent builders in the NY area are infected with some type of malice in their heart, and – don’t you know – they all come up this stuff.
-one can examine the constraints and drivers they face, be they economic, regulatory, whatever, so that postive changes can be made.
The latter approach is not taken. No, it’s much more snarky fun to preach to the choir about these “Horror Shows”
Petunia- agree!! The idea that anyone who wants public funding, sweetheart deals and tax breaks for a massive project all the while expecting no one would dare oppose them has got to be living with their head in the sand. Blaming DDDB for Ratner’s problems is just blowing smoke over the fact that Ratner and his pals tried to steamroller over us while expecting New Yorkers to pay for it. If he didn’t want feedback or controversy, he should have found the private funding to pay for it.
When a project sidesteps and sweetheart-deals its way past the normal review process, then you get lawsuits from the public shut out of the process. Do the people who are blaming DDDB for this state of affairs really think that ambitious projects such as this should be rushed through without public oversight and that valid concerns about the surrounding infrastructure – traffic, schools, etc, etc. should go unaddressed because otherwise nothing “ambitious” will ever get built? Bruce Ratner is no Ayn Rand hero, guys. And asking hard questions of this project (and getting unsatisfactory answers) is not knee-jerk NIMBY-ism.
City Hall’s lack of attention to the new infrastructure needed for all the new development it’s championed is starting to have real consequences in Lower Manhattan and elsewhere, overflowing kindergartens being one example – do you think this project would have been an exception?
Also, we’ll all soon be paying higher subway fares and waiting even longer for the F train to arrive, all while the MTA gives FCR an 80% discount upfront. That’s not the inevitable result of an unfairly delayed project, that’s sheer chutzpah from the powers-that-be who concocted this farce in the first place.
I wasn’t alluding to these particular developers, or even THAT architect. Just pointing out a more general point, that to complain that people on Brownstoner dislike Ratner or Scarano or any developers of very cheap+ugly buildings is like complaining of the rain in England.
It doesn’t seem to me the developers of Third and Bond fit in that category at all. They seem to be taking pains to develop a solid, well-thought building. No Fedder builder would start a blog for Brownstoner.
OH SHUT UP DDDB- You are an idiot. you are a waste of space. what a bunch of horse sh*t. you have contributed to maintaining the sink hole on Atlantic Avenue. you are the opposite of useful!
why take your time and spend it prevent progress? you need therapy.
please you your apparent limitless energy to produce something instead of babble!
yuck yuck yuck to this retarded comment.
GROSS!!!
Maly;
I have no idea what you are talking about. Neither Hudson (the developer of 3rd and Bond) nor Scarano specialize in “Fedder” buildings.
Benson, I am sure you would admire consistency if it were in agreement with your opinions. To expect people who love traditional brownstones to also love cheap Fedder/brick jobs is an exercise in bitterness.