Another Political Twist for Atlantic Yards
The end-of-term politics around the Atlantic Yards project is getting very interesting. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who holds the project by the balls with his vote on the Public Authorities Control Board (PACB), had the following to say about the project this weekend on WNBC: In Brooklyn, it’s a mixed bag. There are people…
The end-of-term politics around the Atlantic Yards project is getting very interesting. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who holds the project by the balls with his vote on the Public Authorities Control Board (PACB), had the following to say about the project this weekend on WNBC:
In Brooklyn, it’s a mixed bag. There are people for it, people against it, and the proposal itself keeps changing somewhat. So we’ll look at it in a very favorable light because development is necessary down there, see how the developer responds to some of the criticism, either because of the mass of the project or some of the traffic.
In his analysis this weekend, Norman Oder theorizes that FCR “would rather compromise significantly with Silver before the end of the year than let the project carry over to a Spitzer administration that might take a closer look at the project.” How much of a compromise? As much as 20 to 30 percent, think Oder. Interesting.
Silver to View AY in Favorable Light [AY Report]
ESDC Certifies Yards Environmental Report [Brownstoner]
All of you guys on this thread are pretty pathetic. You guys should get a life – both pro and anti AY posters. Nobody really cares about the AY issue. It appears that it’s going to happen so why get yourselves all worked up over it?
I am not so sure what Sheldon Silver is going to do, but I wouldnt be suprised if he nixed AY, since he is the ultimate hack in a system/Government of hacks.
I dont know what Eryximachus said that makes him a racist or a neo-nazi (I honestly havent seen his posts) but his point about AY being one of the largest transportation hubs in the country is spot on and is the reason that AY SHOULD be built with very high density and is approriate for a mass entertainment venue like an arena. To waste this resourse with low (or even mid level) density is to push development outwards – encouraging sprawl and a more auto dependent city.
BTW – anon at 1:31pm – if I started a group to promote AY being built as proposed and called it CDIB (Contextual Development in Brooklyn) it wouldnt mean that AY is ‘contextual development’ – anymore than call a group oppossed to virtually all PROPOSED development is pro-development simply because they include the term development in their name.
“While change may be necessary in order to keep up with the 21st Century, I personally do not trust ratner and his gang to do the right thing by Brooklyn. To begin with, they don’t live here.”
Given Ratner’s horrendous track record of incompetent development, broken promises and failed projects it could actually economically damage Brooklyn by driving out profitable local businesses which is what he did with metrotech
silver’s comments and patakis are confessions that this whole process is corrupt.
AY supporters, even if you support the project, the way in which it was done, the seizing of private land to give it to a private developer – is bad for EVERYONE brooklynites, new yorkers, Americans. If the properties in the footprint are ‘blighted’ then no home is safe.
that’s the issue for me.
Competent, honest developers and team owners can build stadiums with subsidies – sports is one of the most profitable businesses around to think they need welfare is ABSURD.
I think most people fail to realize what’s at stake here. Within 5 years or so Brooklyn will have a distinct skyline. The goal is to transform downtown into a commercial business district that is second only to Midtown Manhattan. And while that may be something to inspire pride, we have to ensure that change and progress occurs in a manner that is beneficial to all.
Once the office towers within the AY footprint are all leased and occupied, the next frontier for skyscrapers will be Atlantic Ave (both directions), Flatbush Ave, going towards the park, Eastern Parkway, Ocean Ave, Fulton Street, essentially any major thoroughfare that’s within walking distance to the subway. Eastern Parkway is especially vulnerable because several subway lines run along this route.
We are signing on and commiting to something that is much more substantial than just an Arena. The tree-lined, low-rise charm and appeal of most neighborhoods within downtown Brooklyn are all at risk.
While change may be necessary in order to keep up with the 21st Century, I personally do not trust ratner and his gang to do the right thing by Brooklyn. To begin with, they don’t live here.
They might present Ms. Brooklyn to us all bedecked with bows and a glittering tiara but it’s our children and our grand children that will pay the consequence if we let this one pass without scrutiny.
These guys have proven time and time again that they have no ethics. Why should we trust them to build with a conscience of future consequences.
Whether or not a citizen has lived here for 6 months or 100 years makes not a bit of difference, pro-AY robotic dummies. You are intellectually devoid.
Given the facts of the matter (MTA gives away taxpayer’s land through no-bid contracts, improper use of eminent domain, rushed studies that don’t take into account the obvious need for huge additional funds to shore up the infrastructures surrounding AY, ESDC and PACB collusions, no real environmental impact reports, glossed-over security risks from terrorism, no journalistic integrity from the NY Times, a pair of real beauties: the megalomaniacal and legacy-hungry mayor and governor, the fact that the affordable housing component is non-guaranteed, horrible traffic, noise, dust, pollution and no future parking near flatbush, plus a fairly shitty-looking set of new buildings courtesy of an overrated architect who should know better, AY supporters of the current plan (note that I said current plan, robotic dummies) are easily categorizable in the following ways:
1. truly cretinous
2. truly dumb
3. truly devoid of the ability to think critically and responsibly, for the future as well as for now.
4. all or some combination of the above
Ratner and the government goons behind this deal are svengalis: those of you who criticize those of us who have lots of questions and want public discourse act like a cult transfixed by those who control you. Please don’t drink their lemonade, dummies.
we may very well beat you in court with the eminent domain issue, and we may also defeat you with the involvement of eliot spitzer.
N-O D-E-A-L Y-E-T
Read the constitution and it’s amendments, and then tell us who the real thinkers and patriots are. Dummies – You are nothing but proletarian puppets.
right on, anon 4:24pm, their policies, strategies and approaches are toxic. If they can display this sort of deceptiveness even before there is any sort of ground-breaking, just imagine what ratner sludge awaits us in our bright future.
I used to be all for AY but these guys are toxic.
Simple solution: if you don’t like basketball or hockey then don’t go to the games. Deal?