Brooklyn Bridge Park Debate Twenty Years Ago
The more things change, the more they stay the same. In a New York Times article exactly twenty years ago about the debate over the future of the Brooklyn Hieghts waterfront area, Norman Mailer now sounds particularly prescient: My guess is that the real-estate developers will do anything to raise the height restrictions for the…
The more things change, the more they stay the same. In a New York Times article exactly twenty years ago about the debate over the future of the Brooklyn Hieghts waterfront area, Norman Mailer now sounds particularly prescient:
My guess is that the real-estate developers will do anything to raise the height restrictions for the property. Disposal of the site could be a political scam that would generate an enormous sense of outrage. But if they try to do something against the interest of the area, the opposition here will make the fight over Westway look like All Souls Night.
The former president of the Brooklyn Heights Association, Anthony Manheim voiced the opinion that the city needed to “avoid family-oriented housing” because of the additional demands it would put on infrastructure. Sound familiar?
From “A Spotlight on 87 Neglected Acres,” NY Times, 10/27/85.
As discussed elsewhere on this site, the kind of housing that’s really needed (i.e., low and moderate income) isn’t likely to be on this site — Ratner will build it elsewhere, reserving this space for “luxury” developments (how many “luxury” home buyers want to lve within spitting distance of a basketball arena is another question). And you really believe that no-one but Bruce Ratner would build anything here? You that’s not true, yet other, better suggestions have been completely disregarded by the MTA.
With people who refuse any sort of discussion of alternatives here it is possible that this will remain a hole in the ground until your daughter graduates from college, at least, because the opposition isn’t going away and is getting stronger every day — unless Ratner & Co agree to some sort of discussion/modification of his plan nothing will get done.
Maybe because it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to “fill in that hole” so Ill settle for taking my daughter to an ice capades show at the arena or a Nets game, more jobs locally based, and some more needed housing – even if it means some more traffic
Thank goodness those piers are empty rather than replaced by skyscrapers blocking out one of the most incredible views in the world from the Promenade. And twenty years ago not many people were accusing them of NIMBYism and if you did today it really wouldn’t matter — my point is that Brooklyn Heights has always had the political and economic clout that the Atlantic Yards area lacks and so has been able to protect what in the end is a resource for everyone — because the Promenade is a public park.
So why not fill in that hole with some sort of public park where your children can play? I don’t think Bruce Ratner has any plans for anything like that…not that most people would really want their kids playing amongst office and residential skyscrapers and a basketball arena…
Oh I would accuse them of NIMBYism (I cant read the actual article) but I remember very clearly the protests form the NIMBY residents of Joralemon St who were against the waterfront park b/c a proposed pedestrian entrance was on their street – they didnt want people walking down their street! I always thought it was funny/sad that everywhere else in the world living near a park [entranc] was considered an amenity but here were these people protesting. BTW One of the reasons I am so pro-Atantic Yards is exactly what this article demostrates – 20 yrs and the piers are still empty! The Atlantic Yards plan may have some holes but if the anti(IMHO)-everything folks have their way – My kids will be looking at a hole at Atlantic and Flatbush in another 20 yrs.
Don’t assume all your readers are 20-somethings… 🙂
Who here remembers Westway? I bet most readers here weren’t even born then…
Unfortunately, the patrician residents of Brooklyn Heights have always had more clout than the up-and-comers of Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Prospect Heights — nobody accused them of NIMBYism, even if that’s exactly what it was. And there wasn’t much danger of wounding their liberal sensibilities by such an accusation…
However, they were right then (no housing complexes on the piers) and the anti-Ratner forces are right now, if much less organized and underfunded. Not to mention the lack of a famous writer/wife stabber to speak out on their behalf…