Do Arson and Development Go Hand in Hand?
This week’s New York Magazine revisits the role that “accidental” fires play in a city’s (in this case Brooklyn’s) regenerative evolution. As the article reminds, last summer’s 10-alarm blaze that destroyed the Greenpoint Terminal Market was only the tip of the iceberg: the 2006 “fire season” saw a 50% rise in the number of two-alarm-and-higher…
This week’s New York Magazine revisits the role that “accidental” fires play in a city’s (in this case Brooklyn’s) regenerative evolution. As the article reminds, last summer’s 10-alarm blaze that destroyed the Greenpoint Terminal Market was only the tip of the iceberg: the 2006 “fire season” saw a 50% rise in the number of two-alarm-and-higher fires over 2005, which itself had been a record. Is itjust coincidence that the real estate market was setting new highs both years? Particularly suspicious, according to the article, were the eleven fires in the Prospect Heights “Pacific Street Corridor” between December 7, 2005 and February 24, 2006. Atlantic Yards, anyone?
Brooklyn Is Burning [New York Magazine]
Yes, those who read the article will note that people died in these fires.
The tone of these posts (and unecessary AY debate) is quite out of place.
Regardless of the economic “causes” (I wouldn’t blame rent control, but unders tand why others might) we are talking about landowners allegedly attempting to kill other people from profit.
We should all feel humble in the face of this kind of inhumanity.
four people died in one of the fires. these landlords are lower day old scum
New York Ragazine says this ‘Pacific Street Corridor’ is sandwiched between
proposed AY and Ft Greene and Williamsburg.
I love how these mag/newspaper writers really know their stuff and stress accurancy rather than worrying about making their story a more compelling read.
it is the circle of life, didn’t you see “the lion king”??
burn baby burn
disco inferno
according to the map in ny magazine the pacific street fires are all blocks past the atlantic yards site. so what’s up with the last line of the post and all the histrionic comments. is everything fodder for DDDB anti-AY conspiracies and rants. everyone here needs to chill the fuck out
Is someone blaming Ratner for these fires here? That really sounds off the wall hysterics. And also outrageous to
to compare arson with eminent domain.
Presumably lots of people want to live in Ratner’s dream, otherwise he wouldn’t be building it.
Personally, I’d love it if all of the SROs and rent stabilized apts with people paying $500 were cleared — maybe I could afford to buy or rent a place, instead of having it go to some _lucky_ person whose sole aspiration is to live in one room for 30 years and get a buyout.
There is plenty of outrage from the posters and there should be. I remember what I went through when the neighboring buildings went up in flames around me; ordinary people losing their apartments and in my case no one died, but if you want to talk about terrorism of a home grown variety this is it. And yes, as deadnaught says firefighters are putting their lives at risk because of the acts of the lowest life form. It is in the same category as venal and evil as taking someone’s home through eminent domain for profit only people can die.