ESDC Seeks Final Evictions Today
And then there was one. It was widely reported earlier this week that Freddy’s Bar, the long-time gathering place of Atlantic Yards opponents, had made plans to relocate at the end of this month. And now, with the ESDC set to formally request eviction orders from a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge today, The Brooklyn Paper…
And then there was one. It was widely reported earlier this week that Freddy’s Bar, the long-time gathering place of Atlantic Yards opponents, had made plans to relocate at the end of this month. And now, with the ESDC set to formally request eviction orders from a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge today, The Brooklyn Paper is reporting that all of the remaining residential hold-outs except for one have cut deals to relocate. We have successfully worked to find comparable or better housing for every family in the footprint except one, said Forest City’s MaryAnne Gilmartin. Not surprisingly, the last man standing is Daniel Goldstein the founder and face of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. Based on a post on Atlantic Yards Report, however, his recalcitrance could have more to do with practicality than principle at this point: He’s still being low-balled on the value of his own apartment ($395 per square foot compared to a market average of $475 in Prospect Heights) and has only been offered apartments in two buildings so far. The final screwing in a screwed up process.
Goldstein Now, Officially, the last Yards Holdout [Brooklyn Paper]
ESDC Suggests Comparable Condos [Atlantic Yards Report]
Curtain to Fall on Last Atlantic Yards Holdouts [Crain’s]
Freddy’s Finds Amnesty in Park Slope [Brownstoner]
And the debate will go on forever…
Has anybody seen the Bloomberg profile on Prokhorov?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601108&sid=aF9Tel_2lNpA
This guy will make sure that HIS team will not be housed in a shabbily designed stadium in a crappy area. White knight? Well, at least he has very deep pockets, will not ask tax payers for $$, and can actually dunk!
And snappy, no offence, but you didn’t have to follow the AY debacle that closely to have heard of the original designs and what happened to them as a result of DG stalling tactics (and thus approval of the project in the midst of a recession, instead of sometime in the bubble).
“What should be built –
Something I – and my children – don’t have to pay for. Or if I’m paying for it, something that benefits me, the community and the developer in a rough proportion to what we’re all paying for it.”
Makes sense! Do you know which part of the approvals process looks to figure out the percentage of benefits to each party? Or is it just, the more he makes, the more he pays in taxes?
“As for what the ‘taxpayers’ pay and how screwed everyone got – I say lets look back in 25years, after the construction and after the community gets to enjoy concerts, shows, events and yes Basketball that we wouldnt have otherwise.”
Did something happen to BAM that I wasn’t aware of? We already had something in the area that provided concerts, events and entertainment. The only thing the community got out of this was an over-extended definition of “blight” and an oversized mega-plex nightmare that’s going to create a traffic nightmare and suck any semblance of “neighborhood” out of the area. If I wanted to sit in a huge arena to watch a game or see a concert, I could have taken the subway 30 minutes to MSG.
There were plenty of other things to do with the Atlantic Yards that were appropriate for the community and didn’t replace residents and families with tourists and fans.
What should be built –
Something I – and my children – don’t have to pay for. Or if I’m paying for it, something that benefits me, the community and the developer in a rough proportion to what we’re all paying for it.
I work in finance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. But when almost all sports franchises cost far more than they generate, and always have, it’s fair to say this one will have a similar detrimental effect on its (our) community. In fact, even Ratner’s own projections show almost no total economic gain. Revenues go to the owners. Costs go to us.
Of course some people will enjoy concerts. The question is why the taxpayer is paying for the tickets. Even Ratner’s own projections show the economic gain to be miniscule – unlike the subsidies we’re giving him.
Case in point, the $50 million we already paid Ratner to build affordable housing could have gone to, you know, affordable housing.
I second MM and applaud Daniel Goldstein “for his heroic stance against overwhelming forces. … If nothing else, no other developer in this city will ever try such a blatent end run around due process again. ” -MM
Mr Goldstein, I’m sure, is well prepared for this second stage to fight tooth and nail to receive fair compensation for his soon to be former home on Pacific.
Wah Wah Wah – its OVER
Dan Goldstein is an ego maniac who will end up costing taxpayers millions more by his delay tactics that amounted to ZERO.
I repeat for all his delay and obstruction he got NOTHING – no concessions for the neighborhood, no changes in the plans, no NOTHING.
Its one thing to “fight” but fighting for fighting sake is STUPID and IMMATURE. He didnt have the law on his side (after Kelo) and he didnt have the politicians on his side – so going for an all or nothing approach was ridiculous and purely ego driven. If the guy had actually represented the “community”‘ he could have adjusted his tactics to REALITY and gotten an improved project for everyone – instead he represented himself and just ran up the bills and delayed everything for no reason. I personally hope he gets the lowest sf $ possible,
As for what the “taxpayers” pay and how screwed everyone got – I say lets look back in 25years, after the construction and after the community gets to enjoy concerts, shows, events and yes Basketball that we wouldnt have otherwise. And when we can see how much additional tax revenue is added to the coffers, and when we can determine the net benefits and minuses to our quality of life.
I find it ironic in a way that on a day where GM has followed the banks in paying back TARP – when all the so called “experts” said Tarp would never get a dime back (note: except for FNM, FMA and Chrysler – virtually all have paid back – AT A PROFIT), that everyone is so confident in future fiscal projections.
I love Goldstein. Thanks to him and DDDB we got to see the emperor’s new clothes in all their glory. And we paid for the privilege. Of being screwed by Ratner. Lucky us.
Sign me up with ENY, Randolph, and the others.
While I generally agree with Mr. B and find him reasonable on most points, here I definitely disagree and think Goldstein does warrant some amount of derision.
While on some superficial level standing up to “the man†is laudable, Goldstein just took it too far. He showed himself to be a slimy, grandstanding NIMBY who grew to love the spotlight. He was willing to co-opt all sorts of worthy causes I think we all know he could really care less about (aside from the fact that _seeming_ to care about ED abuse served his personal goal). All his hubris accomplished was ensuring a few more years of vacant lots and rail yards and a watered-down final design.
While there are plenty of AY opponents I respect, he certainly isn’t one of them and while it’s not fair, I can certainly see why Ratner is out to screw him. Can’t really say he doesn’t deserve it, either.
Johnny, what should be built to revitalize the area instead?