Mapping the Atlantic Yards Timeline
No one on either side of the Atlantic Yards debate disputes the fact that its construction would be a major pain in the ass for residents. The question is rather how long people would be inconvenienced for (Chuck Ratner’s on record saying 15 years) and whether the end-product would be worth the inconvenience. To address…
No one on either side of the Atlantic Yards debate disputes the fact that its construction would be a major pain in the ass for residents. The question is rather how long people would be inconvenienced for (Chuck Ratner’s on record saying 15 years) and whether the end-product would be worth the inconvenience. To address the first part of that question, graphic designer Abby Weissman has overlaid the construction schedule with a site map. The result is the clearest representation we’ve seen to date of the timeline. For a bigger version of the map, click on the image above.
The (Projected) Ten-Year Atlantic Yards Timeline [AY Report]
Yimby, I’m going to concede that an underclass exists, and that out of this underclass comes an element of nogoodniks and knuckleheads. However, what you advocate is nothing short of ethnic cleansing, or some kind of class based final solution. Let me break some points down for you, as you scare the bejeesus out of me.
First of all, nobody brings the race down. People bring themselves down, their race is irrelevant. It bothered me no end a couple of weeks ago when the entire nation of North Korea apologized for the actions of Cho at VT. Why were they apologizing? All the members of any race, or ethnic group are not responsible for the actions of its members. We make our own choices, good and bad, and we represent ourselves. As an African American, I like to think we’ve come farther than having to either raise up the race by succeeding, or bring it down by criminal and antisocial actions. No other group is held to this group standard, and we have to stop that mindset in ourselves, and in the way society perceives us.
What is the ghetto? When I look around my nabe, I see pockets of poverty and blocks of prosperity and growth. I see corners with people hanging out, and they are passed all day by people on their way to and from work. I see plenty of room for improvement in the way people have to struggle to live, but I also see change. It is unfair to say that a neighborhood has not tried to improve itself from within. You’ve obviously never been to a local community board, block association, precinct meeting, church group, Masons meeting, Boy Scout troop, CHNA or Brownstoners of Bed Stuy meeting. You haven’t been to any local BID meetings, or meetings of Blacks in Law Inforcement, or the Vulcan Society (black firefighters), or Black veterans for Social Change. You don’t know any local politicians, ministers, business owners or community activists. We are all working our butts off to improve our communities, as are the thousands of anonymous people who work long and hard to make this community a home, down to the ladies who sweep everyone’s sidewalks and watch out for everyone from their stoops and windows. We are the norm in our neighborhoods, not the exceptions. Irradicating the ills of society falls to outside forces as well as interior strengths. Step by step, we improve. The median income here is under $40K. Do you expect the new influx of so called urban pioneers to suddenly make the neighborhood into Park Slope? This community, while moving forward, still needs real jobs and job training, better schools, better day and health care options, among many other things. So some new money moves in, and all of a sudden, Poof! all problems solved? How unrealistic and simplistic.
How are you going to separate the trifling no goods? Are those the ones who are dress like knuckleheads, or the ones who actually are? How do you tell the difference? Do you separate them from the community because you don’t like how they look or dress, or their choice of music? I have a lot of issues with many aspects of what is seen as “urban culture”, but I draw the line at marching everyone who is “bringing down the race” to the sea.
Oh yeah, where are these people who must be sacrificed to the greater good supposed to go? Is it out of sight, out of mind? Do we not see, as in Iraq, that angry, desperate people, forced out of their homes, make highly motivated terrorists and predators? Are you advocating some kind of class war? How do you propose we “rid ourselves of their burden”? Round up anyone we don’t like the look of and send them to the camps? Sterilize people? Emulate some South American cities and quietly kill off the street people and runaways? Have we turned into Nazi Germany, or Serbia? For what? Real estate?
I don’t want to live in your little Nirvana. Sounds like hell on earth to me. Thank God you aren’t in charge.
omigod- you really are insane. Spare us your thoughts and methods for making Brooklyn better for everyone- you sound like an arrogant ass- in fact- you are an arrogant ass. You know absolutely nothing about these neighborhoods or their people. As far as all your theories on class- how would you know? You have none. Your understanding of society, economics and politics rivals the maturity level of a prepubescent sociopath with the ethical capacity of George Lincoln Rockwell the founder of the American Nazi Party.
Someone of your limited mental and emotional capacity is not what Brooklyn needs. I’m sure somewhere there is a venue for someone like you, somewhere- Hey! I bet the Taliban have an opening. You’ll fit right in.
This is not a race thing. It’s about class. I wouldn’t want to live next to white trash either. Same mentality. Different skin color. The choice is their’s. Either they conform and live according to our law, rules and morals or they must leave. Since they don’t own anything, it’s not that hard to do.
Sorry gang but I’m here for the long haul! I love Brooklyn! I just want to make it better for everyone!
If the majority of folks living east of Flatbush are hard working, good hearted people then they’re wholly ineffectual in improving their station in life in any meaningful way because the ghetto remains the ghetto. How come the majority of “good people” have done very little to reduce crime, combat poverty, drug dependency, rampant single parenthood and the glorification of drug and thug life that’s destroying generations of black people?
East of Flatbush is still the hood and will remain so unless we provide a strong mix of racial and economic diversity. Yes, that means gentrification and the displacement of those ill suited to live among the peaceful and productive. The solid black middle class are an attribute to these communities; they held it together through the peaks and valleys and are the bedrock of the nabe. They are not going anyway and that’s a very good thing. Why? Because they are not the ones who are making life unbearable for the rest of us. Who then may I ask? The trifling, good for nothing, lazy ass, self-annihilating, gun popping underclass. Them folks! They got to go by any means necessary!!!
They bring the entire race down and should be extricated from any good community. They can’t live amongst us. Sad but true. They have no respect for themselves or anyone else. The quicker we rid ourselves of their burden, the sooner we can get to living in peace and tranquility. I know it’s the the PC thing to say but who among us don’t feel the same way? We do indeed think it to ourselves but we dare not utter our thoughts out loud.
For example, look at all the headache that Mr. B is experiencing on Grand Ave. It’s not the majority of black families living on the block that’s the problem (renters and homeowners), it’s the incorrigible underclass that caused the block to get shutdown and blocked off. Why? Because the underclass can’t act right, can’t get themselves together and they have no respect for anything. We can’t wait for the government to fix this problem because the government can’t. All we can do is drive them out!
YIMBY=Scarsdale Wannabe.
Just go there. There’s still a faster buck to be made there and you’ll never be lonely, loser.
I can speak for white people- we don’t want Yimby either. If we need racist white folk we can call true professionals like the KKK or the Nazis. the only thing Yimby proved is that he can add. It’s just unfortunate he never learned that you add NUMBERS not nouns.
Let me do my own math: Yimby Urban Nirvana=Hell
YIMBY, so glad your white people bringing Nirvana theory is so well thought out. What absolute rot.
Even people who want AY would not want you on their side.
YIMBY: Sounds more like Suburban Racist Nirvana.
I see. Thanks for the clarification. You’ve got this whole thing planned out. You’ve got an answer for everything. Everything that is, with the exception of rain-induced disasters.
FCR takes no responsibility for anything…as usual; if they’re not blaming the nimby contingency, they’re cursing God and nature. See, even God is again AY. He caused the rain the fall at just the opportune time for the paraphets to fall. What else will the great Creator pull out of his bag of tricks.
Remember, even if you prevail in the courts and even if our boycotts fail, the biblical plagues of babel (Tower of Babel) will assail you. It’s called Karma. And it has nothing to do with the the nimby opposition.