Gehry Backtracks, Softens Plans for Yards
Lost in last week’s holiday shuffle was Frank Gehry’s revision and qualification of his plans for the Atlantic Yards project. According to Brooklyn Papers, the famous architect even went so far as to call his original renderings “horrible”. So what’s he doing to change the design? Basically, with Ratner’s blessing, he’s softening it: Replacing shiny…
Lost in last week’s holiday shuffle was Frank Gehry’s revision and qualification of his plans for the Atlantic Yards project. According to Brooklyn Papers, the famous architect even went so far as to call his original renderings “horrible”. So what’s he doing to change the design? Basically, with Ratner’s blessing, he’s softening it: Replacing shiny facades with brick and adding more green space to the mix. All this goes a long way toward explaining why both he a DDDB stalwart Patti Hagan are both grinning ear-to-ear in the photo above. Gehry promised to tour Prospect Heights with Hagan, despite what his boss on the project might think about who he’s consorting with.
Gehry: My Design Was “Horrible” [Brooklyn Papers]
David, we had over 400 people participate in the DDDB walkathon and raised $60,000. That spells SUPPORT to me.Every politician who represents the area but Roger Green has come out against Ratnerville in some way(Yassky, Millman ,Tisch James,Sen.Montgomery, Brennan). The vast majority of residents were forced to sell through the THREAT of eminent domain.As for recent elections Councilmember James who is our biggest supporter won with 86% of the vote against a pro-Ratner opponent! David try walking the streets of Brooklyn and talking to people who live in Prospect Heights,Park Slope, Ft. Greene and Boerum Hill and you will see the support we have.
Sorry Dan but opposition is NOT strong as demonstrated by the recent elections, the turnout to protests, the lack of support by major politicians and the sellout by the vast majority of residents. I do not doubt that through abuse of process you can tie Ratner up for years but please do not mistake that for support.
anonymous. how about you post your name? then we can talk. the opposition to Ratnerville is enormouse. you can see it in polls, you can see it at rallies, you can see it in letters to the editor, you can see/hear it on the streets.
instilling fear? suggesting that most people may not like 15 years of construction in their front yards is not instilling fear.
dude, whoever you are, get this straight: most PEOPLE (newswalkers, residents, anonymous blog posters) do not get active in anything. period. so your observation really is meaningless.
if you think opposition to Ratnerville is not strong, you are living in fantasyville.
Anon 11:56
The same way the die hards stopped Westway is going to be the same way die hards like Daniel and me stop Ratnerville. Except instead of Striped Bass it’s probably going to because there’s no way this thing can be built the way it stands now in a post 9/11 world without it being drastically changed. That’s not fear mongering , just the facts. Read http://www.nolandgrab.org/docs/WhitePaper_BAYSecurity.pdf
Puca and Dan,
Ever think of changing your tactics? You rely heavily on instilling fear in others, but, given how weak your support is, I wonder how wise that is. And don’t waste time trying to convince me that your support is strong. If it were, you wouldn’t be complaining how little Newswalkers participate in the fight against Ratner. Also, Puca, I saw your post on dailyheights, complaining that community meetings are attended only by a few die-hards. Ratnerville will happen, but it’s obvious that you won’t admit that until you’re watching that wrecking ball swing.
As a resident of Newswalk and a member of their condo board, I can safely say that most Newswalkers are against Ratnerville. I can also safely say that I agree with Daniel and can only presume that most Newswalkers are too busy wrapped up in their own lives, rasing families and working to pay their huge mortgages to get involved. I’m sorry to say they will crying to me later IF Ratnerville gets built and they see themselves surrounded by 40 story cranes for 15 years!
shouldn’t apt owners with southern facing apt be kind of happy, but northern facing apt really pissed of
according to the plans, imagine your northern facing newswalk loft next to the coming construction of ground zero…. that cannot be nice….
The residents of Newswalk are silent because most of them are not all that bothered by the imminent housing and arena. If they were, they’d be more active. Believe it or not, Dan, not everyone shares your views.
anonymous, if i thought i was God wouldn’t I smite the Ratnerites?
Anon, yes the Fedders school of architecture may be in our future.