Ratner Lobbying Hard for Stimulus Dollars
Despite the fact the “there is a long list of more worthy state projects — from the Second Avenue subway to the Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel to high-speed upstate rail links — that would produce bigger public benefit from the stimulus bucks without bailing out a private real-estate developer,” Forest City Ratner is trying to “elbow…
Despite the fact the “there is a long list of more worthy state projects — from the Second Avenue subway to the Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel to high-speed upstate rail links — that would produce bigger public benefit from the stimulus bucks without bailing out a private real-estate developer,” Forest City Ratner is trying to “elbow to the front of the line before any of the roughly $17 billion in federal aid arrives,” writes New York Magazine. While Borough Prez Mary Markowitz is the only public official to publicly call for stimulus money to be diverted to the private project (and ESDC is unwilling to state its position), there are a number of electeds that Ratner has in his corner, including Mayor Bloomberg and Senator Schumer. The “key player,” notes the magazine, is actually the original bloviator Alfonse D’Amato. After paying him big lobbying bucks over many years, Ratner plans to leverage the former Senator’s close ties to Governor Paterson to make some rain.
Ratner’s Atlantic Yards Stimulus Shakedown [NY Mag]
Photo by Tracy Collins
The problem is that the vast majority of the public’s funding doesn’t go to jobs and growth. It goes to Ratner as primary owner of the team we’re building a free stadium for.
DIBS – it has looked the same for decades. They’ve torn down a few buildings, but the hole has been there forever. Your argument for spending billions of a private development rather than prioritizing transit is underwhelming.
We could use eminent domain to grab that ugly worthless mall adjacent to the AY site and put some much needed condos in there, maybe build a giant tower.
“a race between Guiliani & D’Amato”
Ugh. Slime and Slimeball.
How about using eminent domain to take the blighted AY hole in the ground off Ratner’s hands, at a fair price in the current market. How about $25 per buildable square foot. Then use some of the stimulus money to do something worthwhile with it for the public good.
And trolley dollies.
I’m all for trolley cars.
This kind of BS is a testament to the fact that politics is completely broken and our country is screwed until it gets a complete overhaul on all levels.
Damage largely done. Finish it. I don’t know what it looked like before they tore everything down. I had never been in brooklyn before 2007!!!!!!!
I’m trying to see the forest for the trees.