The Personal Side of Dan Goldstein's Crusade
As part of the Gotham Gazette’s week-long focus on the issue of eminent domain, DDDB’s Dan Goldstein penned an essay on the Atlantic Yards project that includes some personal context for what has been a very public fight: Within the [AY] footprint there are four historically significant buildings which are not landmarked. One building, which…
As part of the Gotham Gazette’s week-long focus on the issue of eminent domain, DDDB’s Dan Goldstein penned an essay on the Atlantic Yards project that includes some personal context for what has been a very public fight:
Within the [AY] footprint there are four historically significant buildings which are not landmarked. One building, which I live in, is a renovated 1926 warehouse (pictured) designed by George S. Kingsley with ornamentation inspired by the Egyptian Revival Movement of the 1920s. It’s the only New York example of the ornate storage warehouses that Kingsley became nationally known for (in Chicago his building is landmarked). The Kingsley building and the 1885 Spalding Building, the former factory of the sporting goods manufacturer, are adaptive re-use success stories. The renovated condos in the Kingsley warehouse opened to residents only six months before Ratnervilleas opponents call itwas announced, while the former Spalding factory opened only two years prior to the announcement. The Ward Baking Company Building, built in 1911, is remarkable for its glazed white terra-cotta façade and its storied history of innovative baking techniques in the 1920s. At that time it was called the snow-white temple of bread-making cleanliness. Ratner now has an option on the building coming due in March – and intends to demolish it.
These buildings certainly sound worth saving to us.
Life in the Atlantic Yards Footprint [Community Gazette]
wow. a lotta jerks on this thread.
dan goldstein is doing great work for brooklyn. this developer is receiving an incredible amount of public subsidy. i find it to be a massive waste of my tax money to see these “generous” buy-outs of residents under the threat of ED. dan’s question stands: why couldn’t ratner simply build on the railyards? why must he blight a successful neighborhood around the yards to do this project? why not put the arena down on coney island if it can’t fit on the railyards?
you guys on this board making out like dan g is some kind of enemy, are ultimately supporting a developer who has built utter crap in brooklyn. he can’t even fill his own buildings without state govt tenants. atlantic center must be the only mall in the country that houses the state dmv.
I’m not a huge fan of the scale of the development and the eminent domain aspect of the AY project. I am for development though. I think tying the project up for ten years, as someone alluded to above, would be a real shame. This area needs to be developed. It would be a shame to lose the momentum for development due to protracted litigation and stalling tactics. If the goal of DDDB is actually to work with Ratner to find a compromise, then I’d be happier. As it now stands, it seems that both sides are not willing to compromise much at all with each other.
David, I was agreeing with you (anon 9:07) by challenging anon 8:46 to name the “plenty” of victories that AY opponents have scored. I don’t think that the Yards will sit dormant for decades. A legal battle with boil down to money, and we all know which side has more of that. DDDB’s paltry $60K will quickly evaporate in the real world. And, as time goes on, public interest will continue to wane and donations will trickle.
Oh don’t put blinders on Anon 9:07 – if you have disregard for the truth, a contempt for the democratic process and a lawyer who wants to make a name for him/her-self; it would be pretty easy to tie things up with frivolous and baseless litigation for years.
I have no doubt that Dan and his cohorts have the requisite qualifications and will be attempting just that.
It is entirely likely will we be looking at a pit at Atlantic and 5th for decades to come.
If there are plenty, then name them.
there are plenty now. the stage is set for ten years of litigation and the putrid rat will be dead by then …
As usual, AY opponents rely solely on instilling fear. Give it up, guys, it’s not working. Name one victory you’ve scored thus far.
Hope none of you AY supporters are setting your sights on Shaya’s Gowanus Village – guess where all those Ratner toilets are going to flush into when there are heavy rains.
And if this luxury housing does get built where are those with families going to send there children to school? Not every child is accepted into the “choice” private schools even if the parents can afford it.
GO DAN!!!
Good ass-kicking, David. Stopped Dan G. cold in his tracks. No, Breuklen, we’re not all behind Dan. Believe it or not, some of us think he’s annoying and disagree with most of what he says. No worries, though…before long, the building will begin. Meanwhile, I shall sit back and enjoy Dan and his underlings fight a losing battle.