The Price of Bertha Lewis' Silence
How much does it cost to buy Bertha Lewis’ support? According to this week’s Brooklyn Papers, half a million bucks. At the end of an article detailing the racial rifts in the debate (which we think are actually more class differences that happen to fall along racial lines), we learn that for all Ratner’s lip…
How much does it cost to buy Bertha Lewis’ support? According to this week’s Brooklyn Papers, half a million bucks. At the end of an article detailing the racial rifts in the debate (which we think are actually more class differences that happen to fall along racial lines), we learn that for all Ratner’s lip service to affordable housing, if he ends up not keeping up his end of the bargain to make half the units “affordable”, all he has to do is pay Lewis’ organization, Acorn, $500,000. A drop in the bucket to buy the silence of a woman who could have been a real thorn in his side.
Race War on Yards [Brooklyn Papers]
Berta Lewis = Moron [No Land Grabd]
How many times does someone have to say that they do not oppose development in AY- just not the way this one is being done? Does anyone read anymore? People aren’t asking to put an end to development- just to change the way its being done. Even Marty Markowitz was appalled by the size of AY- and he was a supporter from the beginning. And does no one remember that the arena came first but Ratner knew he would have a really hard time getting a go-ahead for just that, so he added all the other things to make it more palatable? Not to mention that all the rest enabled him to get tax breaks, etc. that he needs to even get it off the ground. I doubt that the arena will be far from a money-maker for several years at least- the Nets are not exactly the best. In fact I would say that most Brooklynites really don’t give a good g–d-m about if the Nets are a Brooklyn team or not. Ask people what their priorities are- the Nets will be so far down on the list you won’t even find it. It’s a vanity project for Ratner (remember- he bought a team and now he has to house it?)
And insofar as projecting that the majority of people will take public transportation to the arena? I had a good laugh over that one. The Bklyn subway system is hardly a dense network of track. It isn’t easy to get around- especially if you have to take the train and then a bus (or vice versa). The people who will fill the bleachers won’t takes cabs because it will be expensive (not to mention think how many cabs will be on the road if there is a game- may as well drive your own car if you have to sit in traffic). There has been no provision made for the influx of people they expect for an arena event. Ratner is not going to pay to upgrade infrastructure. S–t! He already got a huge break from the MTA over air rights- so you can bet they won’t be doing much either. Tailgate parties? One of the things fans love and brings them to games? Not here. Ratner will be lucky if he can fill a third of the house with the Nets because they ain’t that hot.
You would think with a project of that size and importance people would want it done right. It has the potential to do something really creative and beneficial to everyone (not just politicians, team owners and construction contractors) or become another overwrought, too big project that in 20 years people will want to knock down. Do it right and make it right.
The problem with Oder and the other anti-AY crowd is that they can deal only in theory. In theory, they prefer more “responsible” development. Those of us with two feet on the ground, though, know that blocking AY would amount to no development whatsoever.
“Do you really think basketball lovers will take the subway and hike up Atlantic Ave. to attend games?”
yes, and take the LIRR and cabs and some will drive – but exponentially fewer will drive then if you put the arena in some place that you HAVE to drive too. I thought everyone was concerned about the enviroment?
“He [Ratner] wants to build an arena and everything else is simply to make that successful.”
Actually totally false he would rather NOT build an arena – he wants to build market rate housing and everything else
is designed to get support for that – the politicians (and most Brooklynites want an Arena/Pro Basketball team)
Yours (and virtually all anti-AY people) attack on Metrotech simply confirm what many of us already know – its not “no to AYs” – its no to anything that has any possibility of being built.
First of all, business success is not rated simply whether or not a national Wall St. firm or law firm was here. If that were the case then the rest of NYC would cave in. As it was, there were plenty of law firms there- again because of the courts. Fulton Street was always busy- it may not have been your or brownbomber’s idea of successful, but plenty of businesses did fine. SOme didn’t- true everywhere. It’s interesting that you say Metrotech wasn’t designed to provide lunch spots, but on the other hand claim it sparked a veritable rennaissance in the area. Having lived in downtown Bklyn since 1976 I know different. Whatever the reason Ratner built Metrotech, it came after people realized what a great area it was. When I say Wall Streeters I am referring to people who worked in Lower Manhattan, not the companies themselves. I don’t argue that Metrotech was an improvement, but like Ratner’s other projects, it is unwelcoming in terms of the community. And since these projects do have a profound impact on the communities around them, good integrative planning would have been desirable.
As far as moderate income- that was not my definition but the definition the project is using to define moderate income levels. Yes we want diverse communities but do I think Ratner is going to create it- nope. He wants to build an arena and everything else is simply to make that successful. If he really wants to create a diverse community why include the wording “off-site” for lower income or affordable housing? He gave himself an out to keep the Atlantic Yards as luxury housing. At the same time he basically suckered a bunch of community groups into signing off on the project by making promises that most likely he will keep- just not in quite the way he implied he would. Bait and switch all the way. I have news for you- I believe in a free marketplace, and capitalism. The Horatio Alger story and all that- but I hardly think the way development is done in this city today is that- today it’s all about who you know and who you can get to pay for what you want. SMall businesses and community residents get steamrollered all the time- and not necessarily because of market demand. It’s because Ratner can grab your property because he has powerful friends. Does that sound like a free and open marketplace to you? Doesn’t to me.
Excellent posts, Bx2Bklyn. I think YOU hit the nail on the head. Especially regarding the creation of an entirely new community, cut off and separate from the communities around it. Is this what the new Brooklyn is going to look like?
Anonymous 9:54 is also correct, there has been little or no thought given to masses of people coming into the area, especially on a temporary basis. I haven’t seen any new plans for expanding the subways, widening the streets, providing enough parking, or improving the sidewalks and walkways. You would think people were going to be beamed in and out.
Yes, it is a needed project, and I support a smaller and better thought out development. One without declaring eminant domain. Between the yards and the commercial property sold to or already owned by Ratner, there is already a huge space for development.
David et. al.,
Do you really think basketball lovers will take the subway and hike up Atlantic Ave. to attend games? Have you tried to cross Flatbush/Atlantic Aves. at any time between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., 7 days a week? Where are all these people going to fit?
I live a good half-mile from the proposed arena, and I am sure there will be cars parked on my block on basketball nights. NO PROVISION is being made for on-site parking for games. Does this make sense?
It’s too big.
I totally agree David. Way to hit the nail right on the head!
BxBklyn – Downtown Brooklyn was not “viable” in the 1970’s or ’80s and in fact nothing got built here w/o the same massive subsidies that Metrotech got, nor can you name a single national wall street or law firm that moved here during that pre-Metrotech period b/c there werent any. Is Metrotech designed as a corporate campus insulated from the surrounding area – yup, but that was dictated by both the perception and reality regarding crime etc… during that period – not to mention that it was the architechtural style of the day so to critisize it based on todays reality is silly.
Metrotech wasnt built to provide lunch spots for nearby housing projects or Brooklyn Heights – it was designed to retain key industries in the city and to demonstrate that Brooklyn was a viable even disarable place for back office type operations (as oppossed to NJ)
on all levels it was a success and the attacks on Metrotech just prove that nothing will ever satisfy the anti-everything crowd.
Finally please stop saying moderate income is $100,000 a year salary – it isnt – moderate income housing for AY (and all such tax programs) is reserved for income levels ranging from below $20,000 to over 100,000 and the over $100,000 applies to families with (I think) 4 plus kids – the ranges are designed to ensure that such projects are economically diverse – which everyone here claims to want.
I rated their technique a 4 out of a possible 10