Goldstein Offered Less Than What He Paid for Condo
On Saturday the Wall Street Journal ran an anti-eminent domain op-ed by the Manhattan Institute’s Nicole Gelinas. The writer argues that the state is masking an economic development motive in its push for the use of eminent domain in the Atlantic Yards footprint by falsely categorizing the area as blighted. AY Report notes, “not every…
On Saturday the Wall Street Journal ran an anti-eminent domain op-ed by the Manhattan Institute’s Nicole Gelinas. The writer argues that the state is masking an economic development motive in its push for the use of eminent domain in the Atlantic Yards footprint by falsely categorizing the area as blighted. AY Report notes, “not every block was thriving, but Prospect Heights was surely on the way up.” The piece also says that Develop Don’t Destroy’s Dan Goldstein is now being offered less money for his home, in the building above, than what he paid for it in 2003: “The letter they received in September informed them that the state will compensate them $510,000 for their property—less than what they bought it for and less than half of what Mr. Ratner offered to pay them for it four years ago. It’s also less per square foot than what Mr. Ratner expects to sell his luxury apartments for once they are built. ‘I think [the state] lowballs to deter people from fighting like we have,’ Mr. Goldstein told me.” Goldstein paid $590,000 for his 1,290-square-foot apartment, or $457 a foot, and the state is now offering him $395 a foot; AY Report writes that state consultants prepared a report saying that prices in Prospect Heights now start at $470 a foot and go up to $1,225 a foot.
The Empire State and Eminent Domain [WSJ]
How New York Abuses Eminent Domain [DDDB]
How the AY Blight Study is About Economic Development [AY Report]
be-rude- oh ok. I get it. It’s ok to rag on Goldstein, but a few Ratner factoids (not rants- facts) are not. Ok- got it. Not. One more fact for you- Goldstein wasn’t against AY per se- he was against being forced out of a home he just bought. And against the use of eminent domain to get it. Your whole argument hinges on whether or not Goldstein ever cared before AY about ED? Try using that one in a court of law and see where it gets you.
Seriously. Who cares. This guy is an attention whore and selfish bastard who has made this project more expensive and drawn out than it would’ve otherwise been. He may miss out on a few K due to his idiocy but we all get to suffer too as a result. If I see this guy in the street I’ll shit on his foot. Nice trade, chump.
Invective may be too strong, I grant you.
Here is where you sarcastically shift a conversation about Goldstein to yet another anti-Ratner rant: “Sure- I would so much rather have a Ratner running roughshod over taxpayers, neighborhoods and homeowners than a Daniel Goldstein and DDDB who actually had the guts to stand up to him and his steamroller. Yeah. Really. A Brooklyn Basketball team is just so much more important than all of that. (Psssst….wanna buy a bridge?)”
You’re not calling him names or insulting him personally, true. Your tone is obvious, though, and you’re trotting out the same tired anti-Ratner cliches about steamrolling, running roughshod over defenseless folks, etc. So I’ll revise my statement: “…perhaps you should start by not conflating Goldstein & AY yourself. In other words, avoid responding to discussion threads specifically about Goldstein and launching into more of the same [tired] anti-Ratner [rants].”
My point remains, though, you’re the one linking Goldstein to your broader complaints about the project, not me.
And to clarify my thoughts yet again (is big jugs the only one who need to brush up on reading comp??), you’re close, but I don’t believe Dan Goldstein shouldn’t be “allowed” to protest. He can do whatever he wants. But call a spade a spade, that’s all I ask. Because the project is, literally, right in his backyard and he’s never shown any concern for lofty issues such as ED abuse and the common man before, he’s not some altruistic crusader here, he’s simply a guy who doesn’t want something built and is resorting to any means possible to cloak his persoanl desire in something more palatable. Or, as I already said earlier today: “Just embrace it, Dan, and I’d have less of a problem with you. And if the group is really about righteous indignation with corporate/government tie-ups and improper use of public money — and not merely NIMBY whining — why did you call it DDDB not, say, DDDNYC, or DDDNYS?? I guess DDDB is better than DDD-the-corner-of-Atlantic-and-Flatbush, though. That’d be too obvious.”
be rude- The thread is about Goldstein and just as you post your opinion, so I post mine. I tried to have a, as you put it, spirited debate with you- bringing up facts you find inconvenient hardly falls into the category of anti-Ratner invective. Invective would be calling him names and personally insulting him. My comment was my take on the general use of the word NIMBY- you are hardly the only person to use it.
On the other hand, Pro-AYers constantly use the term NIMBY as a form of insult and refuse to consider that DDDB and Goldstein or any of the rest of us who oppose it might be against it for legitimate reasons. Your whole first paragraph really makes no sense- you seem to be saying that only Daniel Goldstein is not allowed to protest because you think he is self-satisfied and seems to have never been involved in ED issues before AY. I really could care less if you take issue with Goldstein or not, but unless you can show me word for word my “anti-Ratner invective”, don’t put words in my mouth.
Excuse me big jugs- not only did I not call anyone names, but in no way did I back down on anything. If that’s your take you really need a crash course in reading comprehension.
As for Goldstein being an idiot- well, your log in name is “big jugs”- hardly the mark of an Einstein. As well proven by your post.
bx, maybe this is where we aren’t seeing eye to eye: I don’t think calling DDDB “NIMBY” automatically delegitimizes it, it just calls it what it really is. And as to other AY-opponents, I am not (and have not) addressed any of this toward them, so I’m not delegitimizing out-of-hand the “very real” objections of all opposed to this. In fact, I’ve said repeatedly that there are other groups/individuals involved, on the opposition side, who I find credible.
I don’t assume that DDDB has no legitimate interest in what’s happening (they clearly do, and that’s precisely the point: they have the interest not to move out; the interest not to have a project they oppose “in their backyard” — their interest is the very definition of NIMBY!). Further, I don’t assume DDDB haven’t educated themselves on the issues (clearly they have so they could propogate a picture of cronyism and stall this thing in court).
And just to clarify, I don’t know Goldstein personally, and have never met him. My opinion just has to do with his approach — one that seems disingenuous, self-satisfied, and above all NIMBY desperately attempting to disguise itself as something else — but it’s just that, a personal opinion, and you are free to disagree. However, if you don’t want “Goldstein’s presumed personality issues” overshadowing real issues he’s addressing, then perhaps you should start by not conflating Goldstein & AY yourself. In other words, avoid responding to discussion threads specifically about Goldstein and launching into more of the same anti-Ratner invective.
Good going frsq and be rude. You actually silenced bxgrl. You always know you’ve won a debate when the other side backs down while calling you names. Good job!
I find this hilarious. In a few weeks, the decison will come back in favor of FCR and idiot Goldstein will finally be gone from our neighborhood. Too bad it took so long.
Not that anyone should be worried about him. He and his family are quite wealthy and can easily eat the financial loss. In fact, his wealth is what has afforded him the luxury of waging this fight. Otherwise, he would have accepted Ratner’s offer years ago and moved upstate where he belongs.
Indeed — however, just two final points: UNITY Plan, a very viable alternative: http://unityplan.org/ and also: I do not live in Fort Greene/Prospect Heights/Park Slope or anywhere touching the footprint and I am against it, so I can’t be called a NIMBY, and there are quite a few of us out there, so that argument is bunk.
Have a good evening!
BG- *sigh*- you’re right. Have a good evening.