February 9, 2010
Broad daylight snatch
The Brooklyn Paper, Police Blotter
by Claire Glass
How much more evidence of blight will the Empire State Development Corporation (motto: Open for Business!) need before it starts eying Bruce Ratner's crime-ridden malls?
Target trifling
Watch your backs, Target shoppers. Thieves continue to stalk the aisles of the Target at the Atlantic Terminal Mall.
• A superficial shoplifter was seen trying to get away with over $900 worth of beauty supplies on Feb. 6. The greedy shopper also tried to steal electronic equipment and almost $100 worth of candles in the 6:15 pm swipe. An employee called the cops, and the perp was arrested by Officer Desmond Dempster.
• Another thief grabbed a lady’s purse from her cart on Feb.6. The victim said that as soon as she turned her back at around 5 pm, a thief stole her wallet from her bag and got away with her cash.
Posted by eric at February 9, 2010 11:46 AM | Permalink
Award of No-Bid Mega-Monopoly Means Forest City Ratner Hopes To Claim an Awful Lot of Housing Subsidy, ALSO Without Bid
Noticing New York
Forest City Ratner is looking to glom onto an awful lot of housing subsidy with respect to its proposed Atlantic Yards megadevelopment. If you’re interested in knowing how much, this article attempts to close in on that figure. It’s in the neighborhood of about at least half a billion dollars, probably a fair amount more and the transaction has been set up so Forest City Ratner can blackmail the public for that money.
Posted by eric at February 9, 2010 11:05 AM | Permalink
Would the Court of Appeals permit reargument of the Atlantic Yards case, given the Columbia appeal? It's a long shot, and we should know soon
Atlantic Yards Report
The unusual, long shot effort to get the state Court of Appeals to reopen the Atlantic Yards eminent domain case it dismissed in November could see a result as early as today, when the Court of Appeals resumes issuing decisions. Or it could linger for weeks or months.
Should the court agree to reargument of the appeal, or to simply hold it in abeyance until the not dissimilar Columbia University case is resolved, that could stay the pending decision by state Supreme Court Justice Abraham Gerges on an unusual challenge to the actual condemnation.
But if the court dismisses the motion, that would remove one of the few potential roadblocks--all long shots--to transfer of title should Gerges rule in favor of the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC).
Forest City Ratner is proceeding--mostly--as if none of these cases poses a threat; it has signed contracts for arena construction and has continued utility work and demolition, but has not announced an official groundbreaking.
The Columbia opening
Let's recap. The AY case, known as Goldstein v. ESDC, was dismissed 6-1 in late November, with the majority opinion stating that it was the role of the Legislature, not the courts, to narrow the definition of blight and the dissenting judge saying the court was much too deferential to the ESDC.
Nine days later, a lower court, the Appellate Division, blocked the ESDC's use of eminent domain in the Columbia University expansion, in a case known as Kaur v. ESDC. While the ruling was 3-2, the two-judge plurality opinion slammed the ESDC for its use of consultant AKRF, its reliance on underutilization as an indicia of blight, and its indulgence toward a private developer.
While the fact pattern in the Columbia case is different from the AY case, the issues of underutilization and deference to the agency are similar. Then again, Judge James Catterson's plurality opinion ignored any reference to the judge-decided AY case, a glaring omission leaving open the option for a complete reversal.
But the Court of Appeals had already ruled against the ESDC in another Columbia case--regarding the agency's unwillingness to hand over documents requested via the Freedom fo Information Law--and may be disposed to looking carefully at its actions.
Courts, as institutions, are generally reluctant to admit that they just made mistakes, so the petitioners in the AY case have an uphill climb.
Posted by eric at February 9, 2010 10:59 AM | Permalink
February 8, 2010
Is Concord Village an Island, an Oasis or a Haven?
‘People Who Live Here Feel They Are Part of the Community at Large’
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
by Linda Collins
Some residents of Concord Village, the seven-building, 1,025-unit co-op complex at Adams and Tillary streets in Downtown Brooklyn, think of it as an island in the middle of a sea of courthouses, college buildings and traffic.
Others view it as an integral part of the Downtown Brooklyn community and still others see it as a haven. Maybe it’s all three.
...Residents also have concerns about Brooklyn Bridge Park, Atlantic Yards and developments in DUMBO, but the board cannot take a stand on these issues.
“Our policy is if it doesn’t directly affect Concord Village, we can agree to keep our members informed, but we can’t take a stand,” said Woolston.
NoLandGrab: "Can't" take a stand, or "won't?" There's a difference.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:43 PM | Permalink
Builder of Mets’ Citi Field Also to Build Barclays Arena in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Compiled by Linda Collins
"Compiling," we take it, means re-writing the press release.
Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) reports it has awarded Hunt Construction Group the construction contract for the Barclays Arena at Atlantic Yards.
The Indianapolis-based construction company will be working with arena designers Ellerbe Becket and SHoP Architects, and will be using “a structural steel superstructure frame with structural precast seating bowl and a weathered steel rain screen facade,” according to a published statement.
press release article
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:37 PM | Permalink
Public-Private Partnerships: Process, Plans, and Opportunities
Bisnow.com
Here's an event not to be missed, with a keynote speech by the New York City Economic Development Corporation's Seth Pinsky and a "panel of experts" featuring Forest City Ratner's MaryAnne Gilmartin.
While development has slowed due to the financial environment, some development, mainly large development, has moved on. Many of these large projects share a common trait – ties to the city and state government. What plans does NYC have for future development in the city and how will that effect job growth? What will it take to get future development started sooner? What is planned for large scale projects like Atlantic Yards?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
NY Bar Association
42 W 44th Street
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:30 PM | Permalink
As controversy over Queens video deal continues, Darryl Greene drops out
Atlantic Yards Report
Hypocrisy alert!
The Times, Daily News and Post are shocked — shocked! — that the bidding for the Aqueduct "racino" contract may not have been on the up and up. In other news, we're still waiting for even a smidgen of similar outrage about the rigged Atlantic Yards deal.
Well, the frenzy over the Paterson administration's controversial selection of the Aqueduct Entertainment Group to run a video casino hasn't let up, with multiple news outlets reporting that consultant Darryl Greene, who had 0.6% of the deal, has dropped out.
Green, who pleaded guilty in 1999 to a misdemeanor count of mail fraud, as detailed in the document below, has long worked on minority contracting for Forest City Ratner, including on Atlantic Yards. (He was disbarred, according to the Daily News.)
Yesterday, the New York Post reported, in a careful locution, that "Companies connected to Greene owe nearly $1 million in state taxes."
...On Saturday, the New York Times weighed in (late) with an editorial, headlined Looks Sleazy to Us, opining:
[Assembly Speaker] Mr. [Sheldon] Silver may have preferred another bidder. But his demands seem more than reasonable. He should also insist that the governor release documents showing how this bid was chosen. It shouldn’t stop there.
On Sunday, the New York Daily News ran a second editorial, headlined Two-armed bandits: Daily News demands sunlight on shady Aqueduct deal:
New Yorkers especially need to see how much money the competing bidders put on the table. We also need to understand how Paterson, Silver and Sampson justify allowing AEG to match the high bid by adding $100 million to its offering at the last minute.
NoLandGrab: Spare us the sanctimony. And never mind who gets the contract — the whole idea of slot-machine parlors as state revenue patches is morally bankrupt.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:03 PM | Permalink
Indiana Firms Involved in Nets Arena Project
Inside Indiana Business
Jobs (in Indiana), Housing (maybe yes, maybe no) and Hoops (4-46)!
Two Indiana companies have landed major contracts for the construction of the new home for the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets. Indianapolis-based Hunt Construction Group Inc. will be the construction manager for the Barclays Center project in Brooklyn. Whiteland-based ASILIMITED says it will work with Hunt in providing the building façade and enclosure.
...ASILIIMITED has been selected to provide the 219,000 square feet of total building façade and enclosure of the new Barclays Center that is being developed in Brooklyn, NY.
...Scope of work will be a custom designed aluminum and weathered steel unitized mega-wall system that will include blast resistant curtain wall, insulated weather wall and exterior steel lattice. Panels will be 10’-0” in width but vary in height from 10’-0” to 55’-0”. Unit weights can exceed 9,000 pounds. These units will be manufactured in Whiteland and help maintain current workforce as well as potentially growing employment throughout the project.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 9:48 PM | Permalink
Perkins introduces bill to reform eminent domain by redefining blight; had provisions been enacted earlier, AY would have been blocked
Atlantic Yards Report
As previewed (Gotham Gazette, New York Times), State Senator Bill Perkins has introduced a sweeping bill (S. 6971) to redefine eminent domain by redefining blight--currently subsumed under the amorphous terms "substandard and insanitary."
Thus environmental consultants like AKRF inevitably find blight when so requested by agencies like the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC).
The bill, which likely will gain both supporters and critics, is clearly a response to the efforts to use eminent domain in the cases of Atlantic Yards, Columbia University, and Willets Point. The bill's provisions aren't retroactive, but if they were, they almost certainly would've have precluded the use of eminent domain for the AY site.
New York is one of few states--perhaps seven--that failed to enact any reforms regarding eminent domain after the Supreme Court's controversial 2005 Kelo v. New London decision, and the libertarian Institute for Justice, which brought the Kelo case, considers New York "one of the worst" states in the country when it comes to eminent domain abuse.
Underutilization
Notably, the bill eliminates the opportunity for condemning authorities like the ESDC to cite underutilization--as it did in the Atlantic Yards and Columbia cases--as an indicia of blight.
Given that AKRF deemed properties occupying less than 60% of allowable development rights (Floor Area Ratio, or FAR) as blighted, that could potentially doom broad swaths of the city.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:29 AM | Permalink
It came from the Blogosphere...
Queens Crap, How your nabe gets screwed in Bloomie's budget
The Queens Tribune has an excellent rundown on how Bloomturd has decided to screw each individual community in Queens in his latest budget. Remember - no money is available for your neighborhood park, firehouse or library; but there is plenty of money for boondoggle development projects that will enrich the Wilpons, TDC and Bruce Ratner. (And they said the welfare rolls were shrinking - HA!)
Golden State Worriers, Franchise Fix #9: Approach A Coach
He was generally well-liked amongst Nets followers even during his 0-16 start -- a struggle he handled with admirable grace -- and kept up appearances pretty impressively, considering Bruce Ratner's extended fire sale and the Nets' presence in the vicious New York media market. Most importantly, he's known as a players' coach. We can safely file this guy under "P" for "people person".
Homeless in LA, Bruce Ratner – who is he?
I received a track back to the blog stating that the Barclay’s evicting a NYC homeless shelter is the work of Bruce Ratner. Please educate me.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:13 AM | Permalink
A Crystal Eagle Award for me: "a champion of property rights" vs. "a champion of good government"
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder reports on his collection of an award from the Owners' Counsel of America.
I traveled on the OCA's dime to the OCA meeting this past weekend in Scottsdale, AZ, to accept the award and speak about my work. (The amount of time I spent in transit was about the same as the time I spent awake in Scottsdale.)
I had qualms about being described, at least according to some OCA members, as a "champion of property rights."
I responded that I was a "champion of good government" and if that, in the context of examining eminent domain in New York makes me appear to be a "champion of property rights," so be it.
After all, I started looking into Atlantic Yards as a media critic and then expanded into reportage and commentary; eminent domain wasn't on my radar screen.
Posted by eric at February 8, 2010 10:08 AM | Permalink
February 7, 2010
NY State Governor Under Fire for Bidding Wars
The Watering Hole
by Clinton Miller
New York State Governor David Patterson has been criticized by New York State Republicans, The Daily News and The New York Post for his handling of the bidding process for the upcoming “Racino” featured at Aqueduct Race Track.
Is this the first time that municipal bidding processes have been controversial and questionable? How about Forest City Ratner (Bruce Ratner) getting the bid for the Atlantic Yards project when his company bid $100,000,000 less than the other bidder in the midst of financial insolvency for the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority? How about all of the conflicting deals that Joe Bruno engineered when he was the leader of the New York State Senate? Isn’t this how Albany has always worked?
Perhaps there is such an outcry over this selection because the usual beneficiaries of the winning entities did not come out on top this time around.
Posted by eric at February 7, 2010 11:24 PM | Permalink
In this week's Courier-Life, street closures article on p. 4 is contradicted by news brief on p. 12
Atlantic Yards Report
Facts bite newspaper.
Does the Courier-Life chain have any editors?
This week's print issue of the Park Slope Courier includes an article (p. 4), headlined Closures around Barclays Center site begin, which is flat wrong.
It states, seemingly unequivocally, "Effective Feb. 1, sections of both Fifth Avenue and Pacific Street will be permanently closed."
Stephen Witt's article was posted online at 8:09 pm on January 29 with a different headline, Downtown street closures explained at cop meeting. That 78th Precinct Community Council meeting was January 26.
...Misleading the public
Rather than updating that article to explain the delay, a headline expressing more certainty, Closures around Barclays Center site begin, was added to the article appearing in this week's issue.
Posted by eric at February 7, 2010 11:05 PM | Permalink
Screening and rewards
Battle of Brooklyn via Kickstarter
We have a rough cut screening set up in Dallas at the Magnolia Theater- Feb 16th 7:30.
With the support of Dallas video fest- Dallas Film Festival - and Dallas film society we'll be screening a full length version of the rough cut to get feedback. If you or anyone you know is in Dallas we'd love to have you there. The last half of the film is still pretty rough but it's invaluable for us to have the opportunity to show it to an audience to get a sense of how it's working. It will be especially good to show the film to people who don't know very much about the story.
The ending of the film isn't there because the story continues. A week ago Friday a hearing took place -at which the judge was expected to transfer title of the properties to the esdc. He didn't as he said he had to review the papers... so the story continues.
Posted by eric at February 7, 2010 11:00 PM | Permalink
The Observer points to the 2006 "historical delusion" perpetuated by those pushing Stuy Town; weren't similar delusions behind AY?
Atlantic Yards Report
The purchase of Stuveysant Town by Tishman Speyer Properties and BlackRock Realty turned out to be a disaster due to overly-rosy projections. A more critical look at unrealistic projections for the proposed Atlantic Yards development could avert a disaster before it happens.
In a New York Observer article this week headlined The Selling of Stuy Town, Eliot Brown and Dana Rubenstein write:
To flip through the pages of the 2006 offering book for potential buyers of the 11,200-apartment Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village-a deal that has devolved into the largest individual property default in modern history-is to immerse oneself in an historical delusion, one that, from today's privileged vantage point, appears as likely as Iraqi WMDs.
The book wove the strands of possible Stuy Town revenue into a real estate dreamscape, one in which the largely rent-regulated complex could become a wealthier community, complete with an elite private school, gourmet grocery shops, private spas, gated communities, Santa Cecilia granite countertops in every apartment.
Well, there were other historical delusions put forth in that heady year, perhaps not of the precise magnitude, but significant nonetheless.
How about the projected Atlantic Yards timeline, which in April 2007 I suggested might be a fantasy?
Posted by steve at February 7, 2010 8:28 AM | Permalink
Oops! Where Did That Blight Go? Sidewalk Cracks Are Just Too Damn Easy To Fix!
Noticing New York
This blog post, a sequel to an earlier entry, points out the absurdly low standard used by the Empire State Development Corporation, the tool of developer Bruce Ratner, to allow a declaration of blight. The earlier post contained photographs of sidewalk cracks that could have been sufficient to call a neighborhood blighted.
It turns out that one of the cracks on Montague Street has now actually been repaired, but that wouldn't necessarily keep the ESDC from proclaiming blight, especially if there was a politically-connected developer who had his eye on the property:
The point is that, according to the ESDC, this quick and ready fix isn’t supposed to be the way that city residents deal with the “blight” of sidewalks cracks in their neighborhood. What ESDC believes should happen instead is that all the property on the entire block should be seized from the owners, all the buildings torn down and replaced by a politically-connected developer who will be assisted with extravagant public subsidies for which the developer will not have to bid. No matter, ESDC is still ahead in its determined race to find "blight" where and whenever it wants: Although this property owner on Montague Street quickly effected this repair the owner did not coordinate with the neighbors up and down the street (and on rest of block) to fix some of the other cracks we documented. . . .
. . . So according to ESDC, their property can still be wrested from them and torn down despite their vigilant efforts at maintenance.
Posted by steve at February 7, 2010 8:14 AM | Permalink
When Parks Must Rely on Private Money
New York Times
This article points out the challenge in funding new city parks. One solution for the Brooklyn Bridge Park was to build luxury housing in the park to generate revenue. Why is it that public parks need to pay for themselves, yet the public must subsidize a private arena at the proposed Atlantic Yards project that will be a money loser?
The struggle to pay for Brooklyn Bridge Park echoes similar problems around the country in creating urban parkland in a postindustrial age when open space must often be carved, at great cost, from derelict manufacturing zones, military installations or rail yards. Governments no longer have the fiscal or political muscle to finance the projects alone, and the involvement of private donors or commercial ventures has led to public battles.
The days of grand development in the style of Frederick Law Olmsted and Robert Moses, whose parks and playgrounds were built and maintained by the government for decades, have given way to an era of private-public partnerships and pay-as-you-go.
“There is this accelerating notion that not just parks but many aspects of the public realm have to be self-financing,” said Michael Sorkin, director of the graduate program in urban design at the City College of New York. “The paradox is that it’s always amounting to giving away some public good in order to realize some other public good.”
NoLandGrab: Meanwhile, Atlantic Yards continues to eat up precious public subsidies even as its public benefits continue to evaporate.
Posted by steve at February 7, 2010 8:05 AM | Permalink
February 6, 2010
More blight on Vanderbilt Avenue? Not if you ask Time Out New York
Atlantic Yards Report
I wrote last month about the dubious notion of finding blight adjacent to a thriving shopping strip on Vanderbilt Avenue.
Here's another piece of evidence, from Time Out New York:
Woodwork: Vanderbilt Avenue’s position as one of Brooklyn’s emerging bar strips just got stronger with the addition of this soccer-oriented drinkery. Fans of the other football can catch all the games on three 50-inch flat-screen televisions—including early-morning broadcasts. Those with less of a passion for the sport will find other reasons to visit: Chef-owner Ross Greenberg (Aquavit) has an ambitious food menu, including homemade pickles, five-cheese truffled macaroni and cheese, and various proteins (chicken, beef, fish) cooked en papillote. The drink collection is just as serious, with a focus on small-batch whiskies, organic wines from worldwide soccer regions and hard-to-find international craft beers. 583 Vanderbilt Ave at Dean St, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-857-5777)
The location (formerly Indigo Blu) is catercorner to the shopping strip previously shown and directly across the street from Block 1129 of the Atlantic Yards footprint, slated to contain 1100 surface parking spots.
Posted by steve at February 6, 2010 7:11 AM | Permalink
February 5, 2010
City to Bronx Community About a Homeless Shelter: ‘Not in Your Backyard’
The New York Times
by Sam Dolnick
When New York City shuts down a 10-bed shelter in the Bronx because of bureaucratic bullheadedness, it's big news to The Times. When that same city kicks out dozens of families and shuts down a shelter in Brooklyn on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday so The Times's development partner can knock it down and build a parking lot... well, that's not news that's fit to print, apparently.
In the perpetual battle against homelessness in New York, the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center in the Bronx was only a bit player, with about 10 beds in its gym. But offering space for even a handful of destitute people meant something to those who benefited from a warm, safe place to sleep, as well as to those who helped provide it.
But this winter, when New York’s homeless population is above 37,000 and shelters are working to increase capacity, the gym now sits empty at night because city officials have ordered the program to close.
Posted by eric at February 5, 2010 6:09 PM | Permalink
Looking back at the legal battles: the eminent domain cases over nearly three-and-a-half years
Atlantic Yards Report
With news on the Atlantic Yards front slow on a mid-winter Friday, Norman Oder decided to take a look back at the three-and-a-half year legal battle over the project's use of eminent domain.
The legal battles regarding the Atlantic Yards project are epic and, while nearing conclusion, hardly over. Here are some flashbacks to the arguments over eminent domain, first in federal court, later in state court.
I'll write at another time about the other cases, including those challenging the Empire State Development Corporation's (ESDC) environmental review, the revised Metropolitan Transportation Authority deal for the Vanderbilt Yard, and the ESDC's approval of the 2009 Modified General Project Plan.
Legal papers are posted on Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn's web site.
Posted by eric at February 5, 2010 1:11 PM | Permalink
In a second effort to market taxable junk bonds for the arena, they have an interest rate--and smaller quantities are on the block
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder has an update on the state of the Atlantic Yards arena bond financing:
So, the Atlantic Yards junk bonds were back on the market this week, and the Brooklyn Arena Holding Company (BAHC) may be selling them soon, near or at a hefty 11% interest rate.
First try
In December we learned that Standard & Poor's (S&P) rated the $146.8 million in taxable arena bonds as B, which is "very speculative." S&P assigned "a recovery rating of '6' to this debt, indicating our expectation of negligible (0%-10%) recovery in the event of a payment default."
Project Finance magazine suggested, apparently without foundation, was that the taxable bonds might be bought by Mikhail Prokhorov, slated to own 80% of the Nets and 45% of the arena company.
That's not how it worked out. Ten days later, on December 21, Standard & Poor's withdrew its preliminary ratings, stating, "The notes were not sold in December 2009. The issuer's [sic] intends to market them in the new year."
Back on the market, same risks
This week a smaller sum--$106 million in bonds--were for sale, according to a February 2 ratings report issued by S&P. It's a good time to market corporate bonds, according to the Wall Street Journal, before interest rates sky.
That said, the bonds still have a preliminary 'B' rating, and the recovery rating of '6', all of which means it's still a speculative investment.
Find out more on the possible timing of the sale, details from the ratings report (inluding the contention that construction has commenced), and speculation about Mikhail Prokhorov's investment, in the full article.
Posted by lumi at February 5, 2010 5:02 AM | Permalink
A sweetheart deal in Queens for a video casino (involving Darryl Greene) gets the Daily News and Post abuzz
Atlantic Yards Report
The New York Daily News and the New York Post are quite exercised, not inappropriately, about the selection of Aqueduct Entertainment Group, which has ties to influential Queens Rev. (and former Congressman) Floyd Flake to run a video casino at Aqueduct Raceway.
They published editorials today decrying secret, sweetheart deals, big spending on lobbyists, and even ties to a controversial figure in minority contracting named Darryl Greene (whose company regularly works for Forest City Ratner).
Wouldja believe that all those things obtain for Atlantic Yards, notably the decision at the outset to direct the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's valuable Vanderbilt Yard to Forest City Ratner, 18 months before a truncated RFP was issued and attracted just one other bidder for what Chuck Ratner, CEO of Forest City Enterprises, calls "a great piece of real estate."
Posted by lumi at February 5, 2010 5:02 AM | Permalink
February 4, 2010
Jay-Z Asked To Call Off Nets Attack On Homeless Families AFP Article Highlights Worldwide, Embarassing New York City
MartinLutherKingHomeless
A group calling itself MartinLutherKingHomeless has asked iconic Brooklyn-born-and-bred entertainer and Nets minority investor Jay-Z to add his voice to efforts to reopen the Prospect Heights homeless shelter closed on January 15th to make way for a parking lot.
An article appearing today in hundreds of publications worldwide in several languages about homeless children in New York, NY has prompted community groups in the area of one shelter featured in the article to reach out to New York's most famous entertainer to help them improve New York City's image in the world by re-open[ing] the family homeless shelter closed by his billionaire business partner. Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (F.U.R.E.E.), Friends of 227 Abolitionist Place, Picture the Homeless, Prospect Heights Action Coalition,and neighboring Freddy's Bar have joined in contacting Jay-Z, whose song, Empire State of Mind is at the top of the charts, to ask if there is something he can do to help re-open the shelter. Jay-Z is most likely unaware that the shelter was closed by billionaire Bruce Ratner, a business partner of Jay-Z's. The two are co-owners of the New Jersey Nets basketball team. The Barclays Center stadium, which will house the Nets, if it is ever built (and doubts are high on that) necessitated that the shelter be closed and torn down to make a parking lot.
The Pacific Dean Family Homeless Shelter, at 603 Dean St. was closed at Mr. Ratner's request on January 15, which is Martin Luther King's Birthday. Closing an important shelter serving African-American and Caribbean-American families in the dead of winter and on Dr. King's birthday has outraged the local community.
Posted by eric at February 4, 2010 4:45 PM | Permalink
Marty till the break of dawn!
Brokelyn
Marty Markowitz, property rights advocate?
Yep, Brokelyn was one of the 60 individuals and groups honored by Marty at his State of the Borough address last night, an esteemed bunch that included novelist Amy Sohn; Brooklyn Flea founders Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby and the owners of the new Elvis-inspired Graceland Brooklyn hair salon, Corvette Hunt and Bethany Paul.
...We were also honored to share a stage with Mohamed Salem, Brooklyn’s only known Muslim owner of a kosher deli (salami aleikum!) and Mohammed Hashan, a sandwich-shop employee who refused to return Lindsay Lohan’s lost Blackberry without first demanding to see her ID. “To make sure that something valuable was really in the hands of its rightful owner—that’s Brooklyn values!” Marty proclaimed.
NoLandGrab: 'Cause the last thing we'd want to have happen in Brooklyn is for one person's private property to be taken and transferred to another private party. Right, Mr. Brooklyn values?
Posted by eric at February 4, 2010 4:32 PM | Permalink
Carlton will be two-way, afterall?
Photo by Tracy Collins, via flickr Atlantic Yards Photo Pool.
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Carlton Avenue at Dean Street
Prospect Heights
Brooklyn, New YorkThese new traffic signs were installed today. They imply that the block of Carlton Avenue between Dean and Pacific Streets (it's out of view, behind the camera), will be changed from one-way to two-way, despite a recent presentation by Forest City Ratner that this would not happen. Carlton is currently one-way, going north (from the background to foreground in this photo). Parking along the eastern side of the block would be removed to accommodate the two-way traffic.
The closure of several blocks, rerouting of traffic, removal of some off-street parking and the creation of off-street parking for the NYPD 78th precinct would all occur for Atlantic Yards construction.
Posted by eric at February 4, 2010 4:19 PM | Permalink
