« Cb6 Member Quits, Citing Neighborhood Freeze Out | Main | Stadium Land Could Cost Jets $300 Million »
January 31, 2005
Secrecy Adds Suspicions About M.T.A.
The NY Times: The secrecy behind the release of the MTA's appraisal of the Hudson Railyards site has raised suspicions that things have slid back to business as usual, where favored developers cut sweetheart deals with representatives of elected officials who sit on the board of state agencies.
"The authority obviously needs as much as it can get from the Jets for its property, for the subways, buses and trains and those who depend on them.
"Nothing secret about that. Ask riders of the A and C lines."
NoLandGrab: Brooklynites can look forward to some similar drama over the Atlantic Railyards appraisal. Originally, the MTA planned to GIVE the development rights over the Atlantic Railyards to Bruce Ratner. Why not? They gave him the rights to build over the station for his Atlantic Terminal Mall across the street.
Now, while the MTA's fiscal woes are playing on the front pages of the dailies, the state agency has promised to get "top dollar" for the Hudson and Atlantic Railyard sites by commissioning independent appraisals. Local watchdog groups suggest that the only way to get full value for the sites is to auction the development rights off to the highest bidder.
Posted by lumi at January 31, 2005 6:26 AM