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February 4, 2005
DDDb: Kalikow Contradicts Bruce Ratner
MTA Chief Says He and Forest City Ratner Have Not Talked Money
Community Groups Estimate Value of Atlantic Rail Yards at $1 Billion Dollars.
MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow, when questioned by Assemblyman Richard Brodsky at a contentious public hearing today, stated that, “The MTA has not had any discussions or negotiations with Forest City Ratner about the value of the Atlantic Yards.” MTA Executive Director, Katherine Lapp, confirmed this at the same hearing.
Kalikow’s testimony, under oath, contradicts statements made by Forest City Ratner (FCRC) executives who have claimed to be in negotiations with the MTA. On October 8, 2004, The Daily News reported, “The developer told The News that negotiations with city and state agencies are ‘going very well,’ and would be completed within the next two months.” Over the past year Bruce Ratner himself has thanked the MTA for their support of his proposal, while the MTA, in the Fall of 2003, had to retract statements that they had transferred development rights of the rail yards to Ratner's firm.
Daniel Goldstein, Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) spokesperson, attending the Brodsky hearing, was surprised to hear that negotiations on the value of the 11-acre MTA parcel have not yet started. Goldstein said, “DDDB, and transit-rider advocacy groups estimate that this valuable piece of prime real estate could be worth nearly one billion dollars. This property is obviously solid gold.”
For the past year and half FCRC has stated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement about their stalled 17 high-rise and arena proposal was imminent. They have recently claimed that the MOU will be signed within the next two months.
Goldstein added, “How can FCRC claim that an MOU is imminent when the MTA, busy with the Hudson Yards negotiations, has not even begun to discuss the value of the property Mr. Ratner covets? How can anyone discuss the financial feasibility of the Ratner proposal when the development rights of the rail yards have not even been appraised? The value of the yards is clearly one of the biggest obstacles for Mr. Ratner and a reason his proposal is stalled.
DEVELOP DON’T DESTROY BROOKLYN leads a broad-based community coalition fighting for development that will unite our communities instead of dividing and destroying them.
Posted by lumi at February 4, 2005 8:20 AM