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October 25, 2005
Times correction (Print Edition only)
Correction from The NY Times regarding Councilmember David Yassky's position:
"An article on Thursday about opposition to the Atlantic Yards development project in Brooklyn referred incompletely to the position of Councilman David Yassky. While the project's developer, Bruce C. Ratner, indeed solicited his support early on, Mr. Yassky said he was withholding it until his concerns were addressed."
Compare the correction to what was reported:
On Wednesday, "The crowd was impatient with those who seemed to have not yet made up their minds. Councilman David Yassky of Brooklyn, who has expressed cautious support for the project, said, 'If done right, the benefits will outweigh the costs.' But he added that it was 'out of scale' and would 'change irretrievably and irreversibly the character of the surrounding neighborhoods.'
"That prompted one audience member to yell out, 'Are you for the project or against it?'
"Mr. Yassky repeated that he was for the project if it was 'done right.'"
On Thursday, "In some respects, Mr. Ratner beat his opponents to the punch, taking care in the project's early days to line up support from community leaders and elected officials beyond the footprint. They include Councilmen David Yassky and Bill de Blasio, who represent most of the neighborhoods to the west of Flatbush Avenue, as well Marty Markowitz, the borough president."
NoLandGrab: We still maintain that Yassky is FOR the project, but not before he is AGAINST it.
We predict that Gehry has been working on a downscaled version of the project (why else would the model that was unveiled this summer be so incomplete?) that will be rolled out in the next couple of months, containing a few bollards and traffic calming initiatives. "Qualified" supporters will then declare "VICTORY" for the community, while taking credit for themselves.
Meanwhile, eminent domain, street closings and taxpayer funding will still be on the table and the traffic congestion band-aid and downsized-but-still-hugemongous project will remain a scourge on Brooklyn.
Posted by lumi at October 25, 2005 12:01 PM