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July 19, 2006
Brooklyn Downtown Star goes to town on AY coverage
There are four articles in this week's Brooklyn Downtown Star concerning Atlantic Yards, so we're going to collect them into one super post.
It's a Date: ESDC Sets 8/23 as 1st Yards DEIS Hearing
This week Norman Oder guest stars as a stringer for the BD Star, covering the release of the DEIS.
1 Big Borough, 1 Big Project, 2 Big Rallies
Grassroots leaders on both sides of Brooklyn's big controversy convened a crowd of thousands last week - in both cases a mixture of committed diehards, curious onlookers, and a few spies from the opposition sprinkled in. Amidst all the hype and rhetoric, there was at least one thing they all agreed on: the fight is not over yet.
Public Won't Give An Inch, Or Take The "Yards"
A politician whose plan calls for a one-third reduction of the Atlantic Yards development was chastised for not doing enough. Assemblyman Jim Brennan received sharp criticism from audience members during last Tuesday's general meeting of the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods (CBN). Brennan had been on-hand to spread word about a bill introduced by his office. However, judging from the public's reaction to the proposed legislation, which was unveiled roughly two months ago, he probably made few converts.
Brennan said that his bill would subtract 3 million square feet from Forest City Ratner's (FCR) mammoth Brooklyn project. In addition, it would require that the state subsidize the affordable housing, and that any business and residential property seizures be compensated at 50 percent above full-market value, or the value determined during eminent domain proceedings.
'Atlantic Yards For Dummies' Could Be Smart Idea
The Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods (CBN)... unveiled a team of experts bearing a $130,000 price tag at its general meeting last week. These leaders in the fields of engineering and urban planning have been hired to help interpret Forest City Ratner's (FCR) upcoming environmental impact statement.
The group's co-chairperson, Candace Carpenter, introduced the team at the Belarusian Church on Atlantic Avenue. During her opening remarks, she said that the $130,000 used to pay for the consultants was allocated by the Brooklyn delegation of the City Council in this fiscal year's budget. Councilwoman Letitia James also confirmed that the State Assembly will appropriate an additional $100,000 for the experts.
The article goes on to cover the material presented by Professor Tom Angotti and John Shapiro in their presentation on how to examine the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) critically.
Posted by lumi at July 19, 2006 9:30 PM