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August 4, 2006
Losing Brooklyn's uncivil war
Daily News, Ideas & Opinions
By Errol Louis
Louis devotes his Daily News pulpit to opining that the fight against Atlantic Yards is the fault of the "anti-project groups," and lays blame for the size of the project at their feet.
Opponents of the planned $4.2 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn are likely to lose, and lose huge, when the Empire State Development Corp. takes up the project for consideration this year. Ironically, the deal is likely to end up bigger than it might otherwise have been, because somewhere along the way, the anti-project groups abandoned important tools - the ability to be reasonable and civil, and the willingness to negotiate - that seasoned New York activists deploy to great advantage.
NoLandGrab: It isn't clear what Errol Louis dislikes more, Atlantic Yards critics or their positions.
What is clear is that Louis prefers "long, informal conversation" with "bankers, politicians and other big shots," to sitting down with neighborhood activists and listening to their concerns.
Today's column has already spawned two responses in the Blogosphere:
Atlantic Yards Report, Errol Louis, negotiation, and the CBs' lost dialogue
While Errol Louis touts project supporters' ability to negotiate, Norman Oder points out a key difference between the Atlantic Yards Community Benefits Agreement and the pioneering Staples Center agreement:
Such CBAs represent an innovative aspect of development deals, but--this apparently must be repeated again and again--there's a crucial difference between the pioneering CBAs negotiated in Los Angeles and the CBA negotiated in Brooklyn: signatories in L.A. don't take money from the developer.
Oder continues with an examination of Louis's claim to "civility."
The Wonkster, Unreasonable, Or Anxious About Losing Their Homes?
The Gotham Gazette's policy and news blog juxtaposes Errol Louis's remarks with the Village Voice cover story on the remaining footprint residents.
Posted by lumi at August 4, 2006 8:57 AM