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December 22, 2006

PRESS RELEASE: Jo Anne Simon
Atlantic Yards Proposal Still Fundamentally Flawed

“I could not be more disappointed with the vote in favor of the Atlantic Yards proposal in return for some concessions that the developer has neither the authority nor the means to effectuate,” said 52 A.D. District Leader Jo Anne Simon. “While I am pleased that the Williamsburg Bank tower will remain visible to Brooklynites, the proposal’s serious failures do as well. This proposal should have gone back to the drawing board.

Simon, a former president of the Boerum Hill Association, a neighborhood directly impacted by the proposed project, chaired the Association’s Task Force on the proposal. “While the height of “Miss Brooklyn” is a serious problem, the project’s problems go far beyond height. The flawed, 1950's urban design with its superblocks and taking of the city’s streets creates new and intractable problems. The financial picture is woefully incomplete. As a matter of policy, the PACB’s decision is extremely disturbing. As a matter of fact, the promised public benefits are illusory. The proposal needs to be fixed and Brooklynites must play a meaningful role in that process.”

A long time advocate for progressive transportation and land use policies, Simon said yesterday’s vote doesn’t end the dialogue. “I look forward to continuing advocacy for development that makes sense. We need housing that is affordable to real Brooklynites, provides real open space and real answers to the Borough’s traffic and transportation needs. As currently configured, this proposal does not contribute to New York’s real need to grow in an environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible way. Brooklynites deserve better.”

Posted by lumi at December 22, 2006 6:11 AM