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February 20, 2007
Brooklyn: Atlantic Yards Construction to Begin
The NY Times
By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
From Metro Briefs:
Construction crews were expected to take the first steps today toward building the huge Atlantic Yards project near downtown Brooklyn, according to an aide to Bruce C. Ratner, the developer. The first stages of the work will involve subcontractors removing contamination from a bus depot, then demolishing that structure. Forest City Ratner Companies will build a temporary Long Island Rail Road yard in its place, so that a giant platform can be built above the permanent rail yard to support much of the $4 billion development. The city and state approved the project despite heated opposition from residents who said it would overwhelmingly congest the local streets and transit system. The development will include thousands of apartments, commercial buildings, a hotel and an arena for the Nets, the basketball team Mr. Ratner owns.
NoLandGrab: No mention of the eminent domain lawsuit, which is understandable, since The Times never bothered to cover the eminent domain hearing two weeks ago.
The Times coverage is a BIG pr coup for Forest City Ratner, since readers now know "Atlantic Yards Construction to Begin," but have no clue about a lawsuit that might stop the project in its tracks.
Geez, it really, REALLY is beginning to look like the business relationship between The NY Times and Ratner is affecting the coverage in the news room.
CORRECTION: The City never approved Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards plan, which went through the New York State land review process. [Let's see how long it takes The Times to run the correction.]
UPDATE, 02/26/07: Six days — it takes six days for The Times to research the fact that Atlantic Yards never went through a city approval process.
Posted by lumi at February 20, 2007 7:39 AM