« PRESS RELEASE: State Court Rules Ratner Improperly Obtained Lease For Properties in "Atlantic Yards" Footprint | Main | Andrea Peyser spies a rat »
March 8, 2007
It came from the Blogosphere...
Archinet, Atlantic Yards vs. Brooklyn
A new film, Brooklyn Matters, uncovers a deepening vein of displeasure with the project that spans a wide political spectrum, in Manhattan as well as Brooklyn, among community leaders and urban planners.
Brit in Brooklyn, Ward's Bakery: Save It
Check out cool photos of the Ward Bakery building, including details of the white glazed terracotta tiles — then sign the petition.
The Real Estate Observer, Foye to Visit Atlantic Yards Site
Pat Foye, the new downstate chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, is expected to visit the Atlantic Yards site in central Brooklyn on March 22. The tour, made at the request of City Councilwoman Letitia James, comes after a dubious construction start by developer Forest City Ratner that cut off water to some residents who don't even live in the footprint. The ESDC authorized the arena-and-housing project, and is acquiring property for it via eminent domain.
Metroblogs New York, Atlantic Yards Wait for the Fat Lady
The Atlantic Yards project continues to stir up controversy.
There's a new film out, "Brooklyn Matters," detailing lawsuits, inquiries by Spitzer into Pataki's dealings with Ratner (the man who would have brought the Nets right into Brooklyn with this deal - side tangential rant: why the HELL does anyone think we need to build large stadiums in or that near Manhattan?) and growing public resistance to the Atlantic Yards development project.
Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, WHY ONE WAY NOW? DOT HAS AN ANSWER (?)
So you're wondering why the DOT wants to change Park Slope traffic patterns NOW? Some people say it has to do with the Atlantic Yards. Even David Yassky says it has something to do with the Atlantic Yards. But here's what the DOT press office had to say.
Don't Worry It's Just Reality: Brooklyn Edition, Today, now you can do more than read- Help Save Ward's Bakery
Dreadnaught explains another reason to sign the Ward Bakery online petition:
As a former resident of Fort Greene, having viewed the demolition of an historic neighborhood under the aegis of ATURA, watched the resultant vacant and blighted landscape for years, only to be further worsened by the "instant slum" shopping mall complex created by Forest City Ratner, the intelligent choice is obvious. Work toward preserving and enhancing the neighborhood and act in a civically responsible manner. Don't put development rights in the hands of demonstrated incompetents.
Brownstoner, Petitioning Bruce to Spare Ward's Bakery
As if we needed another reason to sign the Ward Bakery online petition:
Even if you're one of those people who can't help writing in D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L in the comments of any post about Atlantic Yards, it's hard to argue with the fact that saving this building for "adaptive reuse" (as they call it in the preservation biz) is a no-brainer. It would also be a great p.r. move for Bruce to pretend he has some grasp of what's wonderful about old Brooklyn.
Shakin' Dave, Safehouse Endangered
Read about historic Brooklyn brownstones in danger of being torn down to build a parking garage:
Joy Chatel grazed her fingers across an opening in the masonry of her Brooklyn basement, sealed off long ago. "They would come in here and go through these vaults," she told more than a dozen neighbors one recent Saturday night. She was referring to runaway slaves, who she believes hid in underground chambers connecting the rowhouses along Duffield Street.
The city intends to demolish these houses as part of its redevelopment plan for downtown Brooklyn. Sheraton and aloft Hotels, both units of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, want to build a pair of hotels and a parking garage on the site.
The Park Slope Slanter, NY POST: Ratner is a Good Guy
A Park Slope resident's reaction to Andrea Peyser's second date with Bruce Ratner:
Every Brooklynite but one took a double-take when they read this NY Post headline: “SCORE ONE FOR GOOD GUYS: B'KLYN ARENA FINALLY RISING AMID THE RUIN.” The one who didn’t was the one who wrote it; Cobble Hill resident Andrea Peyser, infamous for her cut-throat-cum-tacky column.
1 Stop Over in Brooklyn, Most Famous Brooklyn Sports Stars
Did you know that Michael Jordan was from Brooklyn? What about Mike Tyson? Brooklyn has a bit of everything and many people come from Brooklyn. It is going to be an exciting time to be a basketball fan in Brooklyn once the Nets officially move to Atlantic Yards.
Yonkers Tribune, State Court Rules Ratner Improperly Obtained Lease
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn's press release on Ratner's setback in State court got some air play in Yonkers, where many folks who are are familiar with Ratner backroom deals are still pretty pissed about the Ridge Hill project.
"A Peregrination", A Little More on the Atlantic Yards,
A blogger finds a new way to say, "D-O-N-E D-E-A-L," and takes a couple of jabs at Atlantic Yards bloggers:
The Atlantic Yards, and the development of the Nets Arena, Housing and shopping at Flatbush and Atlantic Aves. in Brooklyn is now moving forward.
The bloggers and readers of No Land Grab, Develop, Don’t Destroy Brooklyn and Curbed continue to prattle on with their anti Atlantic Yards, views to no avail.
NoLandGrab: If Ratner would stop prevaricating, subverting the community, and hiding the real value of the Atlantic Yards project in terms of profit and subsidies, then we'd have nothing to write about and could go back to our regularly scheduled lives... (sigh).
Archinet, Gehry and Goldberger
A Yale student gets an invite to a lecture featuring Frank Gehry:
Gehry is so different from our usual guests. He's unassuming, maybe because it doesn't have to pretend to be anything he's not. He's also getting pretty old and he was so tired. He kept telling [Paul] Goldberger to stop the interview!
Posted by lumi at March 8, 2007 6:55 AM