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April 24, 2007
Protest against demolitions finds backhoe at opposite end of Atlantic Yards site
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder reports from yesterday's demonstration, including the walk around the footprint, during which demonstrators stumbled over some real live demolition at the opposite end of the Atlantic Yards site:
Just because Forest City Ratner had the go-ahead from a judge to demolish at least eight buildings in the Atlantic Yards site before a May 3 hearing on a preliminary injunction didn't mean that the developer would actually start the demolition work at 8 a.m. yesterday.
So when several dozen people--at least 80, at the peak--gathered at Flatbush Avenue near Pacific Street, in front of three row-house structures the developer owns and plans to demolish, they faced nothing more than a few television cameras with their signs, saying things like "These demolitions are premature" and "Gov. Spitzer: Albany Reform begins with Atlantic Yards."
...
Nearby, several security guards hired by FCR took it all in. Up Flatbush Avenue, other officials with the developer and contractors gathered. Several cops were there to keep order, with the major danger the traffic that stalled periodically at the intersection of Flatbush and Fifth avenues, a portent of potential gridlock after Fifth Avenue is closed by May 27 between Flatbush and Atlantic avenues.
...
At the corner of Pacific and Vanderbilt, there was some demolition going on, behind a fence fortified with wood that almost--but not quite-blocked all views. Why was this gas station at 524 Vanderbilt (below, right) being demolished?It wasn't in any of the developer's initial announcements, on February 20 or March 1.
That MTA-related work at the gas station was not specified in the press release and differs, obviously, from the below-grade MTA work that has been ongoing.
Posted by lumi at April 24, 2007 11:02 AM