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June 5, 2007
It came from the Blogosphere...
Brit in Brooklyn, Only the Tallest Will Survive
I'm Seeing Green, Walking the Walk at Atlantic Yards
I think if only more people were to familiarize themselves with some on-ground knowledge, there surely would be more opposition to this project.
Some of the things that struck home to me were:
Firstly I wonder how many know that one of the reasons for demolishing serviceable buildings early in the project is to create parking lots for the construction workers and space for staging materiel?
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Secondly, the definition of "blight." Blight is in the eye of the beholder. Several explanations of blight are used to justify the use of eminent domain to force the owners in the AY footprint to sell; among the more peculiar is "lots that are built to less than 60% of their allowable FAR (Floor Area Ratio, describing the extent of what can be built)".
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Thirdly, walking around on the ground and having the sheer size of the sixteen towers pointed out to you makes for a striking reality.
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In the meanwhile, go see the documentary Brooklyn Matters, which is about the Atlantic Yards project.
And speaking about Brooklyn Matters: Brooklyn Based, A Raw Deal
By now, most Brooklynites know that the mammoth Atlantic Yards Project, including the new Nets arena, threatens to wreak havoc on the borough’s distinctive community fabric. But many of us are fuzzy on the ways downtown Brooklyn will be permanently altered. So-called “blighted” historic buildings will be razed (demolition has already begun on one). Residents will be unjustly vacated from their homes. And once the proposed 16 towering skyscrapers are up, parts of low-rise Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Boerum Hill and Fort Greene will be swathed in shadows.
What else is wrong with this nightmare scenario? A 50-minute film called Brooklyn Matters (http://www.brooklynmatters.com) will bring you up to speed.
Posted by lumi at June 5, 2007 4:27 PM