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December 14, 2007
Now he tells us! On the way out, Doctoroff admits Atlantic Yards process was flawed
The Brooklyn Paper
By Gersh Kuntzman
In an interview with the New York Observer, Doctoroff suggested that he was wrong to sign off on the state’s oversight of Bruce Ratner’s project — an agreement that allowed the state to supercede city zoning and get approval for the project without having to undergo the city’s far-more-rigorous Uniform Land-Use Review Procedure.
“I’m a huge believer in the ULURP process,” he told the Observer. “If it happened again, and the state were to ask if I would encourage them to take Atlantic Yards through the ULURP process, I would say yes.”
The comment sent shockwaves through the opposition to Atlantic Yards — especially since it was Doctoroff who signed the 2005 agreement between the city, state and Forest City Ratner that allowed the 16-skyscraper, basketball arena, housing, office space and hotel complex to skirt local oversight.
That deal ushered in a truncated review of the project that was orchestrated by state officials rather than analyzed by them, critics say.
City Councilwoman Letitia James says it's not too late:
“What does he mean, ‘If it happened again?’” James asked.
“It’s still happening. This is not a done deal. Dan Doctoroff is still in office and he should pick up the phone, call the governor and get this project reviewed again, this time through ULURP.”
Naturally, the usual suspects have no comment:
A spokesman for the Empire State Development Corporation, the state agency that sought the override of city zoning that Doctoroff now suggests should not have been done, said the agency would not have a comment on the deputy mayor’s change of heart.
A spokesman for Forest City Ratner also did not care to comment.
Posted by lumi at December 14, 2007 6:00 AM