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June 11, 2008
The art of honesty
The Brooklyn Paper
By Marie Cunningham
Bruce Ratner rent-a-cops doing security detail in the footprint of Atlantic Yards and the developer's two malls adjacent to the site have a bad rep for being heavy handed when trying to clear public sidewalks of project critics.
This week, one Ratner security guard ends up being the nice guy in a story about an artist's examination into city living and its effects on human nature.
Artist Jillian May had a simple idea: for two weeks last month, she set out baked goods on an unmanned table on Dean Street with a sign that asked customers to deposit 25 cents in a jar.
Some people stole the food.
Others stole the money.
And vandals broke the jar.
In other words, it was a successful project!
Indeed, after a rough start, May said she began to see the better side of humanity, noting that area residents, workers and business owners began protecting her kiosk (and money) when the cookies and cupcakes ran out each day.
One of the kiosk’s biggest supporters was Peter Parker, 54, a security guard at the demolition site that may someday be the Atlantic Yards mega-project across the street from May’s kiosk, between Carlton and Vanderbilt avenues in Prospect Heights.
Parker was not only May’s first customer every morning (his favorite was the vegan chocolate chip cookies), but he watched the stand — an example of the integrity May hoped the project would inspire.
Parker even said he once caught someone trying to steal the money jar. “He put it back and apologized to me,” he said.
NoLandGrab: Hmm... people taking things that don't belong to them when they think no one is paying attention around Atlantic Yards?? Thank goodness someone is looking out for the community.
Posted by lumi at June 11, 2008 4:40 AM