« City Council Caves, Supports Willets Point Eminent Domain | Main | Nets offer free tickets, job fair to unemployed »
November 13, 2008
Willets Point Makeover Has Locals Crying Foul
Small Business Owners Say City Councilman Made Sweetheart Deal With Mayor And Then Sold Them All Out
WCBS-TV
Willets Point, Queens is about to get a complete overhaul.
But a group claiming to represent 250 small businesses says the city councilman who traded affordable housing in exchange for the overhaul sold them out in the process.
...The Willets Point scrap metal/chop shop/auto body area is in the shadow of the new ballpark the Mets are building. And it's no coincidence that after decades of neglect, businesses and apartments will suddenly be built there. But the Willets Point group said the trade off Monserrate negotiated in getting 35 percent of the 5,500 homes for affordable housing does not help them. And the $3 million these 250 small businesses are being offered to divide among themselves in exchange for getting out --- they say is an insult.
Posted by eric at November 13, 2008 2:51 PM