« City budget whiz says Bruce’s Yards deal needs retooling | Main | Carlton Avenue Bridge Could Be Closed for Four More Years »
January 29, 2009
Brennan to ESDC/FCR: here's Atlantic Yards blight, so listen to BrooklynSpeaks
Atlantic Yards Report
Shortly after BrooklynSpeaks asked Gov. David Paterson to address multiple aspects of the stalled Atlantic Yards project, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Assemblymember Jim Brennan both sent letters requesting developer Forest City Ratner and the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to respond.
...
Brennan's letter, addressed to ESDC CEO Marisa Lago and FCR Executive VP MaryAnne Gilmartin, is more formal, essentially endorsing the elements of the BrooklynSpeaks letter, which, among other things, asked that further street closures and demolitions be halted, that viable vacant buildings be repurposed, that the Carlton Avenue Bridge be returned to service, and that interim public open space be created.
He writes: As a follow-up to our discussion, I am enclosing for your response and comment an urgent letter sent by BrooklynSpeaks sponsors to Governor Paterson on December 31st and calling for a number of immediate steps to mitigate the blight and disruption to surrounding neighborhoods caused by the Atlantic Yards project and to improve communication with the community and its elected officials. Enclosed as well are photographs detailing the extent of the blight caused by demolition associated with the project.
...
Markowitz wrote only to Gilmartin, not to the ESDC, and used her first name in a more familiar tone:
I enjoyed our conversation today regarding the proposal and many ideas put forward by BrooklynSpeaks. In reviewing the list, it seems to me that a number of them are meritorious. And it's my hope that Forest City Ratner will move quickly to implement those that will mitigate any of the problems associated with the project in the opinion of this group which speaks for so many who reside in the immediate area of Atlantic Yards.Markowitz did not specify which ones are meritorious. And his third sentence, which essentially endorses the "opinion of this group," could be read to suggest that all are meritorious.
Perhaps Markowitz thinks it's practical and possible--and good p.r.--to "create interim public open space as play areas or community gardens," as BrooklynSpeaks requested.
But does he really think the developer would "[m]ake publicly available current expected and worst-case construction timelines" or "[r]eturn the Carlton Avenue Bridge to service"?
Unlikely.
Posted by steve at January 29, 2009 7:37 AM