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March 15, 2009
Brooklyn's Daniel Goldstein: The last man standing
New York Daily News
By Mike Lupica
Lupica, a reporter who always "got it" when it came to the proposed Atlantic Yards project, does a profile on Develop Don't Destroy spokesman, Daniel Goldstein.
The neighborhood has changed since this all started in 2003. Ratner has bought out residents who have moved away, and the economy has crashed, and Ratner has money problems the same as a lot of big guys have. Barclays Bank, which bought the naming rights to the Gehry arena, has to be getting wobbly because it is a bank, how can it not be in this world?
...
"There is no way the lawsuits can be resolved before the summer," Goldstein said. "And if they haven't broken ground before this year is over, there is a chance the whole thing falls apart." He laughed then and said, "But that is all speculative. They are still adamant about building the arena and they are tough opponents and they have an approved project of this size in New York City. And they know that if they show signs of giving up, they could lose the rights to the land."
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He was asked again yesterday why he stays at this, all this time after Ratner bringing the Nets to his borough was treated as if the Dodgers were coming back.
"Because Atlantic Yards is a corrupt political deal," he said. "Because from the start this was about a developer joining forces with the state to destroy a New York City neighborhood, to destroy portions of five neighborhoods that surround this project and are among the best in the country in my opinion."
He moved to Pacific St. in the spring of 2003 and in September of that year he first began to hear the rumors about Ratner and then it all became official before the end of that year. You ask him now what he thinks the end game might be.
"I think there is a very good chance," he said, "that he has to sell the team and the whole thing falls apart. But I can't tell you that for sure."
NoLandGrab: The article also mentions the thousands of donors who fund the legal fight against Atlantic Yards. If you relish the idea of pushing against the powers that be, even in these tough financial times, you might want to consider joining in.
Posted by steve at March 15, 2009 7:31 AM