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April 7, 2009
No Ratner, just lots of rats: with Atlantic Yards on hold folks say Prospect Heights dirty & scary
NY Daily News
By Sarah R. Kaufman and Jotham Sederstrom
Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner promised, "Jobs, Housing and Hoops," but so far, all we have is rats, street closures and blight:
With construction at the controversial Atlantic Yards site on hold, angry Prospect Heights residents fear their neighborhood could remain a wasteland for years to come.
A scourge of rodents, safety concerns and road closures have all cast a shadow since developer Forest City Ratner razed 28 buildings in the neighborhood in a now-stalled bid to build 16 skyscrapers and a basketball arena nearby.
“It’s creepy to walk around at night,” said Martina Fugazzotto, 26, who lives on Dean St. and Vanderbilt Ave., near where about six buildings have been knocked down in the last four years.
...
For Prospect Heights resident Joseph Medina, 29, the demolitions and vacant lots near his home on Dean St. have caused packs of rodents to scurry from the rubble of a building that housed Time Mover before it was razed in July."If I had a video camera, it would show eight rats coming out of my garbage," said Medina, moments before a rat peeked from a hole. "I consider them my new neighbors."
Posted by lumi at April 7, 2009 6:30 AM