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June 13, 2009
Celebrity Architect Dropped From Urban Renewal Scheme
Ground Report
by Richard Cooper
The exit of Frank Gehry from the proposed Atlantic Yards project provides an opportunity for Libertarians to remind us that they've never cared for this boondoggle.
Celebrity architects are nothing new in eminent domain and corporate welfare schemes. The new New York Times headquarters building was designed by Renzo Piano. Their partner in this scheme, which I dubbed "Time$cam" , was Forest City Ratner. Not suprisingly, the Times has supported Atlantic Yards. (See "NY Times Building Climbers Protest Wrong Causes" http://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2862703 .
The financial difficulties of the Atlantic Yards scheme which led to Gehry being dropped by Forest city Ratner come as no suprise. See "Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Abuse Scheme Confronts Reality" http://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2857809.
As a Libertarian, I believe that corporate welfare and eminent domain are legalized theft. Because Libertarians believe in personal responsibility, I must regard Frank Gehry as an accessory profiting from the theft of land from the property owners and the theft of money from the taxpayers for this project. This comes despite my admiration for many of his designs including that for the Nets Arena for basketball. Let us hope that professionals like architects, bankers, lawyers, planners will take a pledge not to be accessories to the legalized crime of urban renewal.
Posted by steve at June 13, 2009 8:41 AM