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June 29, 2009
Yards supporters outnumber foes
Park Slope Courier
by Stephen Witt
Project booster Stephen Witt reports, in laughable fashion, from some parallel universe on last weeks MTA and ESDC hearings. We'll be taking up a collection to buy Mr. Witt a book on statistics, probability and sampling. And Norman Oder does some remediation work below.
The Empire State Development Corporation and MTA public meetings last week regarding the Atlantic Yards project highlighted once again how Brooklynites in support of the project far outnumbers opponents.
At the ESDC hearing before the vote to approve a modified General Project Plan, 40 members of the public gave comment with 31 speaking in favor of the project.
This group represented all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, while opponents were mainly white and⁄or property owners.
Ergo, the Atlantic Yards project is mostly loved, except by a handful of white people facing the prospect of having their homes seized. Mr. Witt forgot to add "gentrifying," "rich" and "interlopers," too, which would further help make his case.
Others spoke how even President Barack Obama realizes that economic stimulus is needed.
Why, the President practically endorsed the project himself. Did we mention the Prez enjoys a game of hoops now and then?
This outpouring of support did not stop opponent organization Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn and its spokesperson Daniel Goldstein from offering up a threats of new litigation.
Witt forgets to mention that the "outpouring of support" also came from paid and/or interested parties, like construction unions and Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development, which is funded, mostly or fully, by Forest City.
Goldstein also offered a counter proposal of $120 million for the parcel during the public speaking session of the MTA hearing.
Under this “Unity Plan,” the eight−acre MTA Vanderbilt Yards section of the site would be divided and developed as individual parcels and not include an arena.
This "Unity Plan" is actually called the Unity Plan, no quotation marks necessary.
Atlantic Yards Report, And how did the Courier-Life's Witt twist last week's news? With a head count
A little dose of truth serum from Atlantic Yards Report.
However, a companion article, headlined Yards supporters outnumber foes, showed Witt's uncanny ability to twist the news....
...Witt somehow treats the decision of 31 people, most associated with organizations that profit from (or stand to profit from) the alliance with Bruce Ratner/Atlantic Yards arena, to testify at one board meeting--not a public hearing--during work hours as a definitive indication of community sentiment.
He neglects the fact that the issue before the MTA board was not the project itself, but whether it should renegotiate the sale of the Vanderbilt Yard into what even his own newspaper calls a "sweetheart deal."
In other words, their testimony about the virtues of the project was irrelevant. Sure, development brings jobs, but the MTA is a transportation agency.
Also, no elected officials (other than a rep for) Borough President Marty Markowitz spoke in favor of the MTA bailout, while four spoke against it. Also calling for caution were the Straphangers Campaign, the Regional Plan Association, and the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA--all organizations that represent far more people than the individuals/groups Witt cites.
Posted by eric at June 29, 2009 1:23 PM