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July 30, 2009
Atlantic Yards: Yea or Nay?
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Rallies Both For and Against Atlantic Yards
While the Empire State Development Corp. was getting ready to begin its hearing at City Tech’s Klitgord Auditorium on the modified project plan for Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards proposal, anti-Ratner protesters assembled outside, including a virtual “who’s who” of Downtown Brooklyn officials and political hopefuls.
...Speakers stressed that the new plan provides only a small number of the affordable housing units promised in the original plan; that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is needed; and that many details of the revised plan haven’t been made public.
...Later in the day, a pro-Atlantic Yards rally was scheduled for Jay and Johnson streets.
The Brooklyn Paper, Vox Pop: A tale of two Yards at hearing
Both sides of the Atlantic Yards saga — mostly construction workers in favor and neighbors of the project footprint in opposition — were out in force at Wednesday’s hearing in Downtown. Here’s what our sharp-earred reporter heard.
“I’m here to fight for good jobs, for jobs to improve the United States. We’ve been bombing for eight years, it’s time to build and build for the good. … I don’t see too many negatives, just a lot of positives. We’ve been spending money to destroy stuff for a lot of years, so anything built in America to me is a good thing.” Frank Basile, Queens
“Ratner definitely shouldn’t get any tax breaks — that’s our money that they’ve pulled out the affordable housing. It’s not right. I’m for putting that money back into the community.” Beverly Corbin, Wyckoff Gardens
NoLandGrab: It's a small sample, for sure, but the majority of the project proponents interviewed, all construction workers, "ain't from Brooklyn," as the saying goes.
Posted by eric at July 30, 2009 10:54 AM