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January 6, 2010
Brooklyn’s Top 10 stories of the decade
The Brooklyn Blog [NYPost.com]
by Rich Calder
The Post's Brooklyn beat reporter runs down the borough's top 10 stories of the past 10 years — and #1 is no surprise.
1. Atlantic Yards: Seriously? What else could be No. 1 but Bruce Ratner’s embattled plan to bring a NBA arena for his New Jersey Nets and 16 commercial and residential towers to Prospect Heights?
The story has dominated local media headlines since it was first announced in Dec. 2003. After getting state approval three years later, it was supposed to break ground within a few months. But mounting litigation by relentless opponents challenging the use of condemnation to seize private land for the plan, coupled with the recent economic downturn, nearly killed what was once supposed to be a slam-dunk.
...The key lawsuits opposing the project have been dismissed, although two long-shot suits remain. The Nets, which were once supposed to be in the borough by 2006, now aren’t coming until at least 2012.
Even Rome got built faster.
...7. Marty Markowitz takes over as King of Kings County: He’s better known for throwing parties at Borough Hall to hand out proclamations than influencing policy, but few can argue that Markowitz – unlike the average borough president — has become a Brooklyn household name since taking over the gig in 2002.
But some political insiders say Markowitz is nothing like his loveable public image behind closed doors -- something that is highlighted by his going through seven spokespersons in eight years.
The popular borough president was a frontrunner for mayor last year until his buddy, Mayor Bloomberg, convinced the City Council it was in the city’s "best interest" to extend term limits. That was fine with Marty, who was also a lame duck and preferred waving the pom-poms for borough projects like Atlantic Yards and his proposed Coney Island amphitheater, to leading the city in a recession. The key lawsuits opposing the project have been dismissed, although two long-shot suits remain. The Nets, which were once supposed to be in the borough by 2006, now aren’t coming until at least 2012.
...And residents specifically pissed off over his support of Atlantic Yards and the amphitheater were ready to vote for just about anyone else last year. But somehow a viable opponent never stepped forward.
Who says non-aggression political pacts are dead in Kings County?
Posted by eric at January 6, 2010 10:41 AM