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March 11, 2010
First impressions from the groundbreaking event: no local elected officials, cheers for Jay-Z, and Brooklyn invocations abounding
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder did manage to get inside the "Green Zone," the heavily fortified, Baghdad-style site of Bruce Ratner's ceremonial Atlantic Yards groundbreaking. Here's his initial report.
I'll offer more coverage of today's groundbreaking event later--yes, I got in--but first a few impressions.
Yes, it was an impressive party in a packed tent, though some of the speeches--even the invocation by the Rev. Herbert Daughtry--went way long.
No local electeds, but the big guns
There were few Brooklyn elected officials present, and none from anywhere near the site. Those present included State Senators Marty Golden and Carl Kruger; Assemblymen Darryl Towns and Stephen Cymbrowitz; and Council Members Darlene Mealy and Mike Nelson. (State Senator John Sampson, Democratic Majority Conference Leader, sent his regards and former Assemblyman Roger Green got a mention from Daughtry.) Oh, and of course Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, the jovial MC.
For the moment, at least, that didn't make a big difference because not only has Mayor Mike Bloomberg backed the project to the hilt, so did Governor David Paterson, despite any misimpression he might have given. And no local elected officials had a vote.
But that will make a difference very soon.
Bogus numbers
While Forest City Ratner continues to claim $5 billion in new tax revenue and 8000 permanent jobs, someone told Paterson that the numbers were bogus, since he offered more conservative--though still way overoptimistic--figures.
There was a lot of talk about jobs. A lot. But the project isn't about jobs--at least not nearly as many as once promised. The numbers are way fuzzy. As are the figures regarding tax revenue.
...Behind the podium, visible through the transparent wall of the tent for those at the left, was the condo building where Daniel Goldstein, the spokesman for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, lives with his family on a now-private street controlled by Forest City Ratner. ...
Goldstein and other protesters, who held an event burying "the soul of Brooklyn," could be heard chanting and whistling on Atlantic Avenue outside the tent.
Posted by eric at March 11, 2010 6:16 PM