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April 21, 2010
Goldstein is now, officially, the last Yards holdout
The Brooklyn Paper
by Andy Campbell
The Atlantic Yards project’s most-outspoken opponent is now officially the last holdout.
Daniel Goldstein, who lives in a Pacific Street condo that’s been condemned by the state and will be torn down by developer Bruce Ratner to make way for his $1-billion Barclays Center arena, earned that status after the developer inked deals this week with seven other residents of the project footprint, who have accepted a relocation deal.
“We have successfully worked to find comparable or better housing for every family in the footprint except one,” said MaryAnne Gilmartin, the Forest City Ratner executive in charge of Atlantic Yards. Gilmartin’s statement did not mention Goldstein by name.
NoLandGrab: Forest City Ratner obviously hasn't been trying very hard. Though they're crying that they're losing $6.7 million a month because they haven't been able to take possession of all the condemned property, the offer on the table for Daniel Goldstein's home is less than what he paid for it seven years ago, and less than half what some other people in his building were paid. It doesn't take a very smart businessperson to figure out that paying another $500,000 for Goldstein's condo will save them several million dollars, but no one's ever accused Forest City of being smart businesspeople — they're just very smart subsidy collectors.
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Based on a post on Atlantic Yards Report, however, [Goldstein's] recalcitrance could have more to do with practicality than principle at this point: He's still being low-balled on the value of his own apartment ($395 per square foot compared to a market average of $475 in Prospect Heights) and has only been offered apartments in two buildings so far. The final screwing in a screwed up process.
Posted by eric at April 21, 2010 11:41 AM