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May 7, 2010
From Sixth Avenue to Dean Street and Pacific Street, a route no longer; Goldstein's exit interview with the Daily News; more debate on the settlement
Atlantic Yards Report
On Monday night, I filmed my walk from the north part of Park Slope, where I live, up to Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn co-founder Daniel Goldstein's apartment in the Atlantic Yard footprint.
Flatbush Avenue is obviously a significant barrier between Park Slope and Prospect Heights, and the mostly residential character of Sixth Avenue changes to significantly commercial. The scale of the block, albeit with fewer trees, remains fairly consistent, although the handsome four-story 78th Precinct headquarters at Bergen Street does stand out.
There are row houses along the west side of Sixth up to Dean Street. Cross Dean into the footprint and there's Freddy's, being dismantled, and other buildings empty or emptying.
The walk goes onto private Pacific Street, divided by a jersey barrier and blue fence, leaving Goldstein isolated, and into his building, which boasted a new doorman of sorts, a guy in the entrance passageway keeping tabs.
The exit interview
I interviewed Goldstein for background to be used at a later date. Meanwhile, the New York Daily News, eschewing the ambush style of the New York Post, asked Goldstein for an interview and he agreed to help them fill their space.
Here's the close:
"We were living basically under uncertainty every day," he said. "The ups and downs are a drain ... and it causes tension in a family and stress in a family."
The uncertainty ended March 1, when the state took ownership of his home through eminent domain. Facing eviction, he accepted the $3 million settlement to leave by today.
Though his building will soon be demolished and the Atlantic Yards project will go forward, he said it was all worth it.
"I looked for years for a place to live and I ended up in this one. ... I don't necessarily believe in fate, but this was a calling for me," he said. "We don't regret any of it."
Posted by eric at May 7, 2010 9:28 AM