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May 13, 2010
Salute Daniel!
The Brooklyn Paper, Letters
To the editor,
I was outraged to learn in December, 2003, that Forest City Ratner was going to build a huge urban center between our neighborhood and Fort Greene. None of us had heard anything about such a plan.
At the time, it was reported as an accomplished fact, even though there had been no consultation through community groups. We also felt betrayed that Borough President Markowitz and Mayor Bloomberg were advocating by-passing the usual Uniform Land Use Review Process.
Daniel Goldstein quickly mobilized an opposition and came to many community meetings to see who else felt as indignant as he did (“The $3M man,” April 23). Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn was forming, and Daniel began to assume responsibility for organizing the group based on his democratic ideals and desire to preserve the diversity of the neighborhood. Also, his apartment in the footprint was something to defend.
...The $3 million Daniel got from Ratner for his apartment after seven years of struggle is barely sufficient. A significant portion will go to legal fees. His family will be able to find another place to live among us in the community to which they have shown such a fierce commitment. And they will get modest back pay for the sacrifice of living in a nearly abandoned building and receiving for more than full-time work the modest amount that we were able to raise so that Daniel could speak eloquently and honestly on our behalf.
Susan Metz, Prospect Heights
Posted by eric at May 13, 2010 10:50 AM