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February 5, 2011
Markowitz Puts on a State of the Borough Spectacle
Carroll Gardens Patch
By Patrick Wall
Vesti la giubba, Marty.
But though the long speech was full of gimmicks and gags, the borough president didn’t avoid controversial topics, touching upon bicycle lanes, the Atlantic Yards project and the decision this week to close more than two dozen city schools.
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As expected, the borough president also lauded the Atlantic Yards development, which he said would be an economic boon to Brooklyn.
“After seven years of planning and legal fights,” Markowitz said, “construction on the first phase of the Atlantic Yards project finally got underway, which means thousands of union jobs and an anchor for a rejuvenated downtown.”
The multi-billion dollar Atlantic Yards project, which will include commercial space, thousands of apartments and a basketball arena, has inspired passionate debate – and a few lawsuits – since it was first introduced in 2003.
Related coverage...
The Brooklyn Eagle, Marty’s Speech: It Wasn’t Just Bikes
By Raanan Geberer
He largely avoided controversy. Indeed, he mentioned several news developments — such as the Atlantic Yards project, the conversion of the old Domino sugar factory and the planned redevelopment of the Tobacco Warehouse by Arts at St. Ann’s — without saying that they were contentious issues. The one area in which he came out swinging (and, unfortunately, the only area that some news outlets and blogs chose to report) was the issue of bike lanes, specifically the expanded one on Prospect Park West. His entrance atop the “senior bike” on a synthetic-turf “bike lane” was meant to call attention to the subject in a humorous way.
Posted by steve at February 5, 2011 2:11 PM