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June 11, 2011
Gastropub On Tap For Myrtle Avenue
Application for sidewalk cafe approved Thursday night at regular meeting of Community Board 2 in Clinton Hill.
Fort Greene Patch
by Paul Leonard
Talk about burying the lead!
Also on the agenda at Thursday night's meeting in Clinton Hill was a proposal by CB2's Education Committee to extend the exterior "safe zone" surrounding area schools from 1,000 to 2,000 feet, as well as efforts to make sure that jobs at the new Barclays Center basketball arena go to local residents.
In his presentation to the full board, CB2 member Thomas Conoscenti reported on a visit by James Caldwell, president of Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development (BUILD).
With the help of groups like BUILD, Cognoscenti expressed hope that progress could be made on ensuring that area jobseekers received preference for positions in maintenance, janitorial services and in other operations at the arena.
Despite promises made by developers [aka FOREST CITY RATNER] regarding the economic benefit to neighborhoods adjacent to the Atlantic Yards mega-project, only seven active employees from the area were currently engaged in Barclays Center construction, according to Cognoscenti.
Emphases, ours.
NoLandGrab: Wait, what?!!! Just s-e-v-e-n people from the area are on the Atlantic Yards site? We thought BUILD's mission — they signed a Community Benefits Agreement to that effect, for heaven's sake — was to get local people jobs building Atlantic Yards.
Kudos to Bruce Ratner, Mayor Bloomberg, a quartet of governors and numerous ESDC chairpersons for solving Brooklyn's employment woes. Well done.
Related coverage...
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner's 2 Billion Dollar Subsidy Has Produced Seven (7) Local Jobs
At times it varied, but Forest City Ratner, Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Schumer and a host of Governors promised anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000 construction jobs on the Atlantic Yards project.
According to the most recent arena site observation report call Forest City claimed there are 360 jobs on site right now.
And according to a report from a Community Board 2 board meeting, there are 7, SEVEN, 7 as in s-e-v-e-n local jobs on site right now.
With anywhere from a 1 to 2 billion dollar subsidy for the project, that isn't just a pitiful job record...its downright enervating.
Posted by eric at June 11, 2011 2:07 PM