Thank you, Keith Carr, for forwarding this message from Mitty Owens to me:
Dear Community Friends: Can you join me (and little Naia!) for next
Sunday’s neighborhood walk-a-thon??? (Sunday, 10/14 at 12noon … see
websites below … and please distribute this widely)
This is an important $raising and visibility piece of the continuing
struggle to demand that the 22-acre mega-development along Atlantic
Avenue, that will change the landscape and character of our
communities, be enacted with the interests of the people (for whom 53
organizations have signed petitions and undertaken actions in
opposition to the current plan plus the City Council rep of the area,
Leticia James). The rules-twisting and lack of accountability in this
process has become so bad that even some of Ratner’s supporters have
had to openly criticize the flagrant lack of accountability, the
ridiculous level (try $2 Billion!) of public subsidy, and how an
initial promise of 10,000 jobs whittles down to 700 in the latest
projections. And all this for a project that will take people’s homes
and businesses, make this the densest residential community in the
country by a factor of two, and will provide at best 13% “truly
affordable” units ( i.e. families making less than Bklyn’s median
income of $35k. Note: Ratner’s plan calls for Phase 1 construction of
majority luxury units; then – IF he thinks there’s sufficient profits,
and if there’s been no bust in the luxury condo market – Phase 2 will
proceed with the bulk of “affordable” units.)
“But even if we don’t like it, isn’t it a done deal?,” many ask – and
which is indeed how it’s presented in the press and by Ratner’s
supporters. But it’s far from the truth. For the FULL deal to go
through ( i.e. the 16 skyscrapers, up to 53 stories high!, with 6400
apts + the 19,000 seat Arena + the 7-acre parking lot), Ratner still
needs:
– Final court approval of the EIS (Environmental Impact Study) – which
is problematic given the gravity of the unaddressed concerns ( e.g.
outrageous traffic, shadow effect, pollution, sewage…) raised by 25
community organizations as co-plaintiffs; and
– Eminent domain – which has a good chance of being blocked in the
courts given the flagrant violation of what the Supreme Court deemed
acceptable for such a taking. Without the eminent domain power,
there’s not sufficient space to construct the arena. … and without
the arena, the State pulls out … and the entire project returns to
the drawing board!!!!
Enter – the “Unity Plan.” This is a COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVE – crafted
by a design team headed by Marshall Brown, a young Black architect
from the neighborhood. It was first proposed in ’05 and is now being
resurrected given the growing chance of the courts ruling against
Ratner and the need for a new plan. While also building over the
hideous rail yards, the Unity Plan (see www.unityplan.org). does
NOT include eminent domain or an arena, and has a much lower housing
density and environmental impact. It also includes a greater
percentage of affordable housing, and more space for public open space
and community businesses. (Note: many of us would still love an arena
– but let that be in the well-suited Navy Yard!)
So, while our ‘democracy’ seems to mean little these days on a
national level, here’s an opportunity to show that at least in the BK
the people’s voice can still triumph over big business! And by so
doing, we can be responsible stewards of the public interest and save
the character of our communities for generations to come.
I very much hope to see you all out there next Sunday for a big
walk-a-thon and rally … and/or please contribute in whatever ways
you can.
Peace,
Mitty Owens
(**To view a good slideshow on this, plz see:
http://brooklynspeaks.net/slideshow.html
…. and visit these other sites for more great information:
http://www.dddb.net/php/latestnews_ArchiveDate.php;
http://www.nolandgrab.org/
http://www.prattcenter.net/test-bay-update.php)