Not so fast
Liza and myself actually walked by the Atlantic Yards site today at about 1 PM or so after an interview, and had a chance to enjoy the traffic jams that already choke Atlantic Avenue before the first spade has hit the ground. Now that the Public Authorities Control Board has greenlighted Atlantic Yards, that enjoyment can be more broadly shared by 30,000 more people who aren't just passing through, but actually live there.
So is this a done deal? Not quite, says Develop Don't Destroy, the local activist group that has been fighting to protect their homes in the face of near-unanimous opposition from the Powers on High. I spoke briefly with Daniel Goldstein about their mood and the next steps:
"Clearly, today shows that public pressure is ignored. Personally, I've had little faith that our most powerful leaders in this state would do the right thing. But in a way we’re fortunate. All of the political maneuvering can be put behind us, and the plaintiffs and the community can go to a court and seek relief based on the law, instead of contending with fixed, inside deals. And when we win our case, the project will have to be scrapped for a plan that benefits the many, instead of the corporate few."
With the failure of the political process – both houses of the legislature had the same number of hearings on the largest development in history in the City's largest borough; unfortunately, that number was zero – the battle now moves to the courts, both Federal and State. From a DDDB press release:
“Except for a few courageous and principled elected officials, the fix has been in for a long time on Atlantic Yards. Today’s vote is no surprise. The surprise for the PACB, the ESDC, Mr. Ratner and his supporters is that the constitutionality and legality of their illegitimate project has yet to be proved. Fortunately, we still have three branches of government.â€
Fortunately for all of us, Louis XVI's claim that legality is presumed if the King takes an action isn't valid law even in this state, however much the principle may appeal to the three men in a room.
To support Develop Don't Destroy, please click here.
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Accountability | Activism | Community Based Development | Economics | Government | Urban Development | New York City | Brooklyn
Think that through
Submitted by Bouldin on 21 December 2006 - 12:25pm.
What you're describing here as "playing nice" is "adherence to the law", while the course you recommend is illegal. Given that Goldstein and Co. hold that this project violates the law, fundamentally so with respect to property rights, it's not immediately clear how breaking the law is going to provide much of an advantage. Besides, of course, being illegal.
Welcome aboard
Submitted by mole333 on 21 December 2006 - 9:16am.
There was a time I would have thought you'd never be advocating supporting DDDB!
I have been meaning to write more on the topic as the promises of jobs, affordable housing and tax revenue slowly get revised down, slowly evaporating. But have been so easily distracted by other issues, like BBQ!
Silver's decision sucks. But not that unexpected. Legal battles remain but it really will take some real changes in Albany's horrible way of doing things for the project to get blocked, I think. Which is far from impossible!
Albany Reform
Submitted by Bouldin on 21 December 2006 - 12:28pm.
The way this process has worked out is a good example of why we need legislative rules reform. I'll say it again: the legislature has not had hearings on this - because individual members can't schedule them.
It's not exactly clear how
Submitted by Anonymous Coward (not verified) on 21 December 2006 - 11:21am.
It's not exactly clear how arrests will support the court fight.
What?
Submitted by Anon (not verified) on 21 December 2006 - 12:48pm.
Bouldin you were in Central Brooklyn during non-campaign season? What brought you down from Yassky land?
civil disobedience is taking it too far
Submitted by drahcir2007 on 21 December 2006 - 5:35pm.
civil disobedience is taking it too far. thats the sort of thing that should only be used where civil rights are being violated. I don't think anybody's civil rights are being violated here, as awful as this project is.
your alternative?
Submitted by Green in Brooklyn on 21 December 2006 - 9:26pm.
I see, so your alternative would be?
Civil disopediance is not going to far, but it clearly is a very personal decsion. I am not going to lay down and let the three Republicrat thugs in Albany throw people out of their homes and businesses, and destroy a great area of neighborhoods in the interests of my tax dollars going to corporate thugs, their paid political lackeys, and billionaire developers with no interest in serving the public in Brooklyn.
There's no more time to sit back and wait and see and hope for the best in the courtroom. The only way this is going to get stopped is the way they stopped the freeway in lower manhattan in the 60's - activism, activism, activism, especially given the thugish tactics of the opposition.
I hope when the time comes some of you will join in.
The Lower Manhattan Expressway
Submitted by Bouldin on 21 December 2006 - 9:50pm.
May be a model. Quote Wikipedia:
Members of the affected communities, led by community activist Jane Jacobs, banded together to fight the expressway. They held rallies, staged demonstrations and attended hearings to block the expressway at every step of the process. On December 11, 1962, there was a special executive session of the New York City Board of Estimate on the second floor of New York City Hall, where city officials voted unanimously to block the planned expressway. Assemblyman Louis DeSalvio said in a speech:
"Except for one old man, I’ve been unable to find anyone of technical competence who is for this so-called expressway. And this old man is a cantankerous, stubborn old man who has done many things which may have, in their time, been good for New York City. But I think it is time for this stubborn old man to realize that too many of his dreams turn out to be nightmares for the city. And this board must realize that if it does not kill this stupid example of bad city planning, that the stench of it will haunt them and this great city for many years to come."
That said, I don't, and I think The Daily Gotham does not, condone any illegal activity.
this means war
It's time to stop playing nice with these people. We need to start a serious civil disobediace campaign - make it impossible to get in or out of FCR offices, harass the architects, and make life miserable for Shelly Silver and the rest of the clowns.
and we start today to get rid of the whole damn lot of them, starting with Silver.
alot of people are going to have to be willing to get arrested, and believe me there will be arrests, but it's the only way to support the legal actions at this point (aside from donations, of course).