A Call For Governor to Step In and End 'Cycle of Litigation' at Atlantic Yards
Community group wants renewed focus on promised affordable housing at the site.
Amidst a back-and-forth legal war over the environmental effects of the timeline of Atlantic Yards development, at least one community group is now asking for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to step in and make affordable housing at the site a priority.
“Brooklyn needs Governor Cuomo to step in to end the cycle of litigation, and get this project to deliver on its promises,” said Deb Howard, executive director of the Pratt Area Community Council. “It’s time to move beyond the past failings of the Empire State Development Corporation, and focus on building the affordable housing and providing the jobs the community so desperately needs—now, not in 25 years.”
The call to Albany coincides with ESDC and Forest City Ratner's recent appeal of a July 2011 court decision ordering further environmental review of the Atlantic Yards project, and the subsequent legal response taken this weekend by groups like BrooklynSpeaks and Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn.
Back in 2009, the ESDC approved changes to the Atlantic Yards’ General Project Plan that increased the timeline of construction from 10 to 25 years. Last July, State Supreme Court Justice Marcy Friedman ruled that the state agency acted illegally in approving these changes, blasting ESDC for not looking into the potential impacts of the more-than-doubled construction time.
“ESDC and Forest City Ratner have, in effect, asked the court to believe that when the agency approved increasing the construction duration from 10 to 25 years, it didn’t expect the developer would actually use the extra time,” said Gib Veconi of the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, a petitioner in the newest case.
In 2010, it was reported that the ESDC believed there would be no additional impact made on residents despite the extra 15 years of construction.
The judge's order for further environmental review is on hold while Forest City Ratner and ESDC's appeal is heard.
Norman Oder
8:55 pm on Monday, January 16, 2012
Here's the press release:
http://brooklynspeaks.net/node/51
Chances of the governor breaking the cycle of litigation at this point: zero.
That's why his agency filed an appeal.
Lorna Ladeen
1:33 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Of course Deb Howard wants the litigation to end, and is willing to forgive ESDC because she wants to cash in on the affordable housing payola for PACC. She double-crossed DDDB to get in on the political spoils of Atlantic Yards.
Petra Shultz
7:18 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Deb Howard and Bruce Ratner are two of a kind. Deb Howard has no problem with Bruce Ratner because she and he are in the same business: Shaking down NY State for subsidies for so called "affordable housing." Naturally Deb Howard and PACC and Ratner and FCRC want our tax money NOW, not in 25 years. Some younger parasite would get it in 25 years.
Janize Thrugard
7:17 pm on Friday, January 20, 2012
Deb Howard is like Bertha Louis.
Gib Veconi
11:24 am on Sunday, January 22, 2012
The comments above reflect the antagonism that has characterized all sides of the Atlantic Yards dialogue. By fostering division among community advocates, these types of statements ultimately benefit the developer, who is able to position itself above the fray and avoid making any substantive concessions to the public.
Nor do the statements above have any basis in fact. PACC has no agreement with FCRC, and has not sought one, but it has supported DDDB (as well as other organizations critical of Atlantic Yards). And although DDDB fought the construction of the Barclays Center arena, it has never opposed the development of affordable housing at the site.