At face value, an announcement Thursday that developer Forest City Ratner to be filled by public housing and local residents was good news for the borough's unemployed.
However, as the details came in, the picture got a whole lot murkier.
As Councilwoman Letitia James, D-Fort Greene, pointed out in a statement, many of the jobs to be offered at the soon-to-be-opened Barclays Center are part-time and in traditionally low paid employment sectors including janitorial, food service and ticket sales.
Forest City Ratner later admitted that the "full-time equivalent" number of positions pegged to Thursday's announcement was actually closer to 1,240.
That seems a far cry from the scores of well paying jobs promised before the city approved plans for Atlantic Yards redevelopment and construction on Barclays Center began.
But for the single mother of two at Ingersoll Houses or the teenager at Gowanus Houses, a job created in one of the tightest employment markets in post-WWII history is still exactly that—a job.
What do you think? Is Forest City Ratner dodging its responsibilities to the neighborhoods surrounding its mega-project receiving millions in public funds at Atlantic Yards?
Or is it time to stop looking the jobs gift horse in the mouth?
neighborhood around Yankee stadium. That's YOUR future, supporters of Ratner!
I have a chill pill you should take. You all need to realize first that Alan's guess of 1,200 displaced workers was hypothetical. Do you honestly believe there were 1,200 jobs lost over the railyards? Second, local means city jobs. Now if you're actually saying you'd be upset if anyone from any other borough but Brooklyn were hired there then... Well I'm certain that's not what you meant. Certainly your 'brain' comment certifies you with one capable of understanding "it's all local", and it's all happening so let's learn to accept the changes for what they are - an upgrade to the desolate and unflattering Atlantic Center and Terminal. I am fortunate and blessed to have a job and anyone who gets one of the 1,500 will consider themselves equally blessed. For anyone to get upset because someone from Queens instead of Brooklyn got a job needs to honestly ask themselves what is really their issue. Dear, dear Janice it's not that it's illegal for non-locals to be hired; it's that non locals probably won't apply. But hey, if they do apply and let's say they're actually willing to commute from Long Island or NJ then at least they've found a job - horray. I promise I've never been a fan of Ratner, but this one wins in my book.
More coverage here: http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2012/04/ratner-bloomberg-provoke-little.html
Ratner gets paid, though. Tish is the only one with guts to call it as she sees it.
BTW, this area ceased being a "poor neighborhood" when the demographics of the areas surrounding the arena started changing.
It's imposingly large (but that's what arenas are) but I like it. Different strokes for different folks.