You are wrong Ruben. I live two blocks from some of the buildings that are
getting seized for the arena - here is my perspective...
One of the blocks getting torn down - the one bounded by Flatbush, 5th,
Dean, 6th and Pacific (the block sort of shaped like the state of Montana
if
you look at a map), is mostly (there are some town houses on Dean) old
warehouses and factories that got converted into lofts in the late 90's
(475
Dean actually got converted much earlier than that) and early part of this
decade. The price range for these lofts when first offered was generally
from $400-500K to over a million dollars. That block might have been a
"blight" in the early 90's but that is hardly the case now. When Ratner
first announced his plan, this was the wealthiest block based on income
level and had many residents who were very new to the neighborhood. Having
money and comparably less emotional attachment to the neighborhood, most
of
these conversion buildings hired lawyers and cut deals quickly, though
there
are still some notable hold-outs.
The two blocks that are bound by 6th, Pacific, Dean, and Vanderbilt are
townhouses, brownstones, and low rise industrial buildings. Residents of
these two blocks on average have been in the neighborhood longer -
multiple
generations in some cases. 20 years ago this area was very rough but in
the
last 5-10 years the value of these buildings has benefited from the
overall
improvement/gentrification of this entire area (bounded by Park Slope to
the
south and Fort Greene to the north) and most of these buildings would have
cost in excess of $1M on the open market pre-Ratner. The folks on these
blocks who saw the "bad times" through enjoyed a steep rise in their home
values which was destroyed by Ratner and the eminent domain threat. Some
of
these folks, who no longer can borrow against their homes (since they
effectively have no value now), don't have the same resources as the block
to the west had to hire lawyers. These are the people who will get worse
deals, if any, from Ratner, prior to government seizure of their property.
Since the arena would start at the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic
many people think that the only block being seized is the very small
triangle shaped "block" bounded by Flatbush, Atlantic, and 5th where the
abandoned Underberg buildings are. No doubt that block is not attractive
(though there is a restaurant on this block -
http://www.dailyheights.com/archives/2005/07/jrg_fa****on_caf.html),
but
Ratner is seizing A LOT more land than just that block. Come down and walk
from Atlantic and Flatbush to Vanderbilt and you can see just how much is
being destroyed.
It doesn't make sense for the railyards to sit idle and I am not against
development of the area. I'd prefer not to see a basketball arena,
primarily
due to the traffic issues (people should stop fooling themselves that
everyone from LI is going to take the LIRR and change at Jamaica to get
here - they'll drive; this is why the Coney Island site I think makes
better
sense), but it would be somewhat NIMBY of me to oppose just the usage
itself.
What I am opposed to is the government using its powers of eminent domain
to
force people out of their homes. Ratner could have tore down his own
failed
Atlantic Center mall and had all the land he needed without taking
people's
homes. I am opposed to private property being taken from one property
owner
and given to another (in this case a billionaire who had the resources to
buy the property on the open market). I am opposed to my city and state
tax
dollars being given to a billionaire developer who can afford to do his
developments without the government's help. An education bill now in
Albany
includes a $33M line item for the arena - this is just a small ****tion of
the public money being given to the project.
I am also opposed to this perception that Brooklyn needs be "saved." This
part of Brooklyn has improved/gentrified without the intervention of
billionaire Manhattan developers. Whether Ratner sees it or not, this is a
vibrant community that will be destroyed. Some seem to see in their
minds-eye this area as the south Bronx in 1977 - that couldn't be more
different than what the reality of this neighborhood is now.
I am opposed to this scheme being marketed as an arena when in fact this
is
a huge office and luxury condo development project. I am opposed to Ratner
and Marty Markowitz playing this as some salve to the open wound of the
loss
of the Dodgers. Many of us, myself included, would like a team of our own
in
Brooklyn, but not at the cost of constitutional property rights.
The New York Times hasn't covered the truth about our neighborhood because
they are getting their own building from Ratner. The only decent coverage
in
the major media of the real story has been Lupica's column. An example:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/362982p-309101c.html
Check out http://www.developdontdestroy.com
for more info. And be careful
the government doesn't come some day to take your home just to give it to
someone richer.
"Ruben Safir" <ruben@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.04.03.14.50.32.81171@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Mon, 03 Apr 2006 02:48:08 +0000, Ominesan wrote:
>
> > Even if it they rebuilt Shea exactly as it is, that would be a massive
> > improvement over what is going on in Brooklyn. Public money to a
development
> > project that takes private property from homeowners to give to a
private
> > billionaire developer = appalling.
>
>
> That would be your incorrect opinion. As a fact, the owners of those
> properties being purchase under eminant domain are full of ****. That
> junk pile has been like it was for decades and the area and Brooklyn
> deserves the first class project that will be built there, including the
> extra house, jobs, arena, parking and trans****tation.
>
> In a word, scratch my ass.
>
> Ruben
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