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Didn't see a thread about this on here. If you have DirectTV it will be on Audience Network tonight at 9PM.
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Ratner is one of those types who can sell ice to an eskimo but oozes slimeball, makes you feel dirty just watching him talk. Anyway, all the jobs and housing the developers talked about for years haven't materialized in Brooklyn (big surprise
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Jobs
Back in 2003, the Atlantic Yards development was sold as good for everyone. Developers and officials said there would be 10,000 jobs, but those jobs have yet to materialize. While 35,000 people applied this summer for jobs at the arena, there were only 2,000 available, 1,900 of which are part-time. And while the Empire State Development Corporation projected the project would generate 8,560 permanent jobs and 16,924 construction jobs, a Forest City spokesman, Joe DePlasco, told The New York Times that an average of 841 workers per day were on site over the past year.
Affordable Housing
Housing was another promise. From a total of 6,300 apartments, 2,250 affordable housing units were pledged, but only 181 are planned for a first tower, which has yet to break ground.
“We’re already seeing an affordable housing component not at all like what was projected at the time of project approval,” said Veconi. “The affordable units are largely studios and one-bedrooms.”
Further housing is planned, but critics wonder if financing will come through, and worry the area will be blighted for years to come.
Forest City Ratner representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
So what’s next? Forest City has said it will break ground on the first residential tower on Dec. 18, and Phase 2 of the development, originally said to take 10 years, has been extended to 25. Just when the remainder of the project will be introduced is unknown. But before anything can happen, an additional environmental impact study must be performed by Forest City, and then released and debated by the public. The additional study was ordered by a judge following a lawsuit brought against Forest City in 2011.
Goldstein of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn is calling for new developers for Atlantic Yards.
“The site is being held hostage,” said Goldstein. “Bring in multiple developers so that the burden isn’t on one developer.”
Today the only visible symbol of Atlantic Yards is the Barclays Center. Neighbors will be putting up with nearly 19,000 more people on the streets when the arena is sold out, and they are bracing for it. But day-to-day changes are only the beginning of what’s in store for the area.
“It’s probably difficult to overestimate the impact of this project on the area,” said Veconi. “Looking out over the next five years, it’s not just construction trucks and crowds. We’re also talking about demographics and economic development.”
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Not shocked to hear that the development of that area is a failure.Comment
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if anyone comes up with, erm, a copy, i'd appreciate the link. looks really fascinating.Comment
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I wanted to turn it off at the 30 mins mark. Watch the entire thing though. Was boring and not interesting. Just one guy crying about losing his apartment.Comment
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