tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20743459.post5344375230260222134..comments2024-03-28T05:19:17.215-04:00Comments on Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report: From the Carpenters Union, a video of the "Brooklyn Day" rallyNorman Oderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07618087999719667586noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20743459.post-16059363762044720462008-06-21T10:47:00.000-04:002008-06-21T10:47:00.000-04:00I keep wondering why Ratner was ever able to enlis...I keep wondering why Ratner was ever able to enlist union support. (I invite anyone to explain it.) The unions would clearly be better off if they hadn’t supported him because then there would be more development further along-<BR/><BR/>The problem is that Ratner’s goal is clearly the kind of unprincipled development that will serve him ahead of serving others (among other things his goals do not go very far in terms of serving union goals. In fact, they seem to work against them). I have frequently described Ratner as the boy with his hand in the cookie jar who is trying to get withdraw such a huge handful of cookies at one time that he cannot get his hand or even one of them out. - Ratner, is hanging on the idea of huge density, street and avenue closings, eminent domain abuse to acquire property unnecessary for his development, destruction of worthwhile old buildings, and inordinate subsidy for his arena. And he wants to get all this on a no-bid basis.<BR/><BR/>If development of the Atlantic Yards/Vanderbilt Yards area were proceeding in a principled fashion there would be a project endorsed by the community that is much further along. A project bid out and build by multiple developers working concurrently would accelerate development and the delivery of jobs into the current near-term. It would also be a better project.<BR/><BR/>(For more on what principled development would look like see: “Effective Action Needed From Brooklyn Speaks, BHA, etc. - MDDWhite | Mon, 03/17/2008 - 9:10am” http://www.brooklynspeaks.net/node/17#comment-1826)<BR/> <BR/>Right now the unions are losing valuable political capital as people witness their alignment with a big-business robber Barron’s greed. (When unions are on the side of popular projects they gain political capital, when they side with unpopular ones like this they lose it.) Furthermore, the union’s support for so much density at these locations or for the piling of all the city and state subsidies onto Ratner as a single developer does not create more construction: it redirects resources from other projects that would be more stimulating to the economy (other housing developments and for instance the extension of the 7th Avenue subway line) and results in less construction because the funds will not be leveraged as well Ratner’s hands.<BR/><BR/>Michael D. D. White<BR/>Noticing New YorkMDDWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16693635186364315879noreply@blogger.com