The Brooklyn Paper's edited year-end interview with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz includes most of what he says about Atlantic Yards, but a link to the full audio segment provides a tantalizing coda. In it, Markowitz tells editor-in-chief Gersh Kuntzman that he doesn't know why Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff acknowledged Atlantic Yards should have gone through the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) rather than the state review.
The answer, most likely, is that Doctoroff is having second thoughts about the procedure behind Atlantic Yards and Markowitz, at least publicly, won't allow such thoughts. Also, Doctoroff can afford to have some second thoughts; his departure comes as he has accomplished many of his goals, while Markowitz's highest-profile project, Atlantic Yards, remains slowed.
Under ULURP, the local community boards hold advisory votes, and the City Council must approve a project. Projects involving state property, such as the West Side yards, can go through ULURP, despite Markowitz's suggestion to the contrary.
The transcript
This is an edited and augmented version of the Brooklyn Paper's text. The Atlantic Yards reference came up after a discussion about Coney Island.
MM: But at least we can put in place the road map....But just like Atlantic Yards, there is contention to some degree in Coney Island as well… Thank God we have a democratic society... The bottom line is we'll come out with a Coney Island that's far better than we've experienced in many, many years.
GK: The good news is, if there is any dissent, that project will go through ULURP, city oversight.
MM: That’s because [Coney Island] is city property. The Atlantic Yards--of course, I read the statement... by Dan Doctoroff. All I can say is the state decided that this was their project. Dan Doctoroff went along with that. The mayor endorsed it wholeheartedly. And he [Doctoroff] has the right to reflect.... Here it is at the end of 2007, and of course there are no shovels in the ground yet. It’s frustrating. For those that oppose it, they're of course thrilled and delighted. But for those like me who feel that this represents the best of the future of Brooklyn and New York City, it’s frustrating, but the process has to go through what the process is until decisions are made on it.
(Land owned by developer Joe Sitt in Coney Island is not yet city property; the city has proposed swapping city property for Sitt's holdings.)
GK: Why do you think he said what he said, though? There was no reason he had to say that.
MM: I don't know.
The answer, most likely, is that Doctoroff is having second thoughts about the procedure behind Atlantic Yards and Markowitz, at least publicly, won't allow such thoughts. Also, Doctoroff can afford to have some second thoughts; his departure comes as he has accomplished many of his goals, while Markowitz's highest-profile project, Atlantic Yards, remains slowed.
Under ULURP, the local community boards hold advisory votes, and the City Council must approve a project. Projects involving state property, such as the West Side yards, can go through ULURP, despite Markowitz's suggestion to the contrary.
The transcript
This is an edited and augmented version of the Brooklyn Paper's text. The Atlantic Yards reference came up after a discussion about Coney Island.
MM: But at least we can put in place the road map....But just like Atlantic Yards, there is contention to some degree in Coney Island as well… Thank God we have a democratic society... The bottom line is we'll come out with a Coney Island that's far better than we've experienced in many, many years.
GK: The good news is, if there is any dissent, that project will go through ULURP, city oversight.
MM: That’s because [Coney Island] is city property. The Atlantic Yards--of course, I read the statement... by Dan Doctoroff. All I can say is the state decided that this was their project. Dan Doctoroff went along with that. The mayor endorsed it wholeheartedly. And he [Doctoroff] has the right to reflect.... Here it is at the end of 2007, and of course there are no shovels in the ground yet. It’s frustrating. For those that oppose it, they're of course thrilled and delighted. But for those like me who feel that this represents the best of the future of Brooklyn and New York City, it’s frustrating, but the process has to go through what the process is until decisions are made on it.
(Land owned by developer Joe Sitt in Coney Island is not yet city property; the city has proposed swapping city property for Sitt's holdings.)
GK: Why do you think he said what he said, though? There was no reason he had to say that.
MM: I don't know.
There is a long-standing agreement between ESDC and the City that all ESDC projects will go through ULURP unless the City agrees otherwise. The issue doesn't revolve around who owns the land, but rather on the City's preference. Until Bloomberg, I believe that all ESDC projects did go through ULURP, but you can check that out.
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