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Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park infographics: what's built/what's coming/what's missing, who's responsible, + project FAQ/timeline (pinned post)

Marty's minion: AY too large, but Brooklyn needs a team

OTBKB's Louise Crawford interviews John Heyer, one of several candidates to succeed Bill de Blasio in the 39th Council District.

Heyer is the only candidate who's working for Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Crawford writes:
While he doesn't agree with Markowitz about everything, Heyer does have great respect for his boss and firmly believes that Marty's support of Atlantic yards is not cynical. "He really thinks it's good for Brooklyn."

I asked Heyer what he thinks about the controversial project: "Certain aspects are too large. But I do think Brooklyn should have a national team."


Of course Markowitz thinks it's good for Brooklyn. But he keeps saying that no matter what happens, such as delays in promised benefits like affordable housing and the effort by developer Forest City Ratner to extract more subsidies. On this issue, he's more cheerleader than leader.

As for Heyer, he doesn't seem to acknowledge the trade-off between getting "Brooklyn" to "have" a team--which is not how professional sports works, unless you're in Green Bay, WI, where fans own the Packers--and letting Forest City Ratner decide how big the project should be.

Shouldn't the latter decision been made via a more democratic process?

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