I've been critical of the Brooklyn Paper's retreat from thorough Atlantic Yards coverage, but this week credit the paper for doing its job.This week's front page includes a reasonably thorough article (despite a lapse) on Wednesday's eminent domain argument, grouped with a separate article about the new lawsuit challenging the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's renegotiation of the Vanderbilt Yard deal with Forest City Ratner.
In the Courier-Life
The sibling Courier-Life chain, which has a later deadline, compressed both stories into one, and placed that story on page 4.
The article, headlined online as Atlantic Yards lawsuits filed and heard and in print as "Latest Atlantic Yards suit looks to void June deal," gave eight paragraphs to the MTA suit, followed by six brief paragraphs about the oral arguments.
And whom does the notorious Stephen Witt choose to quote? An attorney? A judge? Nope.
Witt writes:
Also in Albany for the court hearing were several local grassroots groups who have long favored the project.
“We were in Albany to voice our support in terms of wanting to see the project move forward,” said Marie Louis, chief operating officer of BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Development), which received funding from the developer as per a community benefits agreement for local workforce development.
“We also believe these frivolous lawsuits need to be put to rest because all they want to do is delay the project and kill it. The need for jobs and affordable housing is even more intense given the economic climate,” she said.
Funny, but the state's Chief Judge and others on the court didn't seem to think it was frivolous. And a New York Times report suggested that the case has "major implications for economic development across the state."
This frivolous project needs to be put to rest.
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