Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report

The final issue of BKLYNR--a valuable web-based publication to which I contributed a couple of times--contains John Surico's  Q&A: City Councilmen Brad Lander and Jumaane Williams: The two representatives on why it’s the best of times and the worst of times for Brooklynites.  I've excerpted a relevant exchange. What value do you see in Brooklyn’s ascension? Lander: There’s definitely value, and I don’t think anyone would want to go back to the Brooklyn of the late 1970s and early 80s. That wasn’t better because the housing was more affordable, for the most part. It was dangerous; there were no places to shop or eat; the schools weren’t good; you couldn’t go to the parks. All of that sort of transformed, and that generated a lot of value and opportunity for a lot of people. Now it’s very disproportionately distributed, however. It’s much more a value for people who are richer and whiter. That’s not to say no value, though. I think one of the most interesting nights of...