The Great Brooklyn Bait-and-Switch

No one should be surprised that at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards site, nothing is, or ever will be, as promised, writes columnist Roberta Brades Gratz.

1 minute read

October 6, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


A promising project promised by developer Forest City Ratner for the Brooklyn's Atlantic Yards site was intended all along as a "bait-and-switch", representing the "worst in city-building", charges Roberta Brandes Gratz.

The developer committed to 16 residential towers designed by Frank Gehry, surrounding an arena and parks; 10,000 jobs; and 2,250 units of affordable housing in 10 years.

"But the real point in all of this – if you can look past the broken promises, excessive use of public funds and a process in which this huge development was never approved by an elected government body -- is that it uses a failed and destructive approach to urban change. Much more is lost than is gained, including the opportunity to do it right with minimum damage", writes Gratz.

Friday, October 5, 2012 in The Citistates Group

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