If you have not yet seen the much. talked. about. Battle for Brooklyn, now is your time to do so. The documentary, co-directed by Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky and produced by David Beilinson, chronicles the seven-year long fight between the Prospect Heights community and one of the largest real estate developers in the country. It features Council Member Letitia James as well as activist Daniel Goldstein and Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn.
Upcoming Screenings:
Maysles Center, 343 Lenox Avenue (between 127 & 128 Streets), New York, NY
Dec 1, 7:30pm: Q&A with filmmakers
Dec 6, 7:30pm: Q&A with Mindy Fullilove and local community
Dec 9, 7:30pm: Q&A with Dan Goldstien
Brooklyn Heights, 70 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY
Nov 23, 6:00pm
Nov 30, 6:00pm
Indie Screen, Williamsburg, 285 Kent Avenue at S. 2 Street, Brooklyn, NY
Nov 27, 5:00pm
The Academy recently announced that Battle for Brooklyn is one of 15 films listed for an Oscar in the Documentary Feature category. The five final nominees will be announced in January 2012.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label DDDB. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label DDDB. Tampilkan semua postingan
Selasa, 22 November 2011
Jumat, 16 September 2011
CM James Comments on ESDC & FCR Appeal Of Court Decision On Ordering Additional Environmental Review Of AY Project
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
September 15, 2011
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES COMMENTS ON EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND FOREST CITY RATNER COMPANIES’ APPEAL OF COURT DECISION ORDERING ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF ATLANTIC YARDS PROJECT
(Brooklyn, NY)— “The drawn out Atlantic Yards project in Prospect Heights has anguished local affordable housing advocates, and become a hardship to businesses, residents, pedestrians and drivers. Residents in the area remember when community voices first rose together against the corporate will of Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards. This project from its inception has posed a series of threats to the community.
As time moves forward, the mounting distance of Ratner’s promises becomes more apparent with this project. Ratner is not delivering on the 2,250 affordable housing units he promised, and Ratner has not fulfilled his promise of 17,000 jobs for the community. Simply put, ESDC and FCRC have not delivered much to the community, and continue to do an injustice to central and downtown Brooklyn residents by disregarding their voices. Will any of the affordable housing and jobs expectations - promises that Ratner originally proposed ever come to pass?
Now, advocates for affordable housing around the Atlantic Yards site will just have to wait; this appears to be the message sent by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) at this time. Surprisingly, they will fight a court decision made last July that ordered additional environmental review of the Atlantic Yards project (a ruling that came after two years of litigation, which protested ESDC's plans to increase the length of the projection construction from 10 years to 25 years).
In filing the appeal, the ESDC will now have no obligation to obey the court order voiding New York State Supreme Court Judge Marcy Friedman’s direction to slow down/stop construction until the state agency conducts a new phase of environmental review of the project, including a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS); as well as a determination on whether to approve the MGPP for Phase II of the project, which constitutes the bulk of the project.
This potentially means that FCRC is able to continue building the arena until the appeals court hears the case - which could take a year or longer. Again, the community’s wishes are simply not considered by the ESDC and FCRC, who see no problem to burden the community with 25 years of construction. FCRC and ESDC are showing once again their commitment to using corporate power to block the community.
An environmental review of the project provides checks and balances, and is a process to protect community. It is obvious that the ESDC and FCRC do not want to spend time and money on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement because they know other issues might come up that would need to be negotiated. Fighting the court decision ordering additional environmental review of the Atlantic Yards project is yet another stalling tactic by FCRC and ESDC that undermines the protection of the community provided by the New York State Supreme Court. Also, the community continues to wait for Governor Cuomo to follow through on his promises to reform State government, and make the Atlantic Yards project a benefit for Brooklyn.”
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September 15, 2011
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES COMMENTS ON EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND FOREST CITY RATNER COMPANIES’ APPEAL OF COURT DECISION ORDERING ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF ATLANTIC YARDS PROJECT
(Brooklyn, NY)— “The drawn out Atlantic Yards project in Prospect Heights has anguished local affordable housing advocates, and become a hardship to businesses, residents, pedestrians and drivers. Residents in the area remember when community voices first rose together against the corporate will of Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards. This project from its inception has posed a series of threats to the community.
As time moves forward, the mounting distance of Ratner’s promises becomes more apparent with this project. Ratner is not delivering on the 2,250 affordable housing units he promised, and Ratner has not fulfilled his promise of 17,000 jobs for the community. Simply put, ESDC and FCRC have not delivered much to the community, and continue to do an injustice to central and downtown Brooklyn residents by disregarding their voices. Will any of the affordable housing and jobs expectations - promises that Ratner originally proposed ever come to pass?
Now, advocates for affordable housing around the Atlantic Yards site will just have to wait; this appears to be the message sent by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) at this time. Surprisingly, they will fight a court decision made last July that ordered additional environmental review of the Atlantic Yards project (a ruling that came after two years of litigation, which protested ESDC's plans to increase the length of the projection construction from 10 years to 25 years).
In filing the appeal, the ESDC will now have no obligation to obey the court order voiding New York State Supreme Court Judge Marcy Friedman’s direction to slow down/stop construction until the state agency conducts a new phase of environmental review of the project, including a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS); as well as a determination on whether to approve the MGPP for Phase II of the project, which constitutes the bulk of the project.
This potentially means that FCRC is able to continue building the arena until the appeals court hears the case - which could take a year or longer. Again, the community’s wishes are simply not considered by the ESDC and FCRC, who see no problem to burden the community with 25 years of construction. FCRC and ESDC are showing once again their commitment to using corporate power to block the community.
An environmental review of the project provides checks and balances, and is a process to protect community. It is obvious that the ESDC and FCRC do not want to spend time and money on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement because they know other issues might come up that would need to be negotiated. Fighting the court decision ordering additional environmental review of the Atlantic Yards project is yet another stalling tactic by FCRC and ESDC that undermines the protection of the community provided by the New York State Supreme Court. Also, the community continues to wait for Governor Cuomo to follow through on his promises to reform State government, and make the Atlantic Yards project a benefit for Brooklyn.”
###
Selasa, 09 November 2010
CM James Congratulates DDDB and Community on Ruling Against Atlantic Yards Development
**For Immediate Release**
November 9, 2010
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Victory At Last!
Congratulations to DDDB and Community on Ruling Against Atlantic Yards Development
State Supreme Court Justice Marcy S. Friedman issued a ruling today granting the motion by Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB), and other petitioners. The judge sided with DDDB and associated neighborhood groups stating that the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) did not properly consider the full 25-year schedule of the Atlantic Yards development project. The judge sent the case back to ESDC requiring a detailed, reasoned basis for its findings and support.
Justice Friedman criticized ESDC for the lack of transparency in its approval of Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project, highlighting that the environmental review process is meant to be an open process involving the public, as well as other interested agencies.
“The Court properly found that ESDC misrepresented the facts of the contracts and there were no requirements that FCRC complete the project,” said DDDB lead counsel Jeffrey S. Baker of the Albany, New York law firm of Young, Sommer, Ward, Ritzenberg, Baker & Moore, LLC. “ESDC’s lack of transparency was not just with respect to its own deliberations, but extended to trying to hide material facts from the Court. We are very pleased that Justice Friedman did not tolerate that behavior.”
Council Member Letitia James said: “It’s time that Forest City Ratner Corporation sit down with the community and incorporate aspects of the UNITY plan into his project, which focuses on affordable housing and buildings that compliment the community. Unfortunately, the taking of homes and businesses by eminent domain in absence of proper findings has already happened. I hold my ground and continue my objection to this entire development, the process, the land grabbing, and the waste of public funds. In light of Justice Friedman’s ruling, it’s critical that Governor Elect Andrew Cuomo examine the overall plan for the Atlantic Yards project, and meet with the community. Lastly, congratulations to DDDB, Prospect Height Neighborhood Development Council, and the community for their perseverance and victory.”
November 9, 2010
Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191
Victory At Last!
Congratulations to DDDB and Community on Ruling Against Atlantic Yards Development
State Supreme Court Justice Marcy S. Friedman issued a ruling today granting the motion by Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB), and other petitioners. The judge sided with DDDB and associated neighborhood groups stating that the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) did not properly consider the full 25-year schedule of the Atlantic Yards development project. The judge sent the case back to ESDC requiring a detailed, reasoned basis for its findings and support.
Justice Friedman criticized ESDC for the lack of transparency in its approval of Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project, highlighting that the environmental review process is meant to be an open process involving the public, as well as other interested agencies.
“The Court properly found that ESDC misrepresented the facts of the contracts and there were no requirements that FCRC complete the project,” said DDDB lead counsel Jeffrey S. Baker of the Albany, New York law firm of Young, Sommer, Ward, Ritzenberg, Baker & Moore, LLC. “ESDC’s lack of transparency was not just with respect to its own deliberations, but extended to trying to hide material facts from the Court. We are very pleased that Justice Friedman did not tolerate that behavior.”
Council Member Letitia James said: “It’s time that Forest City Ratner Corporation sit down with the community and incorporate aspects of the UNITY plan into his project, which focuses on affordable housing and buildings that compliment the community. Unfortunately, the taking of homes and businesses by eminent domain in absence of proper findings has already happened. I hold my ground and continue my objection to this entire development, the process, the land grabbing, and the waste of public funds. In light of Justice Friedman’s ruling, it’s critical that Governor Elect Andrew Cuomo examine the overall plan for the Atlantic Yards project, and meet with the community. Lastly, congratulations to DDDB, Prospect Height Neighborhood Development Council, and the community for their perseverance and victory.”
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