Comments for Brooklyn At Eye Level

Comment on The Big Circle (song) by RichardOn

RichardOn — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:41:54 +0000

Interesting site, but much advertisments on him. Shall read as subscription, rss.

Comment on We Want To Hear From You, Here . . . by Judi

Judi — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:57:22 +0000

You guys rock! How about doing a piece on the 20 year effort to get a park for Brooklyn (that has sadly turned into a private luxury condo “project”). “Brooklyn Bridge Park” – a sly appropriation of the word “park”. Call or write: judi@parkdefense.org

Comment on We Want To Hear From You, Here . . . by Bob

Bob — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:14:27 +0000

I attended the performance on Saturday afternoon December 6 and was impressed with the entire production. I’m not from Brooklyn but Upstate New York, Albany to be exact. I grew up in Troy New York about seven miles east of Albany and could relate to how land development can hurt communities. The performance reminded me of several instances in my own life where developers, politicians and community leaders can change vital neighborhoods and not always for the better. There are two instances that come to mind that I want to share with you.

First, my god-parents who were of Italian descent were asked to move from their ethnic neighborhood in Troy New York to make room for the new highway the New York State Transportation Department was going to put through their neighborhood. To make a long story short, after purchasing most all of the properties the State demolished most of the homes surrounding my god-parents. My god-parents refused to sell and stayed in their modest home. After a very long time the State gave up on the project and deemed it too costly and unnecessary. Meanwhile a neighborhood is no longer.

Second, when I was in high school we frequented the local pool hall, a local restaurant that was a hang-out for teenagers, watched movies in one of several movie houses in town and/or shopped in many owner-operated stores in downtown Troy New York. Well, our governmental and community leaders who also participated in the decisions about that unneeded highway decided we needed an urban mall. All of the local business and social establishments were demolished to make room for progress in our community. Today those places we frequented in our youth and were part of a vibrant community are nothing more than a memory for to me and my friends. Meanwhile, the community lost its economic center.

Thank you for your social and community activism as our communities need to be nurtured and cared just like children who live in them.

Comment on Its about Pride! by Bob

Bob — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:14:14 +0000

I can relate to the story about the Brooklyn Dodgers in my own way.

Every summer my dad took us by train from Albany to NYC to see a Brooklyn Dodger game. Never ever did we see the Yankees. He was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. At one time, I had several autographs of the Dodger players. Who knows where they are now…I’m sure long ago destroyed and thought never to be worth anything. Great blog.

Comment on You Can’t Block the Sun by downtowncharlie

downtowncharlie — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:44:24 +0000

the level of civic, political and policy understanding expressed by this commentator “Proud Brooklynite” is rather low and deplorable. If he/she understood the facts the rhetoric used would not be possible.

the project was approved by an unelected board of Pataki fundraisers and cronies. aka, a minority.

Comment on You Can’t Block the Sun by Lumi

Lumi — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:59:39 +0000

Atlantic Yards is a NY State sponsored project. The City Council had no vote to approve the project — sheesh.

Comment on Each Time I Refuse to Sell, The City Gives me Tickets! by downtowncharlie

downtowncharlie — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:00:21 +0000

Since the building pictured is a real business and there is some rather controversial stuff in this blog post said by the owner of the actual business, which is a restaurant while the photo is of a bodega just on the other side of the Atlantic Yards footprint, the responsible thing to do would be to either display the photo of the business being discussed or remove this photo. i makes no sense to have it up .

Comment on Arrogant, Cocky New Neighbors by Lumi

Lumi — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:22:25 +0000

By chance, the two gray houses in the background are under threat of eminent domain.

Comment on Its a Binding Contract by downtowncharlie

downtowncharlie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:57:12 +0000

Every lawyer will tell you it is non-binding. It is a PR stunt, not a CBA. As “Lumi” says above, the Mayor has no control over its implementation.

Comment on Crumb Snatcher? by SmithBrotherJoe

SmithBrotherJoe — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:25:51 +0000

That’s just the sort of quote FCRC was counting on when they dreamed up that joke CBA (which is reviled all over the country by community organizers as THE example of how NOT to do a CBA.) Ratner cherry picked participants and, with Bloomberg’s blessing, labeled this tiny handful “the Community.” ACORN was basically bought off by being made administrator for 2,500 apartments for middle income households (there would be NO poor people or any receiving assistance in Atlantic Yards! Thanks for the sell-out, Bertha!) and the other tiny organizations were put in the position of signing an unenforcable document. Sue Ratner for not keeping his word to you? Sue the billionaire? With what kind of money? Oh yeah! Ratner would set up some sort of legal fund! With about enough funding for the first filing, then it’s empty.
These folks were bamboozled, and they did it for pennies. They did sell out, totally, and for nothing. Really sad.
But in the “there must be a god” file, have you seen Forest City’s tanking stock value? This thing will never, ever get built. But they continue to spend out the committed investment by blighting the area. With Bloomberg’s help and encouragement. Nice.