Follow Up - Rally Against Ratner
Develop - don't destroy Brooklyn
THOUSANDS JOIN DDDB TO RALLY AGAINST RATNER
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In This Issue:
- Please Pitch In.
- RALLY AGAINST "ATLANTIC YARDS" DRAWS THOUSANDS
- "ATLANTIC YARDS" DEIS EXPECTED THIS WEEK
- DEVELOP DON'T DESTROY EXPANDS ADVISORY BOARD
Please Pitch In.
We will win if the whole community pitches in.
Donate to the Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn Legal Fund
http://www.dddb.net/php/donate.php
RALLY AGAINST "ATLANTIC YARDS" DRAWS THOUSANDS
Several thousand protesters thronged Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza on Sunday, braving a searing sun and the start of a heat wave to voice their opposition to Forest City Ratner's "Atlantic Yards" skyscraper-and-arena scheme.
The colorful crowd, waving signs with snappy slogans like "Hoops, Hype & Hypocrisy," and cooling itself with fans that read "I'm a Fan of Brooklyn," cheered a diverse lineup of speakers that included City Councilmembers Tish James, Charles Barron and Tony Avella, Democratic candidates Chris Owens and Bill Batson, and actors (and DDDB Advisory Board Members) Rosie Perez and Steve Buscemi. Dan Zanes (another Board member), Reverend Billy and his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir, and local old-school hip-hoppers Beatboxer Entertainment regaled the multitude between speeches.
"This deal is coming undone," DDDB spokesperson Daniel Goldstein told the crowd. "It's suffering from a long-term illness and needs to be put out of its misery."
"This plan insults the poor, and we deserve better," Perez exclaimed, to sustained applause. "Stop insulting the people of Brooklyn, and do the right thing."
The big turnout, and the palpable energy coursing through the throng, gave testament to the large-and-growing-larger opposition to Bruce Ratner's $3.5 billion, 8.6-million square foot mega-boondoggle. "I play a lot of crazies," Buscemi told the crowd, "but that sounds insane."
Thanks to all of you who came out and took part, and especially to all the volunteers who helped plan, promote, and put on the rally.
For more coverage of the rally, photos, and links to media reports, follow the many links below:
http://www.dddb.net
http://tinyurl.com/pd33p
http://tinyurl.com/rwdl8
http://tinyurl.com/mfyla
http://tinyurl.com/rp3ug
http://tinyurl.com/qebjv
http://tinyurl.com/n23kl
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"ATLANTIC YARDS" DEIS EXPECTED THIS WEEK
The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) is expected to issue the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Bruce Ratner's proposed "Atlantic Yards" project sometime this week. The agency has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, and there has been much speculation that the DEIS will be unveiled then.
The DEIS is a detailed document, possibly several thousand pages in length, that outlines the proposed project's potential environmental impacts. The Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, a coalition of neighborhood and civic organizations formed to ensure effective community participation in the environmental review process, is holding a series of workshops designed to help prepare the public to respond to the DEIS. John Shapiro of Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, and Dr. Tom Angotti, Professor of Urban Affairs at Hunter College, both expert in the environmental review process, will lead the workshops.
Dates, times and locations of the meetings are as follows:
Tuesday, July 18th, 7 p.m.
Park Slope Methodist Church
493 8th Street (at Sixth Avenue)
Thursday, July 20th, 7 p.m.
St. Francis College, Callahan Center
182 Remsen Street
Tuesday, July 25th, 7 p.m.
Duryea Presbyterian Church
362 Sterling Place
If you're unable to attend one of these sessions, you can download a copy of CBN's DEIS Handbook by visiting their web site at: http://www.cbrooklynneighborhoods.homestead.com/
Be sure to stay tuned to DDDB.net at http://www.dddb.net for updates on the release of the DEIS.
posted by Acts of Art @ 6:36 AM
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