It was neither the best of times, nor the worst of times, but three community boards surrounding Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards mega-development held hastily scheduled, little-publicized and legally irrelevant public hearings last night (Thursday, Aug. 3) to give residents a chance to vent. Little was said that wasn’t said before, but racial and class schisms were reopened. Residents of Boards 2 and 6, which cover tony areas such as Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and Fort Greene, were almost entirely against the project. Residents of Board 8, which covers a much-less-well-off area extending from Prospect Heights to Brownsville, were far more supportive of the project. Virtually all people who spoke in favor of the project were black. Virtually all who spoke against it were white. In the style of The Brooklyn Papers’ triple-threat Brooklyn Cyclones coverage, we now offer a menage-a-transcript from last night’s event.
| Board | Community Board 2 | Community Board 6 | Community Board 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Long Island University | Long Island College Hospital | Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation |
| Number in attendance | 125 | 60 | 70 |
| Number of speakers con vs. pro | 29–5 (3)* | 24–5 (3)* | 30–21 (6)* |
| Celebrities | Assembly candidate Hakeem Jeffries and Forest City Ratner Vice President Jim Stuckey | Gloria Mattera (former Green Party candidate for borough president), Forest City Ratner Vice President Jim Stuckey and “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz | Develop Don’t Destroy spokesman Daniel Goldstein and Forest City Ratner Vice President Jim Stuckey |
| Time | 2:06 | 1:25 | 2:00 |
| Main concerns aired (ranked in order) | Traffic; lack of community input; scale/density; Ratner “sweetheart deal” to get the Yards site. | Scale of project/impacts; Ratner’s “sweetheart deal” to get the Yards site; lack of community input; use of eminent domain | Jobs; affordable housing; Ratner’s record in the neighborhood; eminent domain/displacement |
| Biggest applause line | “I personally apologize for the process. It is the most corrupt [development process] being done in America,” said state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (D–Prospect Heights) | “I’m not a rocket scientist, but new buildings aren’t built strong enough,” said Lila Smith. “They’ll implode within 10 years.” | “If you all aren’t ready for change, then I’m sorry, because we are,” Leola Holmes, speaking in favor of the project.” |
| Fun fact | Jeffries signed in as “For” the project, but spoke mostly against it! | Meeting was held in the same place where our editor’s wife had her birthing classes! | The board offered free food — and it went fast! |
| * number in parenthesis is the number of speakers who are Ratner employees/consultants/Community Benefits Agreement signatories | |||
