Journalists and opponents of the Atlantic Yards aren’t the only ones complaining that the mega-project’s lead state agency is withholding public information — now a local state legislator is making the same claim.
Assemblyman Jim Brennan (D-Park Slope) said that his office had been forced to file a formal “Freedom of Information Law” request this week to force the Empire State Development Corporation to release “all financial information related to the Atlantic Yards project.”
Brennan said he had to take on the state agency because elected officials — who earlier this year rubber-stamped $100 million for the project with little debate — have not been given “complete information.”
Such information is vital, Brennan said, so the public and elected officials can determine whether the project needs to comprise eight million square feet to allow developer Bruce Ratner to build 2,250 units of affordable housing, and refurbish the LIRR rail yards over which the project will sit, while still making a reasonable profit.
“The question is, does there need to so much luxury housing and office space to get these benefits,” Brennan said. “[The public] can’t discuss the issues of density, public benefit and revenue on a speculative basis.”
Like other opponents of Atlantic Yards, Brennan suggested that the ESDC’s silence spoke volumes.
“Perhaps they haven’t released the information because it may show that they could have a much smaller project without losing the project’s benefits,” said Brennan.
A spokeswoman for the ESDC said the agency would comment “next week.” But it’s likely that the agency will not provide the information. In an interview on WNET last week, ESDC Chairman Charles Gargano said the agency would not release information until “the deal is done” with Ratner.
“We are now still negotiating and when you are negotiating you don’t open your cards up to who you are negotiating with,” Gargano said. “I mean that’s simple business.”
