 We seem to have a competition.
NY1 Reports: Also, ltjbukem relays a message from Develop Don’t Destroy: Extell responded to DDDb’s call. We met with them along with Marshall Brown of the AYDWS, and went over the UNITY plan with them. We explained to them why the community was opposed to the Ratner proposal, and urged them to put in a proposal to build as per the community guidelines: http://dddb.net/principles/ We know there are many many questions. What type of bid? How high are they building? How much affordable housing? What process will they go through? How will they work with the community? Extell will be putting out a Press Release at 5pm today when many of these questions will be answered. " Has anyone seen the press release from Extell? Update: Much more info plus a mock up for the Extell proposal from Newsday. |
I think that Daniel Goldstein and DDDB should be lauded for their effort. I, for one, thought the Ratner plan would be a disaster but did nothing but sat on my ass and waited for the inevitable to occur.
I hope that the MTA will look at the competing proposal in a different light than it did Cablevision’s West Side bid. Although no one in the media is talking about it, if the MTA had accepted Cablevision’s bid it would now be $500 million richer despite the fact that London got the Olympics. I hope that the West Side debacle will make the MTA seriously consider the Extell bid. In any event, I think that we all owe DDDB our gratitude.
who knows how it will play out in the end, but i am extremely happy to at least see some semblance of competition. now i wonder what exactly each bid is set at. would the MTA take a lower bid if they deemed it a worthier project?
daniel could have taken the money and split with a profit, but he stayed and fought a principled fight for due process and participatory planning and politics. tish james has stood up against billion dollar interests (when you take on one billionaire, they tend to stick together.)risking her political neck. what a rare example they have set. I have become so accustomed to the mind-numbing blend of ambition and cowardice; I forgot what real leadership looks like. now i remember!