Revenue, thy name is Xerox?
Hmm… maybe. The situation: about 16 months ago, some people started a non-profit called “Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development,” or BUILD, that appears to have been created for the express purpose of promoting and/or defending Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project.
Pretty much everyone who opposes Ratner thinks that he’s somehow behind the group. The BUILD people are acutely aware of their suspicion. From buildbrooklyn.org (yes, they have a real website now):
Myth: BUILD is financially supported by Forest City Ratner.
Fact: Since its inception BUILD has been supported by its members and community based supporters. BUILD’s faith in God and strong ties to the community has sustained and perpetuates our operations and advancement of our mission…”
Well… that’s nice. But not exactly what I would call full disclosure. I asked Dan Goldstein of Develop Don’t Destroy if anyone knows just a bit more precisely how BUILD gets its funding:
“It’s only been speculated upon. I do know that they have held fundraisers where Bruce gets his buddies to come and donate.”
“Nobody has proven that Ratner directly funds them. I think it hurts our cause to accuse them of that.”
“I also do know that Develop Don’t Destroy has raised all of its money from the community to this date, and we can’t afford an office on Vanderbilt.”
That’s about as far as we’ve got. We’ll post an update if we get any news from BUILD.
