Stimulus Funds SHOULD NOT aid the ATLANTIC YARDS! Sign this petition.

"No Stimulus Money for Atlantic Yards!"

New York State Governor David Paterson will soon be making decisions about where to allocate an approximately $25 billion in stimulus aid from the Federal government. Some of the money will go to restore budget cuts to schools. Some will go to shoring up the state Medicaid program. Some will go to desperately- needed projects in transportation, energy and the environment.

But there's one project that shouldn't be considered for stimulus funds--Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards development. With credit tight and construction costs increasing, FCR has hired former Senator Alfonse D'Amato to lobby for a cut of New York's stimulus funds. Atlantic Yards has already received hundreds of millions in direct aid from the City and the State, and billions in tax breaks. FCR committed to building its arena with private funds, and pledged to pay for the renovation of the MTA Vanderbilt Yards. Now they're looking for the public to bail them out of those commitments.

The problem is, there's no way to hold FCR responsible for how stimulus money would be used if it were allocated to Atlantic Yards. There's no guarantee when the promised affordable housing, open space or community facilities will be built. Nobody even seems to be sure what the project will look like anymore.

Sign on to the online petition to tell Governor Paterson that you're against granting stimulus funds to Atlantic Yards. Help make sure New York's share of the Federal stimulus program gets to projects that really deserve it. And let the Governor know it's time Atlantic Yards was held accountable to the public.

Sign petition here.

Doubts About Toll Brothers? - C.B 6 Meeting Tonight

Waterfront property anyone?

Despite the fact that luxury condos stand largely unrented, despite the fact that condo projects languish unworked on due to lack of funds and the big one: despite the fact that this project needs a huge enviromental cleanup which STILL has not been addressed in any serious detailed manner, The Toll Brother's think now is the perfect time to build. Recently, local Community Board 6, which had given their O.K on the rezoning so they can build this project has questioned the if the Tolls are going to include affordable housing in the project. Affordable housing was essentially the deal breaker for their OK. NOW with public monies drying up it is likely the Toll's won't get that funding. They don't have any intention in funding it themselves which would make the project an entire village of luxury condominiums.

A quote from Toll Brothers V.P and relentless optimist David Von Spreckelsen:

" the fiscal crisis is not expected to disrupt Toll’s plan, or prevent it from securing funding from the city.

Read the whole article by Gary Buiso in the Courier here.

Meeting is Monday February 23rd.

Public School 32
317 Hoyt Street
Brooklyn NY
TIME: 6:30 PM

Also on the plate at the meeting is recent happenings at Public Place, the other neighborhood toxic site.

Sheepshead Bay Bites

I've been a bad blogger. I've been a busy non blogging blogger up until recently and during that time Ray Johnson of the fab Sheepshead Bay Bites blog posted this photo I took last year while contemplating life in Brighton Beach. The words answered the question that was going on in mind that day, it was amazing.

Click here to read Ray's take.

The Bluebird of Happiness....

Is this Swoon or someone else? I claim no expertise on the wheat paste scene but I like this one. It's sweet in the original sense of the word.

post script - i found out the artist is "elbow toe"

Dispensed on Sackett Street

How To Keep Your Job in Hard Times: The Indispensable Employee - A Survival Manual".

I know it's hard times and all but I just have to say, this is one depressing book! Some chapter titles: "Eat Lunch at Your Desk", "Take Work Home With You", "Make Your Company's Problems Your Own", "Ask for More Work", "Be Smart, But Not Too Smart", "Delay Your Vacation If Necessary", "Sell Harder" and one of my favorites "Don't Waste Company Supplies".

Positively Dickensian!

REVS

I don't know how I feel about REVS painting over a beautiful old fading ad on a building in Chelsea. I guess I do. I guess it makes me feel slightly pissed off! The only thing that is keeping me from completely dismissing REVS as a visual eyesore is the fact that the building to the right looks like a Holiday Inn in Peoria!

Lost Glove

Found on Sixth Avenue

F.I.B Turned Two Today!

Yup.

Today in Chinatown.....

Dragons hanging out in the Year of the Ox!
And a good time was had all!