Chris Owns, former President of Community School Board 13 and Prospect Heights Resident says: "We are calling on our neighbors throughout Brooklyn to reject the hype and see this project for what it really is a glamorous waste of dollars, time and talent." |
STATEMENT FROM CHRIS OWENS IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED ARENA December 21, 2003 The Ratner Arena is a bad idea. We are calling on our neighbors throughout Brooklyn to reject the hype and see this project for what it really is a glamorous waste of dollars, time and talent. This is not about one neighborhood versus another, rich versus poor, homeowner versus rentor, black versus white, or basketball versus soccer. This is about what is important to each of us and what New York and Brooklyn mean to each of us. Since I have already articulated my detailed concerns in a letter published in this week's Brooklyn Paper, I now summarize my opposition around the following four points: 1. The projected economic benefits will not unfold as planned; in fact, given the costs, the benefits may not come to pass at all. This applies to additional business, new meaningful jobs, and a net increase in tax dollars. Such is the history of similar projects and there is no evidence to the contrary. 2. The use of public funds either through direct or indirect methods is inappropriate for a project as risky as this one and it is unconscionable at a time when funds are needed for real public goods such as schools, housing, keeping firehouses open, improving homeland security, restoring social services, protecting open spaces and restoring our full recycling programs. To claim that this project as currently planned will only involve private funds is false and irresponsible. 3. The use of eminent domain to take private property for a project that is clearly not an essential public good is immoral, outrageous and sets a dangerous precedent within 21st Century New York City. More than 1,000 individuals will be directly impacted by the loss of property, homes and businesses. Their history, hopes and dreams are being dashed for private gain. 4. The imposition of an artificial "neighborhood" built around an entertainment center on the border of four thriving and historic communities which help to define what Brooklyn is to people throughout the world is an urban planning nightmare and makes a mockery of the phrase "quality of life". The community has already been deceived and frozen out of the earliest phases of the planning. There is no reason to believe the communication will get better once real money exists for this project. For all the potential investors in this project, I have a simple message from the people with the most to lose: If it was YOUR mama, YOUR business, YOUR home or YOUR street, wouldn't you be fightin' here with me? YOUR friend, YOUR store, YOUR hi-sto-ry I KNOW you'd be right here with me! |
To: Brian Lehrer, WNYC Hi, Brian! I appreciate your hosting a discussion of the proposed Brooklyn arena on your show. I am sorry, however, that there was not more time for discussion and I urge you to allocate some additional time for this important issue. Let me state initially that I am a life-long Prospect Heights/Crown Heights resident with strong ties to Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill and Fort Green - all of which surround the proposed Brooklyn Atlantic Yards. I am also the father of two young boys, one of whom attends public school in the vicinity of the proposed arena. I have been a community activist for many years, including six years of service on the School Board of former Community School District 13 - whose cachement area includes the proposed Brooklyn Atlantic Yards. Since the arena concept was first aired, I have been opposed to it for a number of reasons. Before setting these reasons forth, however, I must specifically note that Borough President Marty Markowitz consistently told those of us who expressed concerns to him that we should "wait and see" if we get a team and then there would be time to discuss any plans. He said this directly to me on multiple occasions. The fact that this grand plan has now been presented to the world without any community discussion or input is an outrage and, furthermore, does nothing to convince the arena's opponents that there is good faith at work here. It would, however, be even worse to find out that some people actually WERE "in the room" regarding this proposal and behaved as surrogates for grass-roots input. I greatly admire Marty in many ways and I have personally dealt with him for about 15 years. In my capacity as President of the Weeksville Society's Board of Trustees, I have been and remain grateful for his heartfelt support of one of Brooklyn's jewels. So, in that context, I am particularly disappointed in his approach to this project. I don't know Mr. Ratner, so I won't comment on his ways of doing business at this time. But allow me to present my concerns. Despite the praise of some architects, the big picture of New York's future - not simply Brooklyn's - has been overlooked. Brooklyn is attractive because it provides accessible relief from Manhattan - the City's core. We have smaller buildings, different types of beautiful buildings (and some ugly ones), smaller businesses and large hospitals, open space (even a beach), cultural diversity, family entertainment, and a sense of history. There is an intangible value to this urban phenomenon that should not be lost, lest the sense of the "modern city" go with it. In sum, Brooklyn is a collection of "neighborhoods" and, frankly, a huge part of the American Dream is to live within a thriving neighborhood. We understand the barren nature of suburbia; that's why we are here and not there. We appreciate Manhattan as a center of finance, industry, real estate, and technology, but we want to live an equally rich life on the periphery of that center. A project like Brooklyn Atlantic Yards starts to change the essence of what Brooklyn is and must be pursued very carefully, if at all. The Borough President says that the proposed arena will eliminate all reasons for anyone to leave Brooklyn. Not so. Great public schools - including world-class school buildings and sports facilities - will do more for Brooklyn than any arena can ever do - and do it in every neighborhood. Brooklyn needs alot of work. Real access to affordable, quality health care will do more for Brooklyn than a more congestion-laden and air-pollution generating intersection of the borough's two major thoroughfares could ever do. Quality, affordable housing throughout the borough will do more for Brooklyn than any single mixed-income housing development located next to an arena can ever do. If the Borough President's predictions come true, my neighborhood and the others surrounding this project will become even less affordable for most of us than it is now - particularly for people of color. And for some of those who are displaced, financial compensation cannot fully address what has been lost. How will all of this really be handled? Business regulations that support small businesses rather than stifle them will do far more for Brooklyn than a chain-dominated arena and mini-malls can ever do. What is in this package that really benefits small business owners? The architect relishes the idea of building a neighborhood "from scratch". That's part of the problem. We are IMPOSING a distinct social phenomenon, not developing one. One small example, more classroom space will be needed to accomodate school children. Where will it come from? Where would a new elementary school go? Where would a new middle school be placed? Tourism will not necessarily be helped by this move. Make sure it is. Visitation to Brooklyn's many cultural institutions (combined) will probably exceed the census of arena attendees from the start. But each of these institutions could do even better with real support from the City - and these institutions are truly world-class. (Every big city has some kind of arena; it's not special.) We will also need a more vibrant bed and breakfast industry and possibly more hotels located in Brooklyn itself. How is this addressed? Municipal services - particularly police and sanitation - will become even more downtown-loaded, creating additional competition with other neighborhoods. Does Harlem feel that it is serviced the same way as midtown Manhattan? I don't THINK so! So with all of these concerns, how can Borough President Markowtiz "buy me off"? After all, that is the name of the game here and will be for many of the players. 1. Address the concerns outlined above. 2. Prove with numbers that this project is different from the economic and cultural disasters that have taken place in other cities ... and there HAVE been disasters. 3. Create a Community Development Corporation with a representative, volunteer Board of Directors responsible for the operations of the project and the fulfillment of all obligations - including community input and involvement with meaningful planning and project performance evaluation. 4. Make all of this happen with NO public money AND with New York State getting the full value for the land it surrenders. Put those land transfer proceeds in a trust governed by the CDC and the communities impacted by this project. 5. Provide a community usage plan for the arena. In fact, this proposal should be considered only in the context of a greater articulated vision for all of Brooklyn. Even with all of the rhetoric, a more specific vision for the borough and this City has yet to emerge. 6. Present a ticket-pricing plan for Nets games that is affordable and sustainable for all residents of Brooklyn - including for the playoffs and championship series. 7. Present a plan for ensuring that at least 80% of ALL employees (principals, contractor and subcontractor for construction and for operations) related to this project will be residents of Brooklyn, no less than 80% of the employed Brooklyn residents are people of color and that no less than 60% of those people of color are of African descent. No excuses. 8. Mr. Ratner and his firm receive no compensation for their involvement with this project. (After all, this is about Brooklyn, right?) If Borough President Markowitz, Mayor Bloomberg and Bruce Ratner can create this covenant with us, then I'm willing to talk about an arena. Chris Owens cowens@newbrooklynleadership.org cowens@focusnow.intranets.com 917-306-6166 www.newbrooklynleadership.org |
