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NARR: Two of the buildings that will be torn down are directly across the street from Bergen Tile on Flatbush Avenue. Bergen Tile has been selling floor coverings for more than half a century. Manager Daniel Sullivan is a fourth-generation Brooklynite who lives further west but knows the neighborhood of his workplace well.
"I know the people that used to live in this house. Charlie. His family was there for years. I just hate to see part of Brooklyn disappear."
NARR: Curtains still hang in one of the ground floor storefronts, but the buildings, at 461 and 463 Dean Street, are empty. Forest City Ratner owns all six of the buildings to be demolished and says they are in danger of collapse and a threat to public safety. Around the corner, on Pacific Street are two vacant and soon-to-be-gone warehouses for the Tasty Provision Company. Daniel Goldstein lives right next door. He's a spokesman for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, which brought the lawsuit fighting the demolition.
"Isn't it a coincidence that there happen to be six buildings that are near collapse all in the same two blocks? Isn't that a coincidence?"
NARR: Goldstein says the buildings are not going to collapse. He says Forest City Ratner is trying to create the perception that the project is already approved. Goldstein says the group has not yet decided if they will appeal the ruling on the buildings, but they do not have much time. After the court hearing on Tuesday, a lawyer for the developer said demolition would probably begin in 10 days.
An appeal on the other court decision has been filed by Empire State Development Corporation or ESDC. This is the state agency overseeing the Atlantic Yards environmental review process. The judge ruled that because attorney David Paget consulted for Forest City Ratner on environmental compliance from 2003 to 2004 and then served as outside counsel until September of last year, Paget could not continue to represent ESDC, the agency reviewing the developer's plan. Forest City Ratner would not provide further comment on the appeal. But a spokeswoman for ESDC, who asked not to be identified, says there is no conflict of interest and the agency has a right to retain Paget. But Goldstein says there is clearly a conflict and calls the appeal "bizarre."
"Are they fighting to keep this lawyer who's conflicted because he's the guy who knows how to ease this development through the approval process? // He's one of the top environmental lawyers in the state. He's not the only one."
NARR: This was the first court hearing since Atlantic Yards was proposed more than a year ago. And it will most definitely not be the only one. In earlier public forums, project opponents already brought up their fears. These include the use of eminent domain - taking over private property for public uses. There's also the belief that the odds are stacked in favor of the developer. The governor, the mayor and the president of Brooklyn all support the project. Daniel Sullivan at Bergen Tile does not believe the Atlantic Yards process will be easy.
"There's a lot of shady dealings, a lot of shady dealings. Politics in Brooklyn is worse than Chicago to tell you the truth."
NARR: ESDC is scheduled to appear before the appellate judge this afternoon. Mary-Rose Abraham, Columbia Radio News.