(Image from dockstreetdumbo.com)
[UPDATE: See Sarah Portlock’s detailed account of the voting at BHB.]
The Land Use City Council Committee voted to approve the zoning changes for a 17 story tower known as Dock Street Dumbo today by a wide margin (17-4), and the Zoning and Franchises subcommittee approved the vote by 6-2 according to a Brooklyn Paper article. Per the article:
The Council’s land-use committee voted 17–4 to support Walentas’s request for a rezoning on his Dock Street site so that he could build a 300-unit tower — which includes a public middle school and scores of units set aside as below-market-rate rentals — a project that opponents claim will forever damage views of the historic and landmarked span.
“I have to vote yes … because it’s in the best interest of the community overall,” said Councilmember Robert Jackson (D–Manhattan), speaking for many on the panel.
The vote came less than a week after the opposition requested an investigation into the activities of the SCA, the Department of Education (DOE), and Two Trees Management, its principals, lobbyists and attorneys, who say that there is strong evidence that there has been ongoing collusion and improper dealings between the SCA, the DOE and a private developer – Two Trees Management – in the developer’s quest to gain zoning changes for the Dock Street site. (See Brooklyn Heights Blog for the full letter by the DNA to Barbara Ditata, Inspector General for the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA).
The Brooklyn Paper states that the decision to support the project was “a rare instance when a council committee opted not to defer to the wishes of the local member, in this case, project opponent Yassky.”
The next and final step is a full City Council vote on Wednesday, June 10. Council Speaker Christine Quinn told a Council member that she intended to support the project, according to The NY Observer article published yesterday. This looks good for Two Trees in their final hurdle for a zoning change that will allow them to build residential apartments on the site known as Dock Street Dumbo.
{Past Dock Street Dumbo articles}
Other articles on Dock St posted this week:
{On Dock Street, Victory Is Near for Walentases, 3June2009, NY Observer}
{Council committee approves Dock Street project!, 04June2009, Brooklyn Paper}
{Opponents of Dock Street Project Ask for Full Investigation, 01June2009}
{Selling The Brooklyn Bridge: Will Corruption Mar National Landmark? , 03June2009, Air America}
groovy. maybe the DNA will move on to more constructive matters now instead of silly rallys. the opposition never stood a chance this was going to happen one way or another.
groovy. maybe the DNA will move on to more constructive matters now instead of silly rallys. the opposition never stood a chance this was going to happen one way or another.
I agree.
I agree.
Regardless of whether you support the building or not, the process is a case study of how private money readily corrupts public government.
What happened here is Two Trees had channeled upwards of several hundred thousand dollars (largely through indirect channels) to Quinn over the past several years to buy her support for Dock St.
As recently as yesterday the members were lined up to defeat Dock. St. given the public exposure of Two Trees’ corrupt dealings with the SCA along with a general sentiment that the Brooklyn Bridge was too important to mess with.
Quinn intentionally delayed the vote a day in order to call all the members threatening to remove various items and funding budgeted for their districts in the upcoming budgeting process (must have leaner city government in these tough times, of course) unless they voted for Dock St.
For example, Councilmember Robert Jackson quoted above who is the Chair of the Education Committe had previously declared the SCA scandal outrageous and there was no way he was voting for Dock St. He flipped his comment to “it’s in the best interests of the community overall” after Quinn got to him.
Translation: it’s in the best interests of his re-election campaign in his own district. And at the end of the day the committee members were in turn strongarmed by Quinn to choose between their own districts/careers and Yassky/The Brooklyn Bridge.
Since Yassky is not running for re-election, they felt no need to honor the traditional accommodation council members afford each other of voting along with the district rep for matters affecting just his own district. Yassky will not be around to return any favors or slights so he could be safely ignored. The loss of a gleaming community center in their own district at Quinn’s hand could not be ignored.
Fairly nauseating to see and understand the blow-by-blow. It makes the long winded arguments of both supporters and opponents all essentially immaterial to the outcome.
Bottom line is this is the way our system of government works. If you have the cash you can have your way.
Regardless of whether you support the building or not, the process is a case study of how private money readily corrupts public government.
What happened here is Two Trees had channeled upwards of several hundred thousand dollars (largely through indirect channels) to Quinn over the past several years to buy her support for Dock St.
As recently as yesterday the members were lined up to defeat Dock. St. given the public exposure of Two Trees’ corrupt dealings with the SCA along with a general sentiment that the Brooklyn Bridge was too important to mess with.
Quinn intentionally delayed the vote a day in order to call all the members threatening to remove various items and funding budgeted for their districts in the upcoming budgeting process (must have leaner city government in these tough times, of course) unless they voted for Dock St.
For example, Councilmember Robert Jackson quoted above who is the Chair of the Education Committe had previously declared the SCA scandal outrageous and there was no way he was voting for Dock St. He flipped his comment to “it’s in the best interests of the community overall” after Quinn got to him.
Translation: it’s in the best interests of his re-election campaign in his own district. And at the end of the day the committee members were in turn strongarmed by Quinn to choose between their own districts/careers and Yassky/The Brooklyn Bridge.
Since Yassky is not running for re-election, they felt no need to honor the traditional accommodation council members afford each other of voting along with the district rep for matters affecting just his own district. Yassky will not be around to return any favors or slights so he could be safely ignored. The loss of a gleaming community center in their own district at Quinn’s hand could not be ignored.
Fairly nauseating to see and understand the blow-by-blow. It makes the long winded arguments of both supporters and opponents all essentially immaterial to the outcome.
Bottom line is this is the way our system of government works. If you have the cash you can have your way.
Nice to know that the long history of corruption in NYC politics is still strong. Voting is for suckers!
Nice to know that the long history of corruption in NYC politics is still strong. Voting is for suckers!
“Voting is for suckers!”
we finally agree on something.
“Voting is for suckers!”
we finally agree on something.
BL, You know, I always agreed with you on that assessment, call me a misguided optimist, but I actually believed that the whole process was fair, I know now the errors of my ways. 🙂
BL, You know, I always agreed with you on that assessment, call me a misguided optimist, but I actually believed that the whole process was fair, I know now the errors of my ways. 🙂
get friendly with the stop work order. 311 can be your friend.
get friendly with the stop work order. 311 can be your friend.
Please, BL…311 is a joke. Whenever I have called them they read a form letter telling me they can’t help. Your tax dollars at work!
Please, BL…311 is a joke. Whenever I have called them they read a form letter telling me they can’t help. Your tax dollars at work!
you’re not understanding me.
dial 311, report construction site issue, DOB inspector arrives with temp stop work order, work stops for day, stop order removed next day, repeat every other day.
you’re not understanding me.
dial 311, report construction site issue, DOB inspector arrives with temp stop work order, work stops for day, stop order removed next day, repeat every other day.
Aside from Dock Street and the likely corruption, what has bothered me is the attitude that the public cannot account for its own needs and must cut deals with private entities to get anything done. This sort of thinking is an enabler of corruption. To say that these “partnerships” are the “future of education” is pathetic. To hear public officials echo this is absurd. I don’t want a PUBLIC official who is committed to trivializing the PUBLIC role anymore than I will by stock in a company run by a CEO with no ambition. Public / private “partnerships” generally mean the private party does well and the public end is expected to be stupider and weaker than any business would.
Aside from Dock Street and the likely corruption, what has bothered me is the attitude that the public cannot account for its own needs and must cut deals with private entities to get anything done. This sort of thinking is an enabler of corruption. To say that these “partnerships” are the “future of education” is pathetic. To hear public officials echo this is absurd. I don’t want a PUBLIC official who is committed to trivializing the PUBLIC role anymore than I will by stock in a company run by a CEO with no ambition. Public / private “partnerships” generally mean the private party does well and the public end is expected to be stupider and weaker than any business would.
Extremely sad.
Extremely sad.
Ahh more condos that will remain empty or rentals that are over priced. Alos those 2-4 low income units will cover so many folks in need of housing. What Walentas wants Wallentas gets. The rest be damned.
Ahh more condos that will remain empty or rentals that are over priced. Alos those 2-4 low income units will cover so many folks in need of housing. What Walentas wants Wallentas gets. The rest be damned.
Don’t worry , they won’t remain empty, worse comes to worse, it will become a homeless shelter. Your tax dollars at work!
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/06/condoturnedshel.php?extpar=brown
Don’t worry , they won’t remain empty, worse comes to worse, it will become a homeless shelter. Your tax dollars at work!
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/06/condoturnedshel.php?extpar=brown
they’ve always been planned as rentals and should fill up quickly as the incentives offered to initial tenants are likely going to be aggressive and the views from most units are going to be insane.
if you live in 30 main and face the bridge your place is down 1/3 in value once this box goes up.
they’ve always been planned as rentals and should fill up quickly as the incentives offered to initial tenants are likely going to be aggressive and the views from most units are going to be insane.
if you live in 30 main and face the bridge your place is down 1/3 in value once this box goes up.
Is an accurate depiction of the proposed building available? The sketches and models I’ve seen show a much shorter tower than what has been approved. This building will be as high as the Clock Tower. This whole angle of deception bothers me as much as the corruption.
Is an accurate depiction of the proposed building available? The sketches and models I’ve seen show a much shorter tower than what has been approved. This building will be as high as the Clock Tower. This whole angle of deception bothers me as much as the corruption.
Swampy,
We won’t know that until the final product is finished. Then we will know if it doesn’t damage the skyline or if it will become a candidate for James Kunstler’s “Eye sore of the Month”.
BL- Planning and actuality are two different things.
Swampy,
We won’t know that until the final product is finished. Then we will know if it doesn’t damage the skyline or if it will become a candidate for James Kunstler’s “Eye sore of the Month”.
BL- Planning and actuality are two different things.
swampy – the approved design will be shorter than shown in the 2 trees renderings.
no2 – if you think that this project won’t be a success for 2 trees then you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment. they played the system and won. time to accept that and move on.
swampy – the approved design will be shorter than shown in the 2 trees renderings.
no2 – if you think that this project won’t be a success for 2 trees then you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment. they played the system and won. time to accept that and move on.
BL,
Two Trees did not “play” the system, they violated it. They even admit as much in their own statements… according to TT the public process was not “perfect.”
What does THAT mean ???
I’d like to use that defense…
“I’m sorry officer I wasn’t obeying the speed limit *perfectly*….”
Regardless of whether this building goes up, there is hard documentation of impropriety which will not go away wrapped up with, at least, 40 million dollars of public money…
BL,
Two Trees did not “play” the system, they violated it. They even admit as much in their own statements… according to TT the public process was not “perfect.”
What does THAT mean ???
I’d like to use that defense…
“I’m sorry officer I wasn’t obeying the speed limit *perfectly*….”
Regardless of whether this building goes up, there is hard documentation of impropriety which will not go away wrapped up with, at least, 40 million dollars of public money…
I would like to see a third-party rendering of the proposed bldg within the surrounding area. Everything I’ve seen just looks a little off, even how 1 Main appears in height relative to the Bridge, etc. Is something available that wasn’t drawn by TT?
I would like to see a third-party rendering of the proposed bldg within the surrounding area. Everything I’ve seen just looks a little off, even how 1 Main appears in height relative to the Bridge, etc. Is something available that wasn’t drawn by TT?
I created a model for Google Earth which is in theory to scale. I’m not an architect, 3d modeler, or artist, and am opposed to Dock Street.
With those caveats, the model is available off http://epcostello.net/library/dockstreet/
You have to have Google Earth installed and depending on the whims of internet browsers may need to download the KMZ file and open it in Google Earth (rather than waiting for Google Earth to open it automatically). The Google SketchUp file is available off that page as well.
I created a model for Google Earth which is in theory to scale. I’m not an architect, 3d modeler, or artist, and am opposed to Dock Street.
With those caveats, the model is available off http://epcostello.net/library/dockstreet/
You have to have Google Earth installed and depending on the whims of internet browsers may need to download the KMZ file and open it in Google Earth (rather than waiting for Google Earth to open it automatically). The Google SketchUp file is available off that page as well.
I don’t care what anyone says, this building will be an eyesore!
Prediction: All the proponents, will regret this.
I don’t care what anyone says, this building will be an eyesore!
Prediction: All the proponents, will regret this.
I’m so sorry your eye is sore.
I went to Governor’s Island today at long last and I think this is the greatest national park for the people of NY and the nation to be opened in recent years. Let’s celebrate this great new public space and wonder how the rest of this island will evolve over the next few years.
There will be many voices.
I’m so sorry your eye is sore.
I went to Governor’s Island today at long last and I think this is the greatest national park for the people of NY and the nation to be opened in recent years. Let’s celebrate this great new public space and wonder how the rest of this island will evolve over the next few years.
There will be many voices.
It will make everyones eyesore…
A lot of people have complained about it’s height… consider its length.
Dock street will by twice as long a Sweeney (and taller). It is like a wall running along the bridge.
The design is terrible.
It will make everyones eyesore…
A lot of people have complained about it’s height… consider its length.
Dock street will by twice as long a Sweeney (and taller). It is like a wall running along the bridge.
The design is terrible.
Every additional floor will result in tears, creating a salty pool in the enormous shadow of this monstrosity – cutting out all sun and life surrouding it.
Every additional floor will result in tears, creating a salty pool in the enormous shadow of this monstrosity – cutting out all sun and life surrouding it.
Look, Anon, you may be tired of this issue, but it is on topic in this thread.
If you don’t like it go post on Jacque Torres or something.
I have heard proponents complain about the opposition to this building but I find many of them far more obnoxious and disingenuous.
Frankly, in my opinion, if you are the type of person that prefers a plain wall to a mural, parking to a public sculpture plaza, or a luxury rental high-rise to the Brooklyn Bridge then DUMBO isn’t the best place for you.
Look, Anon, you may be tired of this issue, but it is on topic in this thread.
If you don’t like it go post on Jacque Torres or something.
I have heard proponents complain about the opposition to this building but I find many of them far more obnoxious and disingenuous.
Frankly, in my opinion, if you are the type of person that prefers a plain wall to a mural, parking to a public sculpture plaza, or a luxury rental high-rise to the Brooklyn Bridge then DUMBO isn’t the best place for you.
dumbostreets: You misunderstand. My note was sincere. I am against this project 110%. Not only that, I love St. Ann’s Warehouse which seems to be forgotten in this war of Greed vs. Neighborhood.
dumbostreets: You misunderstand. My note was sincere. I am against this project 110%. Not only that, I love St. Ann’s Warehouse which seems to be forgotten in this war of Greed vs. Neighborhood.
Anon, you can’t really haul out St. Ann’s Warehouse as a weapon against Walentas in the Greed vs. Neighborhood battle.
Anon, you can’t really haul out St. Ann’s Warehouse as a weapon against Walentas in the Greed vs. Neighborhood battle.
Chill out. I’m just stating that it will be missed tremendously. Weapon? Haul?
Chill out. I’m just stating that it will be missed tremendously. Weapon? Haul?
ok. sorry, anon.
ok. sorry, anon.
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I agree.
I agree.