Ratner scores more freebies from the MTA

In another instance of the taxpayer taking it up the backside, the MTA has sweetened the deal for Ratner.

Check Develop Don't Destroy, nolandgrab.org and Atlantic Yards Report.

Where is this?

As we walked by Dean and Vanderbilt for the first time in a few weeks, we were struck by the mortar holes in the backside of the Ward Bakery.

This looked more like the Middle East than smack dab in the middle of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Atlantic Yards rally

Today's Atlantic Yards rallying cry was 'TIME OUT' on the Yards project, but the unions and contractors outwitted the protesters by showing up en masse to stage their own rally. Separated from each other by a phalanx of NYPD officers and a few strategically placed cars, the union members shouted slogans while whistling and pressing on air horns. Soon after, they walked counterclockwise around the footprint, going east on Pacific, north on Vanderbilt, west on Atlantic, south on 6th Avenue and then east on Pacific.

The cops were nearly caught unaware until they ran and cut them off at Carlton to prevent an ugly fracas.

Check out the pictures below - the anti-Atlantic-Yards protesters were definitely sparse in comparison to the union members.

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn couple wed

Shabnam Merchant and Daniel Goldstein, of Develop Don't Destroy, were both in today's wedding listings in the print edition of the New York Times, but for some reason, they're not found online.

A conspiracy? Given that they have derided the NYTimes often for their Atlantic Yards-related viewpoints, could this be a sort of payback?

More million dollar condos in a supposedly 'blighted' area

Down the street from the grandfathered Newswalk Condos, a townhouse has been converted into 4 luxury condos with prices ranging from a quarter million to $1.15MM. Brooklyn Properties has the listing.

Located at 543 Dean Street, this is just steps away from the ultramodern behemoth at 565 Dean/536 Carlton that was profiled in May.

In a nod to the vibrance of the area, these units are going in the $800s psf range. The folks at nolandgrab.org would surely appreciate these prices. All come with storage and outdoor space. Viking, Bosch and Jenn-Air are the labels for the appliances.

The lot size is 20x55 and most recently changed hands in January 2005 for $825K. The pictures make it look like the back of the house is across from the back of some of the Newswalk units.