TESTIMONY
by MarySol Rodriguez, Director of City Affairs
PARTNERSHIP FOR NEW YORK CITY

New York, New York
May 4, 2004

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City Council Committee on Economic Development Hearing on the Brooklyn Nets/Atlantic Yards Project

Good Morning, Chairman Sanders and members of the City Council. Thank you for conducting this early hearing to focus attention on the proposed development of Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn.

On behalf of the city’s business community, the Partnership appreciates the opportunity to offer our general support for the most ambitious redevelopment project planned for the boroughs in many decades. While we recognize that plans and financing are not yet finalized, we are confident that this project will merit the widespread support that it has already generated.

First, we want to congratulate the project developer, Bruce Ratner – who is a member of the Partnership – for his successful effort to win a major league franchise for Brooklyn. The acquisition of the Nets is a big deal for the city and a substantial contribution to the borough. The presence of an NBA team will help to galvanize additional private investment in economic development, housing and badly needed recreation facilities throughout Brooklyn. Both Bruce Ratner and Borough President Marty Markowitz deserve our thanks for their vision and courage in going after this franchise.

Second, we want to express confidence that Forest City will do the right thing by the neighborhoods surrounding Atlantic Yards and the residents and businesses located on the site itself. This is a developer who has remained dedicated to Downtown Brooklyn for more than two decades, long after he could have pulled up stakes and focused exclusively on Manhattan projects.

The Partnership, through our housing program, had the opportunity to work with Bruce Ratner on the residential component of Atlantic Center. Based on this experience, and our knowledge of the way he has approached other affordable housing and commercial projects, we are confident that Forest City will accommodate community concerns on every front, ranging from minimizing displacement to assuring job opportunities to local residents and contracting opportunities to minority-owned firms. Importantly, Forest City has consistently been successful in delivering quality affordable housing and will undoubtedly do so here.

Atlantic Yards will create the critical mass of housing, commercial and entertainment activity needed to firmly establish Downtown Brooklyn’s status as a pre-eminent urban center. The project is a great example of what urban design experts label “smart growth” – that is, a development that capitalizes on the public transportation hub and other urban infrastructure to create a vibrant live-work community. Atlantic Yards will be a destination for residents, visitors, sports fans and workers – not just a bedroom community. It is an example of how we can diversify our city’s economy beyond the Manhattan business districts. And it should be a model for similar projects in Queens, the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. The Partnership believes that the proposal for Atlantic Yards merits the support of the entire city.

The Partnership for New York City (www.pfnyc.org) is a network of business leaders dedicated to enhancing the economy of the five boroughs of New York City and maintaining the city’s position as the global center of commerce, culture and innovation.