A walk-a-thon will be held this Sunday in Prospect Heights by the group Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn to protest developer Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project. Ratner is trying to build an arena for the Nets basketball team, as well as high-rise apartment buildings and office space near Prospect Heights.
Daniel Goldstein, the spokesperson for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, said that his group is worried about eminent domain, the environmental impact of the project, the use of public subsidies, and market rate housing. Goldstein claims supporters of the Atlantic Yards have said that 10,000 jobs would come out of the project. He claims only 374 new office jobs would be created.
“Other jobs would be part-time jobs, they would have no benefits, non-union, and have low income paying jobs,” said Goldstein, who called the project ineffective and unnecessary.
The 1.5 mile march will begin on Flatbush Avenue on the border of Park Slope and Prospect Heights. It will take a route through Grand Army Plaza and past some of the great buildings of Brooklyn. Participants will circle the plaza, and proceed down Vanderbilt Avenue to the Soda Bar.
This is the 3rd annual walk-a-thon held by Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. It’s sole purpose was to raise funds for legal action against the project. Goldstein said the fundraiser had no set financial goal. He would not discuss how much money was already raised for this event, but he did say that over 3,500 people have already donated to this fundraiser.
