Number 10: Daniel Goldstein
Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner didn’t know who he was messing with when he set out to seize the home of Daniel Goldstein, co-founder of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, a highly sophisticated coalition of 26 community organizations leading the fight against that project. Although the group has only had one court victory to-date, which was…
Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner didn’t know who he was messing with when he set out to seize the home of Daniel Goldstein, co-founder of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, a highly sophisticated coalition of 26 community organizations leading the fight against that project. Although the group has only had one court victory to-date, which was overturned, their protests and series of lawsuits and appeals have managed to stall the project into credit crunch territory, possibly jeopardizing its financing. The court’s recent decision to deny the state’s motion to dismiss the eminent domain case, led by Goldstein, has pushed construction (if started) back to at least Spring 2009, and the court’s decision will likely be used in other eminent domain cases involving private developers across the country. Goldstein will be the most memorable Brooklyn community activist of this decade, fearlessly (at all hours of the day) speaking for thousands.
Brooklyn’s Top 50 Most Influential No. 11-20 [Brownstoner]
Brooklyn’s Top 50 Most Influential No. 21-30 [Brownstoner]
Brooklyn’s Top 50 Most Influential No. 31-40 [Brownstoner]
Brooklyn’s Top 50 Most Influential No. 41-50 [Brownstoner]
Photo by Steve Soblick
aytoofly:
Oh, I have heard of Bertha Lewis. Just not the demagogue that was featured on this site.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Lewis
I will take an eyesore and the prospect of a civilized public development of the planned private AY complex with demapped streets and private parks any day.
Unfortunelty I would love to agree withyou MM but this site is going to stay in the current stat of disaray for years because of all the hurdles that were put in place. Nobody wins and it continues to be an eyesore on downtown BK. It’s a shame either way.
Polemicist, you’re the guy who the other day admitted to never hearing of Bertha Lewis? seems like you’re really on top of things.
This is a tough town. In order to be effective, especially in bucking the powers that be, it really helps to be thick skinned, obnoxious, relentless and frankly, a class A a@@hole. I don’t care what kind of money Daniel Goldstein has, had, or will have. I don’t even have to like him, but I admire his tenacity.
Think of it, he and his organization held up the largest building project in the city of New York for almost three years. During that time, Forest City Ratner has had to rethink its plans several times, spend a fortune on PR concerns, another fortune on legal fees, and still hasn’t laid two bricks on top of each other in all of this time. During those three years, we’ve seen the easily predicted condo glut come to pass, as well as the also predicted financial mess which may be the final nail on the coffin to any huge mega project. Develop Don’t Destroy may not have been the sword thrust to the heart of AY, but their thousand cuts may have bled them dry, and done the same job.
The best thing that can come out of this is that Ratner sells the site to smaller developers who can intelligently build necessary housing, business and recreational facilities in a less rancorous and irresponsible manner.
Kudos to Goldstein.
I can see him maybe as #50 – but on top Ten? c’mon. That is more an indication of Brownstoner obsession with AY.
A 1 issue person. Marketplace and economy will determine AY – not Goldstein.
Ple just wants it to be 100% affordable housing. Think the neighborhood looks bad now?? Watch out if that ever happened.
Oh go to you-know-what, Polemicist. Whether or not you like DG’s actions should have nothing to do with whether or not he’s got a trust fund. If he does, more power to him for standing up to AY when he could’ve walked away with his money.
I can’t believe this trust fund wretch is considered influential in any way shape or form.
If it wasn’t for his rich parents and the spiteful support of Weinstein, he’d go back to his parents home from which be was spawned.
What a loser.