Learning from Atlantic Yards

According to the Atlantic Yards Report, Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities, the company behind the proposed Coney Island makeover, has learned a thing or two by watching the Atlantic Yards saga play out.

As Gowanus Lounge blogger Robert Guskind has ably pointed out, the developer apparently sent a mailer from a seemingly grassroots group, The Future of Coney Island. As with a Forest City Ratner brochure, the list of issues for respondents to cite could only serve the developer: "Yes, my community needs jobs."

As Guskind wrote, "The promo mailer says nothing about housing or highrises, both of which are controversial parts of Thor's plan." It's reminiscent of the Atlantic Yards mailer last May (below) that curiously contained no towers but asked residents what aspects of the project interested them.