The Brooklyn Papers just published "Down on Duffield," which looks at the two most prominent owners who have been fighting eminent domain in Downtown Brooklyn. The article suggests that one owner still wants to fight and the other, Lewis Greenstein, is finally ready to give up.
Lew wrote the following Letter to the Editor in response to the article:
The above statement got the drift of what I said to the reporter. But after 3 1/2 years of being lied to, you get tired and depressed of all the abuse. Bloomberg (who is in the process of selling NYC to developers) and the city have deep pockets, and they have worn us down. I will not sell to the city, but if I have my way, someone will come forward to help save this property in some way— to date no one has stepped up help save the building. My passion is wavering but I'm still in the hunt of the truth and will continue until my dying day. My head is not in the clouds— eventually the city will take this building by eminent domain abuse as it has done so many times, and if I can get out with some respect, I would like that. I have not given up yet as the fat lady has not sung yet.Lew is right. Nobody has come forward to buy the homes and fulfill the often-repeated goal of the owners: to preserve them as a museum. If you think you don't have enough resources to fight the popular billionaire mayor, what is the point of fighting?
But the point of this blog is to repeat that the stated benefits of Bloomberg's proposed parking lot and grassy knoll are not worth fighting for. By contrast, the historical importance of the homes is much more valuable to the city, whether or not the owners have the ability to fight for them.
Lew has sacrificed tremendously to defend the historical value of this property. I hope we can all give him the support he deserves.
