Sugar Fight!

We have dueling press releases regarding the Domino Sugar rezoning fight. Churches United's Rob Solano has proclaimed today Domino Awareness Day in case you're not aware that the South Williamsburg waterfront is probably going to turn into 2,400 units of housing. Here's the jump:

June 17, 2010 at 4pm Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFFH) will have a press conference before they embarked in their unique endeavor they call "The New Domino Awareness Day" at CUFFH's main office located at 66 Whipple Street , Brooklyn, NY 11206.
Immediately following the press conference the organization will be at every single stop in North Brooklyn handing out a one page information sheet about the New Domino.

On Monday, the anti-Domino demonstrators will have their say, organizing a protest on the steps of City Hall led by Councilman Steve Levin, and Assemblymembers Vito Lopez and Joe Lentol, just before the zoning subcommittee hearing at 10 am. Here are their quotes:

“As an affordable housing advocate, I cannot support a development plan that will bring thousands of new luxury units to an already overcrowded neighborhood. The project is simply too big and too dense. I urge the community to come out and voice their opposition to the extraordinary height and density of this project. While the plan does offer affordable housing, the thousands of luxury units the developers are proposing will place a burden on the established infrastructure in our community. The community should not have to pay such an overwhelming cost for the affordable housing it deserves,” said Assembly Housing Chair Vito Lopez.

“I stand with Assembly Housing Chair Lopez and the communities we represent in opposition to the Domino project. I continue to oppose this project because it exacerbates the congestion in Williamsburg on all levels. Buses and subways are already over capacity each day. The Domino plan will decrease open space in a neighborhood that has lost acres of open space in the past few years. I ask the community to stand with us at the rally on Monday and testify against the project in the City Council,” said Councilmember Steve Levin.

“The Domino plan is simply too dense and too high for the neighborhood to absorb. Everyone, including me, wants the affordable housing but without transparency I cant believe that the potentially disastrous effect a project of this size will have on the transit system, traffic, the schools, emergency and police services, social services, open space and the character of the neighborhood is necessary. Its not right for our community,” said Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.

and one more from NAG Co-Chair's Ward Dennis, bottom left, who may be brandishing his zoning sword at the hearing.

"Hello, my name is Ward Dennis. You killed my father. Prepare to die."