Friday, October 30, 2015

Why does Fortis want your signature?

Cobble Hill Association has received reports that representatives of Fortis Property Group are canvassing the neighborhood asking people to sign a petition in support of "affordable housing” and “more parks” for Cobble Hill. Undoubtedly, these signatures are being collected to help Fortis promote its proposed rezoning of the Long Island College Hospital site. This is in addition to Fortis’s efforts on Facebook to solicit support. We are asking that residents NOT sign the petition— either on line or in person. Here’s why:

CHA does not support the current Fortis proposals and there continues to be a number of important unresolved questions over how these towers will be built without causing irrevocable harm to the historic district of Cobble Hill— and to our larger brownstone community.

The petition only addresses what Fortis claims will be the amenities related to the rezoning development they want to build and does not allow participants to express doubts, concerns, or objections about the actual plans.

The petition may not specifically mention the rezoning, but we want to remind everyone that the rezoning would result in a development much larger than they can build As of Right, and that the proposed “public park” could be used as a schoolyard.

Our greatest concern is that residents are being asked to share personal information with a major real-estate developer who may then use the data collected to make spurious claims of neighborhood support for its high-rise towers complex.

If you have any question or concerns, please reach via email, Facebook, Twitter, or leave a comment below.

3 comments:

Hesh said...

I got approached today by a somewhat innocent looking person asking me hastily to sign a petition for building a new public school, never mentioning the real estate company he is working for. After asking who he is working for and then revealing his employer, he just arrogantly said that the 40 stories will anyways be build. So much for consensus..

Elizabeth Benzur said...

We were approached just now at the playground by a woman asking us to sign the school petition. We asked her if she was paid by the developer and she confirmed that she was. We followed her around to stop her from collecting any more signatures by deceit. What else can I do as a neighborhood resident and architect to help?

amy said...

Maybe it's time for CHA & neighbors to hook up with the other community organizations fighting developers http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/nyregion/development-de-blasio-style.html?ref=nyregion&referer=http://m.facebook.com