Albor Ruiz

The New York Observer's First Annual Community Benefits Agreement Tourney just wrapped up. What are those, you say, wrinkling your nose? Well, C.B.A.'s are ways for the community and developer to come together and create win-win situations for everybody! Those are words that everybody but The New York Sun editorial board likes to hear: together, community, win-win. The idea is that a neighborhood consents to being turned into a construction zone so long as it gets some jobs or housing out of the deal. The questions is, how real are those jobs and housing? We compare the C.B.A. by Forest City (Bruce) Ratner for Atlantic Yards and the one by The Related Companies for a shopping mall in the Bronx. Who won? Turn to the jump.  read more »