WT New Building Proposed in Brooklyn Turned Down (page 2)

kls

Aww did the poor little WT get told NO !

cypher50

Just why do they need to build on this land anyway?
Its been vacant for 12 years because they had to cancel plans to build new printing facilities. Also they have an empty building at Adams St.
1,000 bedrooms, 2,500 seat hall, 1,600 seat cafeteria, 1,100 parking ??? What where they planning for?

If you have ever studied the property that the Witnesses own in Brooklyn Heights, you know it is extremely valuable & coveted by many people. Many of the residential complexes have been restored beautifully and I am pretty sure that if the Society finally consolidated their residential spaces then they would sell those restored properties at a very pretty profit.

I am glad that this proposal got struck down...even when I was a JW, I knew enough about the architecture & neighborhood fabric of Brooklyn Heights to see that the WTBS was a hindrance in that neighborhood. People don't like the JW's there because the WTBS isn't a good neighbor...

Stephanus

Despite the large number of residents they would bring to the area, the self-sufficient order would not rely heavily on area merchants, another factor that has drawn complaints from the community.

Okay, I know they're not supposed to be "of" the World, but what's wrong with being in it??

Elsewhere

Very interesting. They want to build a residence building but at the same time they sold that other building that is now being renovated for use as luxury apartments. It can only add up to a budget crunch. They are running out of money and needed to sell that property for some quick cash.

They gambled on the idea that building a new building with free labor would cost less money than they made on the sell of the other building. That plan has fallen through so now they are left with 1,000,000 fewer square feet, no new residence building and a VERY large sum of money that will soon be taxable if they don't roll it into somekind of new property.

Don't be supprised if they suddenly do a bunch of new construction elsewhere that is worth aproximatly the same amount as what they sold that building for. The NEED to unload that money... and fast.

Stephanus

It's no surprise (except perhaps to them) that they're disliked and members of the community want to see their plans blocked. They've always been exclusive: paying no property taxes on their billions of dollars of property, refusing to open their doors on 9/11, not allowing their members to mingle or interact in any way with the community. Now it's biting them in the arse.

So how do they overcome this barrier of their own making? The way they've always done things is usually the way they go - compare the way they've responded to the increasing stress and overwork of the flock: "Do more"! When what they could be saying is "Do less, but of a higher quality".

This is a chance (a need, really!) for them to do a top-down move towards the mainstream. If they'd just let go the reclusiveness a little and did the odd thing that signifies to the Brooklyn Heights community that these people are really an asset, and not a burden, it could pay big dividends. Just little things - allowing bethelites to get lunch at local cafes, buying the odd box of paper clips at the local stationers, sparing Bethelites to work on local voluntary projects like fixing and cleaning local parks, etc.

Do you think that then the local community would be more likely to look on WBTS proposals for the area more favourably?

But this is the 'Tower we're talking about. What are the chances?

DaCheech

Not to change the subject, but of preaching is so important then why do bethellites work most saturdays?

I see them in service mostly on Sunday

Sunspot

**Sounds like Donald Trump has been giving lessons to the WT society

Too bad WE couldn't say "Yer FIRED!"

SO glad they were turned down! YAY!

Lady Lee

Stefanus (nice to see you again)

If they'd just let go the reclusiveness a little and did the odd thing that signifies to the Brooklyn Heights community that these people are really an asset, and not a burden, it could pay big dividends. Just little things - allowing bethelites to get lunch at local cafes, buying the odd box of paper clips at the local stationers, sparing Bethelites to work on local voluntary projects like fixing and cleaning local parks, etc.
Do you think that then the local community would be more likely to look on WBTS proposals for the area more favourably?

Ya mean allowing Bethelites to buy their booze from the local stores? Besides the WTS truly believes their own propaganda that they are a benefit to the community. It would go right over their heads that they should be a part of the community. The WT community is such a tremendous drain on the resources of the community. I really doubt sending out a few to clean up the park (unless they could give an open air talk in it afterwards and chain people into the park by closing the gates so they don't leave) would do very much to change public opinion when the public is paying for the public services that the JWs use.

Perhaps if they paid their share of the taxes?

Odrade

buy their booze from the local stores? Already doing that. The liquor stores in Brooklyn Heights I would expect are tremendously profitable. Last time I was at Bethel visiting friends and family for less than a week we ended up at the liquor store about 4 times, and we never failed to see other Bethelites (that we knew, so who knows about the ones we didn't know) in the store. They are making a mint (thats Money Mint, not altoid) off the Bethelites.

There are also a couple of little grocers that are doing quite well for Bethelites. The close surrounding restaurants do a great business in Brooklyn Heights due to all the visitors to Bethel. Any excuse to get out and not eat cafeteria food (the Bethel food really isn't as good as people would have you believe. Although the homemade bread is good, and the coffee is strong.) is a good thing for those poor slaves. Visiting friends and family nearly always spring for a meal out when possible. There's a little Italian place that always has at least a half dozen tables full of JWs in for dinner every night. As well a Greek place down the street. You almost can't go in a few of these restaurants either without seeing JWs. They are DESPERATE to get away from the institutionalized life, even for a minute.

As far as the supplies necessary to run a business, they get it all from mass suppliers, outside of the Heights. Even paperclips, as someone pointed out.

Now when Brooklyn campaigns for another huge residential building project, you can be damn sure that they are pointing to the restaurants that enjoy so much traffic from JW sources as proof that they contribute to the local economy. (I wonder if they mention the liquor store?) But it's a very select contribution.

A few blocks over there is a great pub. Dark, good food, cheerfully cynical bartenders, old wood tables and stools... you know the place. The JWs don't go there often, and if they do, it's surreptitiously, so people like my parents won't find out and give them a scolding. A few blocks the other direction, there's a cafe with the best homecooked breakfast you're likely to get outside of grandma's kitchen. But it's too far to get there and back in the 45 minutes they have for the daytime meal, besides, breakfast is mandatory attendance at Bethel. Damn.

So, aside from a few muffin shops, the liquor stores, a grocer, and a couple of restaurants within a 2 block radius of the residences... I wonder how much JW $$ is being contributed to the community? Precious little. They don't even clothes shop in the neighborhood. They have "donated." Oh yeah, there's a Talbot's clearance outlet about 45 minutes away for the ladies. You can buy a brown shirt for $4.99. Goes good with the flower print skirt you found in the hopper...

Odrade

WT New Building Proposed in Brooklyn Turned Down

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