Last week's Village Voice ran an article by Tom Robbins appraising the accomplishments of outgoing Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff during his six years as head of development for the city. Robbins' stance is pretty well summed up in the article's subtitle: "Doctoroff's legacy: no Olympic Medal, no Ground Zero mettle." Robbins argues throughout the article that Doctoroff did nothing but promise grandiose projects which he failed to deliver on, then ends with this quip:Village Voice rival New York Press ran their own Doctoroff legacy article, as a cover story no less. The Press's article is less harshly worded than the Voice article, and generally more sympathetic to Doctoroff, but it still focuses on Doctoroff's failure to win the Olympic bid, or make significant progress on the rebuilding of Ground Zero.Like his friend the mayor, he took just a dollar a year in salary, being so wealthy he didn't need our grubby money.He was overpaid.
Neither article makes any direct mention of Coney Island. However, the city's plan to rezone and redevelop Coney Island is Doctoroff's last major initiative as Deputy Mayor. It would do wonders for Doctoroff's legacy (not to mention for Coney Island) is this was one plan that actually came to fruition.
Photo by Richard B. Levine (Village Voice)
A Fool's Gold- Doctoroff's Legacy: no Olympic Medal, no Ground Zero mettle [The Village Voice]
Development Hell [New York Press]
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