By Michael Ventura
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — The developers of a mosque and community center near Ground Zero are not completely opposed to Gov. David Paterson's offer to relocate the project.
Earlier this week, Paterson offered to help the mosque project, known as Park51, find a new space on state property. In a post on Twitter, Park51 said it was open to learning more about the governor's proposal.
"For the record: On @GovPaterson2010's offer for discussion, we are open to a conversation to find out more on what the Gov has in mind," Park51 tweeted. Later, they followed up with another tweet: "Fact: We are open to discussions with Governor Patterson and never said no to speaking with him."
Park51 recently began using Twitter as a way to respond directly to critics of the mosque project using snark and humor.
Paterson made his offer as a way to ease tensions over the mosque and community center, which has been criticized by some as being insensitive to the victims of 9/11.
"I would hope that whatever spirituality exists would compel the developers to sit down and have this conversation," Paterson said on WOR Thursday.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg dismissed Paterson's plan earlier this week, and he has been a staunch defender of the project.
“If somebody wants to build a mosque in a place where it’s zoned for it and they can raise the money, then they can do that,” Bloomberg told the New York Times. “And it’s not the government’s business.”
That stance has inspired angry letters to City Hall, the Times reported.
