Atlantic Yards Development - Commercial, Residential, Retail, NBA Arena

[ablarc]

Sunshine causes cancer.

[BrooklynRider]

I think the criticism of the people who are opposed to this project or trying help shape into something that can be lived with in the future is very misguided. We are not talking about NIMBY's fighting one building. We are talking about a huge - incredibly huge - project that some people here seem to suggest should be rubber stamped without any review or input. I could understand the frustration if we were talking about one building. We are talking about a project that will build an entirely new neighborhood - about a development as big or bigger than the World Trade Center. The impact of this project is going to be tremendous and, unless it is done right and within a context of what already exists around it, the impact will largely be negative.

Ratner is currently claiming that this project will have no impact on transportation and subway lines at Atlantic Ave. None. These are the kind of blanket statements this guy is making. They are ridiculous and they invite angry responses. Ratner doesn't ride the subway and that is why he (1) has no idea what the impact will be and (2) doesn't care. If you've tried to catch any subway line that traverses Atlantic Avenue, you know that the trains are more crowded than ever. Do I think that is reason not to build something? No. Do I think this developer has built a long and consistent portfolio of statements and actions that justify people questioning his credibility? Absolutely.

The city should have created the masterplan for this development area and bid the sites out. Just like BPCA. This scheme has no competition to keep the costs and estimates honest and competitive. We are forced to listen to the developer crying about ROI, when the framework he is working within is all of his own making. This is not a Times Tower or a Beekman Tower. This is a neighborhood being designed by a man that has a track record of destroying neighborhoods. Atlantic Terminal - turns its back on pedestrians - all entrances to retail are in the horrendously designed mall. Atlantic Center - no pedestrian experience whatsoever and it actual forms a wall against the community it is supposed to serve. Metrotech - minimal retail - closed on weekends - abysmal pedestrian experience -like walking thru a suburban office park. Neither Ratner nor Gehry are qualified for a project of this scope in a city of this density.

[BrooklynRider]

This light garbage is bad news. This is like that stupid fish that was used to prevent westway from being built...

In hindsight, the death of Westway was the best thing that could've happened.

[TREPYE]

In hindsight, the death of Westway was the best thing that could've happened.

So you're telling me that you like having to spend all the extra time waiting for lights and intersection congestion on the westside highway.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Not to make this a Westway discussion, but your perception is incorrect. A surface road wouldl still have been needed to service the neighborhood grid. And the highway itself would not have been a straight run from one end to the other - unless you think speeding to a bottleneck at the BBT makes sense. There would have been entry/exit ramps at logical points, like 23rd and 42nd St.

If you replace the roadway with transit (how about a rail line right to the WTC), Westway makes sense.

[Clarknt67]

I could understand opposition to this project based on the architecture, but the people of Brooklyn (whoever that encompasses) have been against it from the begiinning based on scale, given the awful (but low rise) project they endorsed.

I disagree with that charactorization as though the opposition is monolithic. Many people support the project, including this Brooklynite.

[ZippyTheChimp]

I think you are misinterpreting my remark. Quotes are entirely italicized, but my original post italicized people of Brooklyn, wondering what the scope of this group is.

[lofter1]

Why will Brooklyn have to adapt?

I'm not saying that Brooklyn should HAVE to adapt to whatever Ratner attempts to thrust upon them.

I am saying that if the Ratner project gets built then Brooklynites WILL adapt -- they will be forced to.

Whether that adaptation will be be filled with positives, negatives or a combination of the two remains to be seen.

[ZippyTheChimp]

^
I meant why will BROOKLYN have to adapt, not why will Brooklyn HAVE to adapt.

[ablarc]

Actually, no one will have to adapt. Brooklynites will be tickled to have a shiny new downtown to replace a long-festering eyesore.

Or more accurately: they adapted to the railyard, they shouldn't have any trouble with something so much better.

[lofter1]

Brooklynites will be tickled ...

Hmmmmm. All of them? Perhaps "TICKED" would be a better description ...

[ablarc]

Nothing to be ticked about; it's clearly an improvement.

Only ones who will stay ticked for any length of times are the little minds. You know what they say about consistency and little minds...

After a while, even the consistency will fade.

[krulltime]

TEAM 'NETS' $100M IN AID


By KENNETH LOVETT
June 24, 2006

- ALBANY - The New Jersey Nets got an assist yesterday from the state in their bid to move across the river to Brooklyn.

A budget agreement approved yesterday contains $100 million in capital funds for the controversial $3.5 billion Atlantic Yards project.

Gov. Pataki set aside $34 million of economic-development pork money he controls, while the Assembly and Senate committed $33 million each.

The money, under a memorandum of understanding entered into in February 2005, is to be used to fund site-preparation and public-infrastructure improvements at the arena site, including streets, sidewalks, utility relocations, environmental remediation, open space and parking.

The city has also committed $100 million.

"The governor believes this is an important project that will create jobs, create housing opportunities, help transform Brooklyn and bring the New Jersey Nets to Brooklyn," said Pataki spokesman Michael Marr.

The project, which has been strongly opposed by many community residents, calls for the Nets to move back to New York for the 2009-10 NBA season. The plan also calls for Net owner and real-estate developer Bruce Ratner to build mixed-income housing, a hotel, and commercial and retail space.


Copyright 2006 NYP Holdings, Inc.

[krulltime]

I guess the opposed community is going to be more pissed.

[BrooklynRider]

Acrually, they won't be pissed. This is just another very clear piece of evidence that Ratner's assertions about this being a private development, bringing investment capital into the borough is laughable. The politicians hand Ratner another pile of taxpayer cash, while Ratner tries to lock the public out of the review process. No big surprise there.