Amid all the photo ops at yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony for Atlantic Yards, there was one big piece of news (well, two if you count Governor Paterson’s disclosure that he grew up on Grand Avenue between Gates and Greene!): Mayor Bloomberg announced that he’d gotten Forest City Ratner to commit to making 50% of the units in the first residential tower—which currently is slated to get underway in the first half of next year—on the site affordable. As the Brooklyn Paper reported earlier this week, Ratner’s also been toying with hiring David Childs in an effort to beef up on name brand architects after tossing Frank Gehry overboard.
Affordable Housing Deal at Atlantic Yards [Crain's]
After Years of Controversy, Ceremonial Shovels Come Out [NY Times]
Protests at Groundbreaking for B’klyn Arena [NY Post]
Photo from nycmayorsoffice