Atlantic Yards Looking Increasingly Un-sexy
The Atlantic Yards plan has fallen a long way from the spectacular glass-and-steel arena designed by star architect Frank Gehry and surrounded by 16 high-rises,” writes Rich Calder in today’s NY Post, which commissioned the new rendering at right, above . “Gehry’s 22-acre vision for Prospect Heights now comprises the arena, one or two high-rises…
The Atlantic Yards plan has fallen a long way from the spectacular glass-and-steel arena designed by star architect Frank Gehry and surrounded by 16 high-rises,” writes Rich Calder in today’s NY Post, which commissioned the new rendering at right, above . “Gehry’s 22-acre vision for Prospect Heights now comprises the arena, one or two high-rises and a lot of “temporary” surface parking and other empty space.” Look on the bright side: The project design is getting increasingly contextual—it should blend right in with the Atlantic Terminal Mall!
Hoop-La Dies in Brooklyn [NY Post]
Original aerial photo by Jonathan Barkey
A venue for for a professional sport’s franchise in Brooklyn (Again!) as well as for concerts and other attractions within walking distance. That’s priceless.
We should have built the west side stadium too and gotten our Giants and Jets back. We’d be taking the “A” Train to the games instead of the turnpike.
The NIMBY’s claim that they had any influence over this project good or bad is laughable at best. But I second the notion that this project needs walkways across Flatbush and Atlantic, otherwise it is a giant clusterf*ck.
I think the real point (and danger) is that at the end of the day, we’re going to end up with either a schlocky development that looks more like the hideous existing Ratner-built Atlantic Mall than like anything designed by Frank Gehry, or that nothing gets built at all and we have another 20 years of abandonment and blight at one of the borough’s most important intersections (and after families were displaced for no good reason … although a lot of them made a killing and are probably laughing now at the likes of Daniel Goldstein, whose property is probably worth less today than he paid for it, and a LOT less than he could have sold it to Ratner for a couple of years ago).
Frankly, I think they’re both hideous. DDDB had a rendering at one point featuring lovely mixed-use buildings with tons of green space that looked awesome.
I think putting an arena at that part of Atlantic is insane. For one thing, it’s been statistically proven over and over again that building an arena on taxpayer money DOES NOT BENEFIT THE TAX PAYERS. Arenas do not bring more money into an area than they cost. Period. No matter what the old, white, rich people tell you.
For another thing, the traffic there is already a nightmare. Now you’re going to try to bring 60,000 people there every night? Good god.
oldtimer, I think it’s a cross between MSG and CitiField.
uh, if i may, D-E-A-D D-E-A-L.
Atlantic Yards opponents were not and are not monolithic. The primary objections stem from the project being crammed down a neighborhood who was (is) in the process of successfuly ridding itself of the nontaxable activities in the arena area. The only parcel that was blighted was the railyards themselves. The culpability lies with the MTA’s absence of regard of how the condition of the railyard affects the surrounding activity. Pair these facts with the demolition of landmark worthy strucutres such as the Ward Bakery, Ratner created astroturf (faux grass roots)organizations such as BUILD and the willingness to play the race and class card pretty much sums up why there were so many opponents. Oh yeah, one more thing. The complete absence of community input.
The Post Building is just a copy of Madison Square Garden. A thing of great beauty in a beautiful neighbourhood.
Could have had gehry – gonna get more atlantic mall. Good Job Norman! “mission accomplished”