Atlantic Yards Signed, Sealed, Delivered
It feels kinda anti-climactic, but after six years of public conflict, lack of transparency and backroom dealing, the Atlantic Yards deal has closed. This means that the both the bond deal and the real estate transaction involving Forest City, ESDC, the MTA and the City of New York have been signed. Curbed has posted a…
It feels kinda anti-climactic, but after six years of public conflict, lack of transparency and backroom dealing, the Atlantic Yards deal has closed. This means that the both the bond deal and the real estate transaction involving Forest City, ESDC, the MTA and the City of New York have been signed. Curbed has posted a full-length version of the press release, but here’s what Bruce himself had to say: Today, what has long been a vision for the future of Brooklyn becomes a reality. Six years after we announced our plan for Atlantic Yards we are very pleased to be closing on the project with our public partners. Today’s closing represents a vital step forward for New York City, one that is all the more important because of the economic challenges our City faces. The jobs we are creating today, as we set forth on the arena and one of the boldest affordable housing initiatives in our City’s history, will create a new dynamic center in this wonderful borough. We’re sure others will have some choice words on the subject in the upcoming hours and days.
Babs, you need a serious dose of Haldol. Your statement is about as delusional as can be.
FGC: I don’t disagree that it’s not easy to develop in NYC. But, it can and does happen. Would there have been opposition to even the UNITY plan had a developer tried to build that? Sure, but that’s just the cost of doing business in NYC. I get frustrated, too.
That said, when something like AY comes along that’s so clearly out-of-bounds (to me and many others), I think we citizens/taxpayers are duty bound to fight for development that truly benefits us, especially when the developer is getting so many benefits from us.
When I first heard the rumors about AY, and didn’t know exactly what was planned, I was in favor of it. I like basketball (although I much prefer college ball). I also thought it would be great to build housing, shops and open space over the open rail yard. But as it became clear to me how much we were giving up to Ratner, that’s when I became an opponent. Witnessing the process close-up for 5 years has only made me more resolute in my opposition. I think it’s bad government and bad business.
Clearly, there are bitter divisions on AY, and I doubt that anything I write here will change minds. But, I feel compelled to correct errors/lies/half-truths about AY in the hopes that at least we all are fully aware about what it is and what it is not.
Thereecee, understood, and we’ve been discussing these issues endlessly on Brownstoner for more than five years. However, the bottom line is that people in this city like to talk and fight and sue over development projects for years and years and decades and decades and NOTHING gets done. Whether Atlantic Yards, or Brooklyn Bridge Park, or Hudson Yards or World Trade Center or Moynihan Station, it takes FOREVER to get anything done in this city. I fully expect that if AY were to ultimately get derailed, nothing will ever get developed at that site…never ever. In New York, it’s damn near impossible get all the political, financial and regulatory stars aligned to move a major development project forward and everybody and their grandmother has a fu**king opinion.
Saw the banners just now and have been watching the scaffolding going up on the next building to be torn down from my back window. Oh well, looks like it’s time to think about moving.
FGC: The 22-acre AY site is much more than the 8.5-acre MTA Vanderbilt rail yard. I have yet to find anyone who doesn’t want something built over the rail yard. The problems that most have with AY are the process, eminent domain, scale and sweetheart deals for billionaires.
I was driving up Atlantic on Sunday and I couldn’t help but think that, while actual arena site at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic is an complete and utter POS, it’s actually nice compared to the corner of Atlantic and Carlton, Atlantic and Vanderbilt, Atlantic and Washington and everything in between, which look like they belong in a fourth world country (and have looked that way for the entire 38 years of my life). It may take 10 years, it may take 20 years…but WHATEVER ends up in that footprint will be better than what’s there now.
Sad day for New York taxpayers. Kudos to the project opponents for fighting the good fight.
This isnt over until Goldstein and the other idiots are pulled from their stools at Freddy’s and the construction begins…..
inch by inch….closer…closer
polemicist,
you may be right, we’re driving on a mountain road and the fog is beginning to set in.
trillions piling up like old newspapers, a tone deaf government and not a hint of strong leadership in sight.
But it’s all good as long the masses get their share of bread and circus. Or a new Net’s stadium, in this case.