Extell on the Atlantic Yards Process
The Observer’s Eliot Brown sat down earlier this week with Extell Development’s Gary Barnett. Among other topics of conversation was the company’s failed bid (rendered above) for the Atlantic Yards project. With regard to Atlantic yards in Brooklyn—you put in the only rival bid to Forest City Ratner’s $4 billion proposal. Why did you enter…
The Observer’s Eliot Brown sat down earlier this week with Extell Development’s Gary Barnett. Among other topics of conversation was the company’s failed bid (rendered above) for the Atlantic Yards project.
With regard to Atlantic yards in Brooklyn—you put in the only rival bid to Forest City Ratner’s $4 billion proposal. Why did you enter the bid?
The MTA put out an RFP [Request for Proposals] in the same way they did on the Hudson Yards, we responded the same way.
But a lot of people viewed that as a foregone conclusion before the RFP was even issued. Did you not agree with that?
I hope we don’t have a foregone conclusion on the Hudson Yards. That would make at least four bidders very sad.
The city and the state haven’t partnered with a developer publicly beforehand. What type of chance did you think you had on Atlantic Yards? Did you think that was something of a long shot? You said so, if I remember, in your cover letter [for the bid].
We are shocked—shocked—that we bid $150 million, [Forest City Chairman Bruce] Ratner bid $50 million, yet he somehow managed to get it.
In almost any community meeting for Atlantic Yards, Extell’s name comes up—still.
I think we had a very nice plan and use for that space as well then, but we know when we’re beat.
Ever the politician himself, Barnett goes on to refuse to be critical of the government’s handling of process.
Interview with Extell’s Gary Barnett [NY Observer]
Extell Bid for Yards Three Times Greater than FCR’s [Brownstoner]
Not true 1:20pm
AY opponents stand for lots of things, and the number one thing is a fair and legal process.
Ratner stands for a couple of things too. one is greed, one is stealing taxpayer money, one is corruption, and the last is lying.
Yes to all questions, 11:54.
AY opponents stand for nothing, but are seemingly opposed to everything.
So let me get this straight, the MTA, who keeps saying they don’t have enough money and raising the transit fares, turned down a $150 million bid for a $50 million bid?
So that is $100 million less that MTA has and all the commuters have to foot the bill for the insider deal that Ratner got?
11:31 AM & 11:44 AM,
guess again! take a minute and use your brain for one second before you burp and fart all over in support of the ratner scam job.
what anti AY people are in support of is a fair bidding process. a process which was clearly subverted and corrupted. why shouldn’t Extell have gotten the site considering they offered 3 times the money?
whether they support Extel or not, most people i know support fair play, transparency and legal process. this is what the Extel deal offered and, SURPRISE SURPRISE, it was turned down by the MTA in favor of the opposite. i do think RIGGED is the right word for it.
To the previous poster – do we really deserve the densest development in the US? Do we really need a glass sheathed building 20 feet from a traffic choked intersection. Should this project has been approved with a ULRUP (sp?). Should taxpayers be paying 2 Billion dollars to FCR. By the way, Mr. Done Deal – when you pay your taxes this year throw in a few hundred dollars for Ratner since you are such a fan.
The Extell Plan contains buildings of 20+ stories and is out of context with the surrounding area, one of the biggest complaints of AY opponents. Yet they still support it. Go figure.
God how I wish we could travel to alternative universes….It would be so fun to see all the people who are know extolling the Extell plan yelling and complaining about how horrible it is if Ratner wasnt around.
Extell=Red Herring for NIMBYs
FSRG
Yawn. D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
That proposal just looked soooo much nicer (and realistic in terms of size) than Ratner’s corrupt sky city…