Mapping the Atlantic Yards Timeline
No one on either side of the Atlantic Yards debate disputes the fact that its construction would be a major pain in the ass for residents. The question is rather how long people would be inconvenienced for (Chuck Ratner’s on record saying 15 years) and whether the end-product would be worth the inconvenience. To address…
No one on either side of the Atlantic Yards debate disputes the fact that its construction would be a major pain in the ass for residents. The question is rather how long people would be inconvenienced for (Chuck Ratner’s on record saying 15 years) and whether the end-product would be worth the inconvenience. To address the first part of that question, graphic designer Abby Weissman has overlaid the construction schedule with a site map. The result is the clearest representation we’ve seen to date of the timeline. For a bigger version of the map, click on the image above.
The (Projected) Ten-Year Atlantic Yards Timeline [AY Report]
Its funny. Ratner and this map pretend they own the land to build out. Jokes on him and all of you, apparently.
Brooklyn Proud, please don’t speak for me, as a resident of one of the so called ghetto hoods east of Flatbush. I think, and I am not alone here, that AY is a disaster for Crown Heights, for many reasons, including the spillover of traffic and congestion into other parts of Bklyn. I also like to think that my concerns are a bit wider than my immediate block, or for that matter, my piece of Bklyn real estate, and my property values. AY is a mess for everyone, starting with eminent domain abuse, and continuing with traffic nightmares, to sewer and other public infrastructure issues, highlighted by an in-your-face runaround of all public laws, guidelines and restrictions that are supposed to be in place to protect us as Joe Public taxpayers. I won’t even go into the aesthetic issues of fugly design, or my disgust at the professional rabble rousing aimed at throwing the race and class card into every discussion.
You want to better your part of the hood and your property values? Better not hitch your wagon to a developer who wields eminent domain like a hammer. What are you going to say when he turns his eye in your direction, and says, “I want that,” pointing at your block? “It’s blighted now, but would make a great shopping and residential center to complement AY. It’s for the good of Brooklyn.” So much for your increased property values.
And how do the soaring spires of AY bring hope to those who live in Brooklyn? As it stands right now, very few people in most of Bklyn will be able to afford living there, so that’s like me looking at the canyons of Park Avenue and feeling hope because there are so many rich people living there. Yeah, right. And the “affordable” part of the project will only be built, STARTING AFTER the rest is finished – MAYBE, if he makes a profit. MAYBE on site, but probably not. I’m betting not.
This whole thing is just wrong.
Technically, Clinton Hill doesn’t border the AY site, which ends at Vanderbilt and Atlantic. In any event, when is the last time you visited FG or CH condo dweller? FG and CH are awfully expensive “ghettos” now, lol. I’m for the project, but you sound like a bufoon. I guess each side has its vocal proponents who do their supporters a disservice every time they open their mouths.
of course because i’m not anti-AY, you’ll say i’m ratner or something, but PLEASE. I lived in Prospect Heights. It’s awful. terrible neighborhood. horrible people. gross ugly blocks anywhere but near the park. the whole rail yard area is desolate and depressing. stop acting like it’s this wonderful place. the ghetto areas on the fort greene/clinton hill side of the rail yards are no treat. i didn’t love crossing my fingers on my way home that the gang of teenage boys wouldn’t mess me up as they stood outside the shite bodega on my corner every single day.
also, realbrooklynproud – do have a crystal ball?? “there is no way that the boom in housing demand will continue until 2016”. WHAT?? right.
David,
You will grab at anything to attack the AY opposition. My concern about the length of the build-out has to do with what’s going to happen to the area in the meantime.
The problem with the fact that FCRC is lying about the build-out time is that they are using a short time frame to justify leveling the area and putting in an enormous “interim” parking lot.
If FCRC were being honest about the build-out, they would have a lot harder time razing the neighborhood — ie, creating blight but building nothing. As it is, they are going to use the land for parking for the arena-going crowds, completely undermining the idea that people are going to use mass transit to get there. People don’t use mass transit if they think they can park their cars somewhere — proof being that most of the people who commute by car to Manhattan have free parking when they get there.
I’m sure AY is going to be changed over time, but not because the people in power will suddenly decide to listen to the critics. You harbor a decidedly quaint notion that the people who are making the decisions about AY care at all about the needs of the community.
I live in Fort Greene. I’m not alone in saying that the only thing that can negate the massive housing projects to the north is a massive luxury condo development to the south. We need more balance in the neighborhood, not less. Furthermore, there’s too much new money invested in FG, CH, BS, CHN, PH and PLG for homeowners and other stakeholders to lose this great opportunity to further cement gentrification east of Flatbush. Have we not been told that our neighborhoods are going to revert back to the days of the crack era and that we should’ve paid millions more to live in more homogeneous, stable and mature neighborhoods like Park Slope? Well we didn’t and if supporting AY means we’re able to better protect our single most important asset then I say, “Let’s Go Nets!”.
I agree with Anon at 11:45AM!
Do we actually want these crunchy granola anti-development hippies representing Brooklyn’s future? Give me a break! How much shrooms do you think this crazy bunch consumed at this picnic? 15 lbs? “Pass me the bong, duuude! Afterwards, we’re going streakin’!” Can you say “Nerd Orgy”? Hahahaha! LOL!
I think they should leave the urban planning to the professionals and get back to spray painting fur coats!!!
http://www.nolandgrab.org/archives/2007/05/atlantic_yards_183.html
BrooklynProud, that was very sad to read. You, who seems not to live nearby, belittle those who do as NIMBYs and discount their opinion. But the issue for many is, this is going to seriously diminish their quality of life, both during and after construction. It’s happening over these residents’ objection, for the benefit of FCR, at huge taxpayer expense, via a political process that was anything but democratic. If someone foisted such a burden on you, a burden which minimally benefitted people who live far away from you and largely beneffited one extremely rich man, what would your reaction be?
My problem with the AY supporters is that they seem unable to exercise the Golden Rule: “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
Meantime, there’s no way the boom in housing demand will continue through 2016. Ratner will be left high and dry by the time Phase II comes online. This will unfortuntately make thigns even worse for the nearby communities, but at least Ratner will suffer a little (or, really, not profit as obscenely as he expects to).
The funny thing is if Ratner said he’d build the whole thing in 5yrs, the same poeple would complaint that he is dumping too many units all at once. And if he scheduled it for 15yrs then everyone says it takes too long. No matter what the Anti-AY folks would complain – Which is actually a mistake.
If your oppossed to the project you should hope that it will take a long time, because every day longer is another day to press fickle politicians to force changes and also another day for which the market forces can also force changes – like hopefully moving some of these buildings to office/commercial from residential.
Given the disaster that AY is predicted to be by the anti folks – you’d think they’d be happy that this will be built in stages, which should give time to bear out many of the negatives early enough to force change on Stages 2 & 3.