Ouroussoff, Tell Us How You Really Feel
New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff doesn’t mince words in reviewing the new design for the Atlantic Yards Arena. “The recent news that the developer Forest City Ratner had scrapped Frank Gehry’s design for a Nets arena in central Brooklyn is not just a blow to the art of architecture,” he writes in today’s…
New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff doesn’t mince words in reviewing the new design for the Atlantic Yards Arena. “The recent news that the developer Forest City Ratner had scrapped Frank Gehry’s design for a Nets arena in central Brooklyn is not just a blow to the art of architecture,” he writes in today’s Arts section. “It is a shameful betrayal of the public trust, one that should enrage all those who care about this city.” But wait, there’s more: “In a stunning bait-and-switch, Forest City Ratner has now decided that it can’t afford an architect of Mr. Gehry’s stature. Neglecting to tell the public, the firm went out months ago and hired Ellerbe Becket, corporate architects known for producing generic, unimaginative buildings. And although it has refused to release details of the design, the renderings, obtained by The New York Times, tell you all you need to know.” Indeed they do.
Battle Between Budget and Beauty, Which Budget Won [NY Times]
Why has this been scaled back? Because the developer lost time and money dealing with a small but dedicated group.
Did they get what they wanted? Is a simple arena (across the street from a Chuck E Cheese and a Target) appropriate for this ‘hood? Will this plain arena transform this neighborhood or pretty much maintain it?
I would love to have a team, and I would totally wear a hat with a ‘B’ on it all the time. I think it would raise Brooklyn’s profile around the country, so that people would realize it’s not just Manhattan’s backwater. It can do a lot: Who would know Kansas City even existed if it weren’t for the Royals? What about Gonzaga University, or Green Bay?
But this is about architecture. This thing is going in part of the 90% of Brooklyn that’s ugly. so I don’t see a big loss there if you put in something without the frills.
And another thing. This is basketball. It’s a sport that comes from and represents the inner city, and all the grit that comes with it. What were they thinking putting it in a fancy-pants museum building? Isn’t that kind of wrong? If they could fit the fans they should keep it real and put it back on asphault courts.
I say get the team, move on, play ball, and just don’t F up my Q train.
It’s rich to hear people blance AY opponents for this dumbed down plan. It would be a taxpayer fiasco if this plan was in mid construction creating office space, apartments and an arena for which there is insufficient demand. This developer is acting completely consistent with his track record which is to milk government subsidies to build uninspired buildings that do little for the community in which they are built.
Hey ActionJackson
Dave was quoting me and I think that you could say it better.
Havel
I loved that black hole line (wish that I said it and I will) just walk around the MSG neighbourhood when there is a no event happening, it ain’t too nice.
full disclosure: i am against the ratner project.
that being said:
this design has me wondering….
what is so bad about a warehouse arena?
nothing in my book. its an arena, not a cathedral.
now why it costs $800,000,000, thats a good question.
that number divided by the number of seats is $800,000,000/17,000=$47,000 a seat. i call b.s. there is no way brooklyn needs an arena where each seat costs $47,000.
now what number it should cost?
there has to be a good costruction person out there who can do better estimates than i.
Brokelnad
That is really interesting point about the bait and switch. This Kansas city architecture company had to have been on board for some time to be able to produce these sketches and proposals.
Doesn’t the approval process have be restarted now? This must be a mistrial and Brooklyn should be allowed to go free. And let the developers start again with this uninspired warehouse proposal.
Pay attention retards! This is a EXIT STRATEGY!!!! Atlantic Yards will not be built case closed!
The What
Someday this war is gonna end…
One point of contention– arenas aren’t notorious black holes in urban neighborhoods. While it is correct they don’t generate new streams of income for cities (read Smith economist Andrew Zimbalist on this), because they don’t increase the amount of disposable income in a city– there have been plenty of cases where a stadium has improved the neighborhood around it. That doesn’t make Brooklyn any richer (which is why they shouldn’t subsidize it), but it can improve the state of that area.
“Architecture is an art form that we (the people) have to live with and unlike other forms we can ignore or allow to go out of fashion.”
That idea should hold for the entire spectrum of development. Which is why Fedders buildings and others of the same ilk are such a “horror show.”
COMPLETELY AGREE! Could not have said it better, Dave.