Ourousoff Weighs In On Barclay's Center Design
The results, unveiled on Wednesday, are somewhat more promising. Some of Mr. Gehry’s original ideas, like opening views from the sidewalk into the arena, have been restored. Mr. Ratner has reduced the size of the structure, moving team offices to another site. And Shop has wrapped it in an appealing rust-colored steel skin, which will…
In general I’m bothered by the density, lack of public space and subsidied involved in the project.
But I have to say I really like this design – more than the Gehry version even.
People who are forecasting gloom and doom don’t know what they’re talking about. They’re probably the same people who were saying that the IKEA was going to lead to massive traffic jams in Red Hook. In general, people don’t understand how traffic really works and like to get all dramatic with nightmare scenarios the rarely materialize. 1,100 parking spaces is really not that many. Remember that the arena will seat almost 20,000 fans. Even if thos ecars all carry 2 passengers, that’s still about 10% of all people coming to the arena.
I agree that the intersection is currently a nightmare and think it would be terrific if there could be some sort of reallignemnt to rationalize traffic flow there. I just don’t really see how this arena is really going to make it worse than it already is. All you’ll have to do is drive there once to realize that next time you should leave the car home and take mass transit. Even people coming from Jersey can take a PATH into lower manhattan and then hop on the train.
I think its fine that arena got split off from the rest as arcitect66 says above the plan as a whole is a big divide between two great neighborhoods. A nicely designed arena with a restored Carlton AVe bridge and a few choice retail options would fit the bill without bankrupting local government.
Providing free off site parking and transportation – say in Jamaica, which is a 10 minute shot on the LIRR – would be a simple way to reduce congestion. But even though it is about as convenient to Mass Transit as can be, it will be a traffic nightmare. Get ready for tons of new parking facilities downtown and in the non-landmarked parts of Prospect Heights – oh, wait – they’ll just park on the rest of the development site for the next several years. I guess that will be fun.
I’ve always thought that the worst thing about AY (other than the rapacious abuse of public funds and processes and the willfully pollyanna-ish financing scheme (sure we’ll build Gehry apartment buildings for $300 a foot!)) was the master plan and proposed density. Ouroussoff still defends it in print, but really, it was destined to be an enclave and a wedge between FG and PH. (We are really missing that Carlton Avenue Bridge right about now.)
I like SHoP – they are a firm at the top of their game, local, and a savvy choice for Ratner for the project, but I’m not sure that this is an improvement over the Gehry design for the Arena. However, if it presages a more modest development with active recreational areas that is better connected to FG and PH, then it is a good thing.
By the way, is it still the Barclay Center? They haven’t reneged on their naming contract? That’s a good sign.
I think it’s nifty. Should be pretty nice if it’s ever built. Hopefully the building has a good bike rack.
I prefer this to the Gehry design as well.
Anyone notice how the exterior invokes something similar to the skin of a basketball?
And is the same color as brownstone?
Nice touch.
Yeah–if even a thousand car loads drive there it will be a complete mess. I wish there was a way to ensure that this was completely a mass transit situation but of course that is not feasible or possible. Why someone would want to drive there is beyond me but I guess if fans are coming from Jersey or the Island its necessary. Perhaps there could be off site shuttle areas for these fans. As Boerum Hill says, even on regular days this intersection is already unmanageable. Too many roads coming together at too many crazy angles. Perhaps some urban engineering could rationalize traffic flow here.
BK real estate veteran,
There will be a lot of people driving to the arena, that’s why the AY plan provides for 1,100 parking places. The interesction of Flatbush + 4th & 3rd avenues is already gridlocked at rush hour.
I like the Shop design better than Gehry’s as well. This would have to be a mass transit accessed space only, which would involve truly beefing up the capacity of the Atlantic/Pacific hub.