Atlantic Yards anxiety
I’m about to bid on an apartment on Pacific Street in Boerum Hill…landmark block…and just realized that Atlantic Yards is only a half-mile away (2000 ft +/- according to googlemaps). I love the character of the neighorbood, but am anxious about the Nets arena crowds, and even before that, the constant flood of trucks there…
I’m about to bid on an apartment on Pacific Street in Boerum Hill…landmark block…and just realized that Atlantic Yards is only a half-mile away (2000 ft +/- according to googlemaps). I love the character of the neighorbood, but am anxious about the Nets arena crowds, and even before that, the constant flood of trucks there to do construction. Am I making a mistake?
Thank you all for your responses to my post. We’ve decided to go ahead with the purchase – the numbers work for us, and I’m frankly a bit scared about where the market seems to be heading (i.e., up). Will write back in 6-12 months (after things get humming at AY) and give you an update. That is, unless the anti-eminent domain lawsuits prevail; then we’ll be dancing in the streets!
Look, although I posted earlier and am first to admit to a lot of anxiety about the construction, I think it’s way off the mark to tell the poster not to buy. I live 2 blocks away from the proposed site in Prospect Heights — I have reason to worry! But Pacific St in Boerum Hill is a whole other ball of wax because you’re on the other side of 4th Ave, Flatbush and Atlantic — so I just can’t see the impact being anywhere near as great in that location.
Dont buy it. You wont be able to really enjoy your home for another 15 yrs. And that’s enough to break your spirit if you dont know brooklyn that well.
The Times did a traffic study on AY a while ago. They anticipated gridlock problems all the way down Atlantic to Brooklyn Heights. Cars hitting side streets in far greater numbers than they are now is a reasonable assumption. It’s not just construction – which btw would be an order of magnitude greater than the mall – but also car owners moving into the many thousands of residential units.
Granted, it may not be that bad when it’s all done, and there’s certainly some economic benefit to the ‘hood (even more to Mr Ratner but that’s a seperate thread). But for something as sizable as a home purchase, I sure as hell wouldn’t take any chances. Brooklyn’s a big beautiful borough. Lots of other nice places to live.
keep in mind that the new mall at that location with the office tower above it was quite a large project and I don’t remember people complaining about construction traffic, etc.
Yes, atlantic yards will be bigger but it will be in phases, each of which will not be much larger if larger at all. I don’t think the construction aspect will be an issue unless you live right next to it and in that case you live by a major intersection already so it should be much of a change.
Pacific Street will be barred to trucks. Much as I wish AY would be half its projected size, I can’t help but say those who claim we must evacuate a two mile radius around the site seem a little silly. There is construction everywhere right now. A Landmarked block in Boerum Hill will always be clkose to Smith Street, Brooklyn Heights, a short walk to Fort Greene Park, etc. It is a great location. Will it be hell for a generation because of construction? Hmm.
The “longer haul” is likely to be a long, long time in the future. Forest City Ratner claimed that Metrotech would take 5 years to build; it ended up taking 14. They are now saying that AY will be a 10 year build-out. In the past FCR have been careful not to build faster than the market — and their capitalization — could support. This could still be a building site 20 years from now.
Yeah, if I had the money I would be buying far away down in CH or BS. The buildings are beautiful and will be far away from the traffic and pollution of AY.
Yeah, if I had the money I would be buying far away down in CH or BS. The buildings are beautiful and will be far away from the traffic and pollution of AY.