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December 29, 2006
News Analysis: Arena Project in a Different Kind of Court
Brooklyn Downtown Star
Norman Oder
Silver's statement about creating open space and upgrading parks did not address criticisms that the planned open space would serve as backyards for the oversize towers. But it did reference Forest City's last-minute pledge to put $3 million into upgrading parks. Given that it would cost the developer some $1.25 million just to build a comfort station at the Dean Street Playground, it was unclear how broad an impact that $3 million could have.The community affairs office referenced by Silver contrasts with the developer's now-you-see-it, now-you-don't marketing center that has occupied third-floor space in Forest City's Atlantic Center mall. Select groups were invited to see models by architect Frank Gehry but it was never open to the community.
As for conforming building heights, Silver meant the developer's agreement to bring Gehry's planned 620-foot Miss Brooklyn tower down a sliver below the 512-foot Williamsburg Savings Bank. That decision was saluted by Borough President Marty Markowitz, who had called for the building's height to be reduced and had remained quiet when the City Planning Commission and the ESDC endorsed it at 620 feet.
Some Brooklynites, learning of the reduction, concluded that Miss Brooklyn would no longer block the bank's iconic clock tower. However, for those looking toward the bank along Flatbush Avenue from Grand Army Plaza, the clock indeed would be blocked. To maintain the view corridor - a pledge that the developer made in 2003 - Miss Brooklyn would have had to be shifted, and that was deemed to not be feasible from an engineering standpoint.
Posted by amy at December 29, 2006 9:04 AM