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December 6, 2006
Three years later, a look at the changing Atlantic Yards narrative, from hoops to housing
Atlantic Yards Report looks back to the official unveiling of the project and documents how much has changed, especially the myths that have been busted during the past three(!) years.
Nearly three years ago, when the Atlantic Yards plan was announced at a 12/10/03 press conference, the project was, more than anything else, about basketball. The web site for the project was Bball.net. The slogan became “Jobs, Housing and Hoops.”
Now, if you listen to Forest City Ratner, the project is mostly about affordable housing—an issue cited but not prioritized at the outset. And, according to the Empire State Development Corporation, it’s about the elimination of blight, an affliction unmentioned at the start.
Along the way, the jobs issue receded, likely because the number of office jobs plummeted. The developer backed off pledges to make the roof of the arena public park space, to make sure the tallest building didn’t block the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, and to respect the scale of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Perhaps most importantly, the amount of known public subsidy—downplayed from the start—has ballooned, even as major components, such as the support for affordable housing, remain unknown.
Posted by lumi at December 6, 2006 8:29 AM