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February 20, 2007
Ratner starts to build
Despite court battle, Atlantic Yards project expected to start today
MetroNY
By Amy Zimmer
Though lawsuits against Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project are pending in the courts, construction crews are expected to kick off the prep work today needed for the first phase of the $4 billion development that includes an 18,000-seat arena for the Nets and the residential tower architect Frank Gehry calls “Miss Brooklyn.”
A temporary rail yard will be set up on the eastern side of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s tracks — where buses are currently stored — to allow Forest City Ratner to build the arena on the western portion of the yards, according to a source familiar with the project. The developer expects “to begin working on the arena in the fall of this year,” said the source.
Despite the MTA’s agreement to sell the yards to Forest City Ratner, no lease has yet been signed.
The source said the developer had a license agreement with the authority to allow for the construction. MTA officials were checking yesterday to confirm this agreement, but did not before press time.
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn noted the confusion at the MTA over their agreement with Ratner (link):
It also sounds like the Kalikow MTA didn't brief the Sander MTA on the terms of ths deal.
Posted by lumi at February 20, 2007 7:09 AM