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January 13, 2009
Markowitz: Arena Will Create Affordable Housing
Here's the full text of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's statement today regarding the "value engineering" of the planned Atlantic Yards arena.
BP MARKOWITZ STATEMENT ON BARCLAYS CENTER
“Make no mistake—the Barclays Center will be built, the Nets will be playing in Brooklyn, and Brooklyn will have a world-class arena after more than fifty years of waiting to get back to the big leagues. But frankly, as we all know, the economic realities have changed since the inception of this project. As has been widely reported, Forest City Ratner is looking hard at ways to realize cost savings by doing things like using more cost-effective materials, while still maintaining the features approved during the public process. There may be a chance to incorporate design and construction changes that will lower the bottom line and celebrate the ‘Brownstone Brooklyn’ architecture that makes our borough unique.
To that end, I am asking Forest City Ratner and the Empire State Development Corporation to give Barclays’ design a second look, and conceptualize a sports and entertainment venue that is more economically feasible but provides the modern amenities our residents and visitors to Brooklyn demand and deserve.
I can’t think of a more critical moment than now to create the jobs, affordable housing, tourism and enthusiasm that the arena will bring to Downtown Brooklyn and New York City—so let’s get together, let’s get it done and let’s bring the Barclays Center and the Nets to Brooklyn!”
NoLandGrab: Just how the arena is going to create affordable housing has yet to be explained.
And someone please tell Marty that being in the "big leagues" and having a pro sports franchise are completely, totally unrelated.
More coverage...
Atlantic Yards Report, Markowitz on Barclays Center: a chance to "celebrate the ‘Brownstone Brooklyn’ architecture" (?)
That doesn't sound very Frank Gehry-esque. Rather, it sounds a bit like the Atlantic Terminal Mall.
Posted by eric at January 13, 2009 6:13 PM