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April 2, 2009
Despite Lawsuits, Atlantic Yards Sees '11 Opening
GlobeSt.com
by Cody Lyon
Hoping to challenge an Environmental Impact Statement that further paves the way for Forest City Ratner Cos.’ proposed Atlantic Yards project in downtown Brooklyn, a community activist group has filed a motion in the appellate division of New York State’s Court of Appeals.
The motion from Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn challenges a Feb. 26 ruling that upheld the state Supreme Court’s dismissal of DDDB’s suit in January, saying the state had met its environmental review obligations regarding Atlantic Yards. The appeal is one of two pending legal actions that challenge the project that involve DDDB, the community group founded a few months after FCRC first unveiled its plans for the site.
Despite the legal actions, an FCRC spokesman tells GlobeSt that the developer hopes to see Barclays Center Coliseum open by 2011. Although FRCC expects to encounter further delays because of litigation, the developers expect to close on its deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and break ground on the 22-acre project.
NoLandGrab: Let's not let reality get in the way of a 2011 arena opening. The published timetable for the arena buildout is 32 months, which would put us into December, 2011, if construction were underway — which it is not.
Posted by eric at April 2, 2009 9:54 AM