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September 29, 2010
Ratner says Barclays Arena will be ready for Nets' 2012-13 season
NorthJersey.com
by John Brennan
A live camera that focused on the Barclays Center site in Brooklyn during a Manhattan press conference Tuesday appeared to show a construction site that isn't much more than what arena developer Bruce Ratner said was a hole about 30 feet deep.
But Ratner insisted that a $900 million arena at the site will be ready in time for the Nets to move to Brooklyn from Newark for the start of the 2012-13 National Basketball Association season.
Ratner estimated an opening date of "July or August of 2012," but he was asked whether the Nets might play any games in Newark in 2012 if the arena isn't finished on time.
"The answer is that we are going to finish on time," the developer replied. "Nothing is ever 100 percent, but in the construction area, things go pretty smoothly. And we left ourselves some time between July and Nov. 1, so I don't think that's going to be an issue."
NoLandGrab: Since Bruce Ratner always tells the truth, that's good enough for us.
Related coverage...
NY1, Developers Unveil Plaza Design For New Barclays Center
Prospect Heights residents have had to get used to the construction zone, with sidewalks closed and traffic even more tied up than normal at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Developers say once the Barclays Center is complete in two years, there will be minimal traffic in the heavily congested area and also a spacious public plaza with views right into the Nets basketball arena.
NLG: "Minimal traffic?" Like we said, Bruce Ratner always tells the truth. Uh huh.
NY Post, New plans for Brooklyn Atlantic Yards project released
Greg Pasquarelli, a partner at ShoP Architects, which designed the plaza, told the Post he "wouldn’t be shocked" if the next big community fight regarding the Atlantic Yards project "is to save the Oculus" once people get to use it.
Sure, that's likely. We might even trademark "Develop Don't De-Oculus Brooklyn."
Ratner, who is partnering in the arena with new Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov, said he believes the plaza "will quickly become one of Brooklyn’s great public spaces." He and his staff said they envision such uses as café seating, fashions shows, a farmers market similar to one in Grand Army Plaza, movie nights and — specifically — hipster-favorite the Brooklyn Flea.
But he may have been jumping the gun. Jonathan Butler, the flea market’s co-owner, said he "never met Bruce Ratner — nor has anyone from his team approached us about this idea."
"The central location is clearly attractive from a market organizer’s standpoint, but I suspect the traffic situation would pose some logistical challenges," said Butler, adding: "I could definitely use some advice on obtaining tax-free bond financing for our tents though."
Posted by eric at September 29, 2010 8:40 AM