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September 30, 2010
Size does matter! Barclays Center plaza off limits to groups bigger than four
The Brooklyn Paper
by Andy Campbell
Here's the difference between "public space" and "publicly accessible open space."
You and your friends are welcome to hang out at the colossal plaza in front of the Barclays Center, but you’ll be kicked out if there are more than three of you.
Forest City Ratner officials dropped a bombshell on Wednesday night when they mentioned that they’ll institute a no-group policy at the new plaza — meaning that groups of four or more will be kicked out of what designers hope will become Brooklyn’s most popular outdoor community center.
“[Our] Atlantic Terminal Mall policy allows security to disperse groups of four or more — that creates a safe and comfortable experience,” said
Jane Marshall[NLG: actually, MaryAnne Gilmartin], a spokeswoman for the mega-developer, at a meeting on Wednesday night to reveal the plaza plan to the public.“We will continue to make policies that will create that same experience at the plaza,” she added.
Gasps rang out at the public meeting when
Marshall[NLG: Gilmartin] made the announcement, but their cries went relatively unheard — Forest City officials took a few questions during the meeting, but refused to talk to reporters afterward.
Hey, wait a minute. We thought that "when it comes to sharing information with the public and governmental bodies, there’s no such thing as too much," as far as Forest City Ratner is concerned.
The rule essentially gives cops the same leeway they have at the crime-ridden, Bruce Ratner-owned malls down the street: the ability to kick out a kid who is under 21 if he happens to gather with three or more other friends.
NoLandGrab: So, FCR's policy is essentially this: we love Brooklyn's black youth when they come out in droves to one of our pro-Atlantic Yards rallies or to create the illusion of community support at a public hearing, but if more than three of them want to gather in our malls or on our private plaza — move along.
Related coverage...
Atlantic Yards Report, FCR's Gilmartin asserts "groups of four or more" youths will be dispersed at plaza, as at malls (and claims mall policy is "fairly typical")
Forest City Ratner MaryAnne Gilmartin, speaking calmly and clinically, raised numerous eyebrows at Borough Hall when she revealed that the developer would transfer a much-criticized policy of dispersing youth groups at its malls to the open space at the arena plaza.
Such is the difference between privately-operated publicly accessible space and, say, true public parks.
The unspoken underlying issue is race, with the belief (if not the proof) that minority youth are more likely to be targeted. That's why City Council Member Letitia James told me she's asked the city's Human Rights Commission to look into the developer's practices.
Posted by eric at September 30, 2010 1:26 PM