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December 31, 2010
2010: What a crazy year that was
The Brooklyn Paper
No look back at 2010 would be complete without an appearance or two by Bruce Ratner and his favorite neighborhood-crushing megaproject.
What a year it was — from the installation of the Long Island Rail Road’s massive stone bollards at its new Atlantic Terminal to the snowstorm of the century during the last week of 2010. And through it all, The Brooklyn Paper has been there for you (try to remember us with something nice next Christmas!). But without further ado, here it is — our loving, somewhat cynical tribute to 2010.
January
Concrete coffins: The new Long Island Rail Road opens at Atlantic Terminal and everyone rips the granite sacophagi outside that give the place the look of a Green Zone fortified bunker. Not only did the NYPD admit that the cement bollards were bigger than they needed to be, but even Bruce Ratner’s architects said they stunk.
...March
Yards groundbreaking: Developer Bruce Ratner, Gov. Paterson and future Gov. Jay-Z break ground at Atlantic Yards while about 100 counterprotesters mostly break Borough President Markowitz’s chops. By year’s end, the first set of steel pillars were up and Ratner was already making production deals.
...April
Freddy’s closes: Beloved dive bar Freddy’s is shut to make room for Bruce Ratner’s basketball arena, but not before after an epic final party that left us wondering how the hell we ended up in the Greenpoint Hotel handcuffed to Norman Oder and New Jersey Net forward Brook Lopez.
...August
Name game: The New Jersey Nets’ new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, told us that the team would change its name by the time it moves to Brooklyn. We’re still trying to find out the big secret, but we kind of like the Brooklyn Knights (get it?) or The Brooklyn Papers.
Posted by eric at December 31, 2010 9:40 AM