« Occupy Brooklyn General Assembly (10 Meeting) | Main | Workers: "Atlantic Yards Scammed Us" »
November 20, 2011
Modular thinking could shape NY's future skyline
Crain's New York
Atlantic Yards doesn't have the starchitect, jobs, open space or affordable housing that was promised. Why would anyone believe it when Bruce Ratner says he's going to build modular?
Developer Bruce Ratner thinks he has found a solution to the city's vexing housing shortage and wants to showcase the answer at his massive Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn. Forest City Ratner's chief executive wants to construct 15 apartment towers planned for the 22-acre site by using modular construction, claiming it will shave about 20% off the construction costs. He hopes to start assembling and constructing the first test case—a 32-story, 350- unit residential building stacked on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Dean Street—this spring.
“We could build 20% more housing this way,” Mr. Ratner said. “This could be positive for the city.” Mr. Ratner faces numerous challenges. He must reach a deal with various building trade unions in which they'd agree to the lower labor costs that modular construction promises. His company also still needs to obtain financing.
“At this point, we are pursing the prefabricated model,” Mr. Ratner insisted, adding that Forest City has been working on this approach for more than two years.
Posted by steve at November 20, 2011 9:25 PM