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December 29, 2011
Brooklyn’s Top Stories of 2011
Brownstoner
Atlantic Yards Starts to Take Shape
As it has for several years running, Atlantic Yards dominated Brooklyn news in 2011. Construction on the Barclays Center arena has progressed at a steady clip this year. The project continued to be controversial and a magnet for lawsuits, however. This fall the Empire State Development Corporation and developer Forest City Ratner appealed an earlier ruling in favor of project opponents. In that case, community groups challenged the ESDC’s 2009 approval to increase the duration of the project’s construction from 10 to 25 years, arguing that a new environmental review was necessary given the new time line. Meanwhile, another lawsuit against the mega-project was filed in November by workers who said they hadn’t landed union jobs they believed were promised after completing a training program. With the arena construction in full swing, nearby residents complained about a rat tsunami, as well as traffic changes that had been implemented and less-than-desirable “Atlantic Yards businesses” opening. While construction has yet to begin on any Atlantic Yards buildings aside from the arena, Forest City Ratner applied for building permits for the project’s first residential building and made headlines with the news that the company was considering a prefab structure for that and subsequent towers in the development.
Posted by eric at December 29, 2011 9:35 AM