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May 9, 2012
What are the consequences of a change in parking? If we had an SEIS, we'd know.
Atlantic Yards Watch
But how many cars can block 1129 really hold? Documents submitted to the NYC Department of Buildings describe a lot area that is 144,501 square feet. Using a calculation provided by an architect with experience in the design of parking facilities, dividing the available square footage of the lot by 300 square feet per car will provide the approximate number of spaces a parking lot including driveways can fit. 144,501 square feet divided by 300 results in 482 spaces.
However, the area described in the DOB application does not include perimeter plantings. The 2010 Technical Memo describes no less than a four-foot landscaped perimeter around the lot set in from the property line, and although the documents submitted to DOB do not include perimeter landscaping, CEO Adams confirmed some would be implemented. Reduced by 4 feet of perimeter landscaping only, the lot would be 139,493 square feet and fit approximately 465 spaces.
...In July of 2011, the New York State Supreme Court found that ESDC's 2009 approval of the MGPP violated State environmental law, and ordered the agency to prepare an SEIS. ESDC and FCRC appealed the ruling, but were denied by a unanimous decision of the Appellate Division in April 2012. ESDC has not yet stated when or if it plans to comply with the court order for an SEIS that is now almost three years late. In the meantime, plans for parking continue to shift, reducing the parking for arena patrons by half with no formal study released to the public of the impact to traffic and on-street parking in local neighborhoods. Nor has it assessed the long term environmental impacts on the community of a lot that does not meet NYC's own guidelines for the landscaping of surface parking lots.
Related coverage...
Prospect Heights Patch, Is Reduced Parking at Barclays a Good or Bad Thing? [POLL]
What do you think? Is reducing the number of parking spaces a good or bad thing?
Posted by eric at May 9, 2012 1:34 PM