As Saturday gets underway, check out a selection of some of the top stories on Curbed this week.
1) Four Different Places: Olafur Eliasson freakin' waterfalls were finally turned on. Some people loved them. Some disliked them. A bunch said, "meh." A lot of Curbed readers think they look like "glorified fountains."
2) Chelsea: Finally, a set of new High Line renderings, especially these really cool ones of Phase II of everybody's favorite elevated park.
3) Chelesa: Will the 18th Street Plaza on the High Line be built? Well, the money has to be found, but it sure looks cool.
4) Williamsburg: The architects made some tweaks here and there, shaved the glass box on the roof and got a thumbs up on the modifications to the landmarked Domino plant on Kent Avenue. What do you mean the 40 story towers around it aren't in the renderings? Really?
5) Prospect Heights: The Atlantic Yards development moved a step closer to reality when the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on the eminent domain issue.
6) Coney Island: When was the last time you saw a city Scoping Hearing that wouldn't put people into a deep coma? The one about the Coney plan this week was one for the record books.
SOHO—Earlier today, we noted that Soho Mews is now looking abroad for buyers. So, it's no surprise that its website is now multilingual. Per a tipster: "The Soho Mews website now comes in English, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and what appears to be Korean and Chinese. Also, included is a schedule of upcoming Soho Mews-sponsored cocktail parties in Milan and Rome. Looks like the new marketing strategy has the developers pulling out all the stops to get the international money. Very interesting. Is Soho Mews in trouble?" Well, it's definitely speaking many languages. [CurbedWire Inbox]
PROSPECT HEIGHTS—There has been some reaction today from Atlantic Yards biggest supporters to the Supreme Court decision not to hear the eminent domain appeal brought by opponents. From developer Bruce Ratner: '“We believe, and the courts have repeatedly agreed, that Atlantic Yards provides significant public benefits, including thousands of affordable homes and much needed jobs for Brooklyn. We are gratified that the Supreme Court has decided to put an end to this lawsuit. The opponents have now lost 20 court decisions relating to Atlantic Yards..." From Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz: "“The U.S. Supreme Court has correctly and wisely chosen not to hear the appeal from the lower court, thereby affirming the public benefits of the Atlantic Yards project for Brooklyn...This is a major victory for the futures of Brooklyn and New York City.” [CurbedWire Inbox]
There's a new effort coming to "reform the governance of Atlantic Yards," and it kicked off with a rally at City Hall this morning. The $4 billion project, which may be stalled or in fine shape depending on who is assessing its health, is overseen by the Empire State Development Corporation and pretty much beyond the control of New York City. It covers 22 acres and would be a massive construction project stretching over more than a decade. The officials want to create an Atlantic Yards Trust made up of state and city officials to "oversee" the project and a Stakeholders Council of local residents appointed by local elected officials to advise the trust and "provide meaningful community input." The change would have to be approved in Albany. There is an ombudsman appointed by the Empire State Development Corp. overseeing the project. All approvals were handled at the state level.
· Officials Rally for More Atlantic Yards Oversight [Sun]
· New Push for Atlantic Yards Legislation Underway [GL]
· Atlantic Yards Governance Bill Emerges Aimed at 2009 [AYR]
They've been arguing, on and off, for the last 30 years in Washington about whether tax-free financing for stadiums and arenas should be limited. Now, the issue is coming home to roost at Atlantic & Flatbush Avenues. New IRS rules barring the use of tax-exempt financing for sports facilities would present a huge problem for the nearly $1 billion Barclays Center, given that developer Forest City Ratner wants about $800 million in tax-free bond funding, give or take. In the meantime, there's been furious lobbying in Washington to try to talk the IRS into killing the rule (which effects a lot of stadiums, including added financing for Yankee Stadium) or, at least, talking it out of applying the rule to Atlantic Yards because the project was "in the development pipeline before 2006." In the now famous Atlantic Yards Stall interview with the Times, developer Bruce Ratner said "the tax changes would make it more difficult" to do the project, but still said he was hoping for a fall 2008 groundbreaking. Others are suggesting 2009. The Frank Gehry-designed arena--which would be the costliest in the world--was originally supposed to open in 2006, but 2010 is the most frequently heard year if the project moves forward, with 2011 also being heard.
· A Question Mark Looms Over Three Expensive Projects [NYT]
· Atlantic Yards 'Stall': Timeline of Despair [Curbed]
There is a new blog following that Brooklyn Atlantic Yards project thing and it has started off in a way that gets attention: a worker taking a whiz in the street. Per The Footprint Gazette:
Before today I may have made the case that Ratner was metaphorically pissing on this community. Well, now it's not a metaphor. I saw this guy take out his shvantz, piss in a giant styrofoam cup, then pour the piss out on the street.
The "Brooklyn Day" Atlantic Yards rally sponsored by Forest City Ratner happened yesterday afternoon. Curtis Sliwa showed and spoke, but Rev. Al Sharpton was said to have been stuck in transit trying to get back to New York and was a no show. The developer's crowd estimate, quoted in the Daily Newswas 3,000 and it jumped to 3,500 in the Post, but Atlantic Yards Report noted it might actually have been 2,000 and suggested that it included people shopping at the Greenmarket. Many people working in the area might have been drawn by free food and Nets freebies. As for the party-like atmosphere, AYR writes:
Despite decent weather, free t-shirts, a full-page ad in the Daily News, an E-newsletter, requests from union bosses to attend, and promises of free food, free transportation, and “international recording artist Maxi Priest,” the disparate and soon-diminished crowd was often subdued, even bored, and a passel of Forest City Ratner operatives monitoring the event looked somber, despite the billing as a “fun day.”
The Atlantic Yards Battle heats up again today with a rally at Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn that will feature, among others, Rev. Al Sharpton and Curtis Sliwa. So, why is it taking place? Forest City Ratner, which is sponsoring the event, says it's being done because "We thought it would be a fun day." It does, after all, coincide with Brooklyn-Queens Day. (To refresh the memory on the big day: It's a Protestant holiday first celebrated in 1829 to commemorate the founding of the First Sunday School on Long Island that is marked on the first Thursday in June and is very important to the Nets, but not the Knicks.) Today's Sun, however, reports that some people suspect it may be a prelude to seeking more public money for the project as the developer is "working on finalizing the affordable housing component with the city and the state." Earlier reports of the Atlantic Yards Stall had some of the affordable housing delayed. Interestingly, a Daily News ad promoting the rally shows a Barclays Bank logo on redesigned "Building One" (aka the former Miss Brooklyn).
· Motives of Atlantic Yards Rally are Questioned [Sun]
· Disingenuousness from FCR plus a Daily News advertisement [AYR]
WILLIAMSBURG—Things are moving quickly at Bedford Avenue's Urban Legend Lot, which was previously a parking lot and, before that, the site of manufacturing uses that left it with some toxic issues. A tipster sends the photo above of ground being broken and also writes: "There was some digging today at the site on the corner of Bedford and N12/N11. If neighborhood lore is even partially true, that is a very toxic site. It is also close to (among many things) where my community garden has been growing away for the past decade...The site was an ink factory for the treasury, and the ink products left serious contamination in the soil? Supposedly it was to be capped and left still for several years? Also, that site was allowed higher density in the rezoning, perhaps to provide additional benefits to whomever would clean it up and develop there?" An eight-story Karl Fischer with 180 units is going on the site. [CurbedWire Inbox]
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN—We also had Rev. Al Sharpton pegged as a Knicks fan, but it turns out he's into the Nets. He and Curtis Sliwa will be among those at Brooklyn Day, a Forest City Ratner-sponsored rally for Atlantic Yards tomorrow. Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn finds it interesting enough that it's been emailing around the Ratner press release announcing the event. [CurbedWire Inbox]
1) There's an interesting compare and contrast for those who like to do such things between the 2006 Atlantic Yards photo gallery and the current post-new renderings one. Atlantic Yards Report pulls them down and compares. (The 2008 gallery is the only one still online at the project's website.) [AYR]
2) Presumably Frank Gehry has put his battle helmet on or doesn't read the reactions to his buildings, but if he looks at today's Daily News he might feel sad. People are not loving his design. Reaction in Brooklyn ranged from "you're kidding" and "it's awful" to "ugly" and "a post-apocalyptic Earth." The News headlined it the 'Lego' Building. In our own Curbed poll, 29% percent said they liked it versus 19% that like the original Miss Brookliyn, with "non e of the above being the resounding winner with 52% [NYDN]
PROSPECT HEIGHTS—The jockeying for position continues. Today started with an avalanche of Atlantic Yards news and now the atlanticlots.com website, which is a production of the Municipal Art Society and Brooklyn Speaks has gone live. There are high quality renderings of a non-B1 future framing the opposition argument that Atlantic Yards needs to be put on hold while it's clarified. [CurbedWire Inbox]
MIDTOWN WEST—The Orion condo continues to dwell in the seventh circle of Flipper Hell and people continue to take note. A reader writes: "I don't know if anyone noticed, but a quick browse on the Corcoran website shows 22 Apts up for sale!...That's just on the Corcoran website! Where's everyone going??" Natefind is showing 29 listings, a few of them with PriceChops from the original asks. [CurbedWire Inbox]
MIDTOWN WEST—Sure, it's promotional, but an email notes that a summer concert series for residents is kicking off tonight on the roof of the Atlas, a 48-story rental building on West 38th Street and Sixth Avenue: "Live musical acts are to perform bi-weekly and will embody a whole new concept of 'home' entertainment." This is not the first music to grace the Atlas roof. [CurbedWire Inbox]
On the left, we have Frank Gehry's original Miss Brooklyn, released almost exactly two years ago. On the right, is the new contender, the unfortunately named B1, released this morning. Whether B2 or Mr. Flatbush are coming in 12-24 months is unknown, but B1 is the latest Atlantic Yards thinking.
Not only did we wake up to new Frank Gehry renderings of Atlantic Yards in the Daily News this morning, there was a competing "nightmare vision" of the project as an office building and arena surrounded by parking in the Post. The mini-tabloid war over Brooklyn's most controversial development follows a weekend that saw a rally calling on a "time out" on Atlantic Yards demolitions and a counter-demonstration that appeared to have been somewhat orchestrated by Forest City Ratner, not to mention a column in the Daily News bearing developers Bruce Ratner's name that said there is no such thing as an Atlantic Yards Stall and that the entire project would be completed by 2018. The Municipal Art Society helped prepare the "nightmare vision" renderings that form a dramatic counterpoint to Mr. Gehry's new "festive" Atlantic Yards vision. The Post's Rich Calder calls the possible future "Atlantic Lots," writing that "this vision of the state-approved project isn't attractive - unless parking spaces turn you on." Meanwhile, there is a back and forth over Mr. Ratner's 2018 scenario, with opponents saying that it's "pie in the sky."
There is nothing like opening one's eyes to a new set of Frank Gehry renderings of the Atlantic Yards development. This morning brings the death of Miss Brooklyn and its reemergence as B1 or Building 1, a shorter, radical remake of the glass tower that would have dominated Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. In its place is a 511-foot steel-and-glass structure that the Daily News' Jotham Sederstrom describes as "an asymmetrical design that rises like a spiraling Lego structure, edges askew." It will hold 650,000 square feet of office space and none of the condos that were originally planned. Gehry says that he new design is "more festive":
"My enthusiasm for Atlantic Yards has grown and grown until arriving at our current design, which works better with the surrounding area than it ever had before. Miss Brooklyn, now called Building One, has been slimmed down and has become more festive, resulting in a very unique office building."
If Brooklyn's Atlantic Yards project ever goes forward, it's safe to say these will not be looked upon as "the good old days" by the developer. Another lawsuit was filed against the project yesterday by tenants who say the drawn out schedule the state would allow is illegal. It gives Forest City Ratner 12 years to finish the first phase of the project. They say it violates the state's eminent domain law, which requires that a property be "materially improved" within ten years. Also, the suit argues that given that the stall--cancellation of some aspects of the project and delays--changes the public benefits that the Empire State Development Corp. has to hold another hearing. The suit was filed on behalf of 13 tenants in two buildings on Pacific Street and on Dean Street. In the meantime, there's a serious effort underway in Newark to possibly buy the Nets and move them to that city's Prudential Center. Heady times for the Atlantic Yards crew. Add the developments to the Timeline of Despair.
· Delays in $4 Billion Brooklyn Development Are Challenged in Tenants’ Lawsuit [NYT]
· ESDC’s long leash on Phase 1 provokes lawsuit from tenants [AYR]
First things first: Developer Bruce Ratner says he has fished in the East River and eaten the fish. Well, what he told NY1 last night was that "I have fished for striped bass in the East River with a great success on one occasion...I would say that I did eat it!" Which does leave some wiggle room. The Atlantic Yards developer also refers to himself as "progressive" a number of times, recalling the glory days of law school at Columbia in the 1960s: "I remember doing a march on a Wall Street," says Ratner. "It was all power to the people and workers – and the workers were on buildings throwing things at us. So I'm not sure, you know, whether we were really representing who we thought we were representing." And, then, come comments like "architecture is important, but it's not that important."
As many of the city's big megaprojects are stalling or in shambles, there's a proposal to force the Empire State Development Corporation, which oversees some of them, to issue "progress reports" to tell everybody how thing are going. Or not. Details were provided by Eliot Brown in yesterday's Observer and the story is still making the rounds today. The proposed legislation in Albany is aimed at "providing greater transparency and accountability" on a number of projects including the expansion of the Javits Center, the huge West Side rail yards development, Moynihan Station, the 7 Train extension, World Trade Center redevelopment, the Calatrava PATH Station, the Willets Point plan and Atlantic Yards. Richard Brodsky, the assemblyman sponsoring the legislation, say that a number of significant projects are in "various states of collapse" and that if/when they tank they could endanger a number of agency budgets in including the MTA. Maybe if it was issued as a monthly magazine, they could call it Despair.
· Progress Reports Urged for Big Development Projects [Sun]
· Brodsky Seeks Tell-All Report on Every Mega Project in the City [NYO]
It hasn't been a good few weeks for Atlantic Yards and, now, a prominent Brooklyn City Council Member is calling for a moratorium on demolition for the project in Prospect Heights until the developer can come up with a timetable for the project and guarantees about affordable housing. City Council Member Bill de Blasio, who has supported the project, says he's "livid" that developer Bruce Ratner told the New York Times the project had stalled and that plans had radically changed before telling anyone in the community. He said the changes put "the entire community benefits agreement up for question." Yesterday, the Post detailed more than $2 billion in public subsidies the project would need, accounting for about half its cost. The Council Member says that "we need to revisit" the project if the developer indicates the project has changed, for instance to include limited affordable housing and just a basketball arena. In the meantime, he says there should be "a moratorium on demolition until there is a written plan" that "confirms what will be built when." Last week, some neighbors of the project called for a halt to demolition too. Control of the project is at the state level and there will be little left to stop demolishing in 4-6 weeks, but it's still another entry on the Atlantic Yards Timeline of Depair.
· De Blasio Calls for a Moratorium on Atlantic Yards Demolition [Gowanus Lounge]
· De Blasio Blasts Ratner on AY Obfuscation [Brownstoner]
The subject of how much Atlantic Yards will cost the public has always been a political football. Supporters have said the support would be modest. Opponents have argued that taxpayers would get taken to the cleaners. Today, Rich Calder takes a swipe at the topic in the Post and finds that the project is "boosted by so many sweetheart deals that the public stands to pay for more than half the cost of his controversial $4 billion plan." The public tab, per the Post, which has not been overly critical of the project, comes out to $2,139,890,000. The tab could climb because "the developer is gearing up to ask for even more corporate welfare." Nearly half the total is $1 billion in tax payments that will be diverted to pay debt service for the Nets arena, which developer Bruce Ratner will lease for $1 per year.
When last heard from, the Atlantic Yards Ombudsman had finally been hired and was on the job, but today's Daily News reports that he hasn't been easy to get to see. Since November when Forrest Taylor was hired, "office renovations and ongoing meetings with city and state officials have delayed his advocacy duties." Only 60 percent of the Ombudsman's job is supposed to be spent "addressing community concerns" such as construction safety and other issues related to the big project. (Speaking of which, some work on the project was hit with a Stop Work Order yesterday by the Department of Buildings for unsafe conditions, among other things.) In any case, the Ombudsman's office on Hanson Place will open to the public, but no one can say when. And the Ombudsman himself is on vacation right now.
· Community advocate still missing in Atlantic Yards project [NYDN]
After the public announcement of the Atlantic Yards Stall come the calls for a "moratorium" on demolition in Prospect Heights of buildings on properties that could eventually become part of the development. The original completion date for the project was already 2016 for some of the outlying parcels and, now, residents of Dean Street say there's no reason to keep tearing things down if the land is going to be empty until 2020 or so. The Dean Street Block Association sent a letter to Gov. David Paterson and to the head of the Empire State Development Corp. asking for the bulldozers to take a time out until the status of the project is clear, lest the neighborhood be left with wide-open 1960s Urban Renewal-style cleared land that stays empty for a decade or two or three. It asks for "a moratorium on demolition until such time that the communities surrounding Atlantic Yards can be assured that rational decisions are being made to protect the area from the blight associated by dormant sites, over-scaled inefficiently situated construction staging, and surface parking lots." The ESDC, however, already appears to have indicated the demolition porn will keep coming.
· Residents: Atlantic Yards project is going haywire [Metro]
· A Call for a Moratorium on AY Demolitions [Brownstoner]
· Atlantic Yards: No Frying, No Fat, No Oil [Brit in Brooklyn]
After a couple of weeks of headlines about how his Miss Brooklyn tower is dead, Frank Gehry has spoken. He told the Brooklyn Paper at the Brooklyn Museum's Gala last night that Miss Brooklyn isn't dead and that it will be built and "look better than anyone imagines." He also said of Bruce Ratner: "He really does want to build it...But he can’t get the financing. I don’t know why he would tell the papers that, but it is true." Mr. Gehry said he's confident that "Bruce will have a tenant soon — and then he’ll begin construction." In the meantime, the starchitect said he's tweaking the design of the 511-foot tower and that the design is "better than ever." Of Miss Brooklyn, he says, "We've made some adjustments that people will absolutely love. This is the part of the process I enjoy — tinkering, making things better."
· EXCLUSIVE: Miss Brooklyn ain’t dead [Brooklyn Paper]
About 100 or so people showed up at the Brooklyn Museum's Gala honoring developer Bruce Ratner last night. They are described as being "angry" and they certainly had a lot of photogenic signs. The Museum may be the one crying all the way to the bank, however, as the $500-$1,000 a plate dinner was sold out.
First, came the initial pre-Atlantic Yards Stall announcement that Bruce Ratner was being honored at a Brooklyn Museum Gala. Then, came the reactions, including an angry "open letter" to the Museum accusing it of embracing "a bad neighbor." Tonight, comes the protest outside the $5,000-$75,000 per table gala featuring a Kanye West performance. A spokesperson for the developer tells the Daily News, which notes that foes are "raging" about the Ratner honor, that it's "an honor and a thrill to be part of such important cultural institutions" and notes his support of other Brooklyn entities like BAM and the Botanic Garden. Atlantic Yards Report finds $200,000 in contributions in 2005-06 to the museum from Forest City Ratner's foundation, but that he's actually given more money to BAM. A release about the demonstration says it's "expected to be a photogenic event." No word on whether the Atlantic Yards backwash will splatter on artist Takashi Murakami or on (please say it ain't so) Louis Vuitton, which is opening a temporary boutique connected to the new Murakami show.
· Atlantic Yards foes rage at Brooklyn Museum over Bruce Ratner honor [NYDN]
· Brooklyn Museum Ratner Gala Continues to Stir Anger [Gowanus Lounge]
· How much has FCR given the Brooklyn Museum? [AYR]
Comments
There's a new effort coming to "
The Atlantic Yards Battle heats up again today with a rally at Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn that will feature, among others, 
First things first: Developer Bruce Ratner says he has fished in the East River and eaten the fish. Well, what he 
It hasn't been a good few weeks for Atlantic Yards and, now, a prominent Brooklyn City Council Member is calling for a 
The subject of how much Atlantic Yards will cost the public has always been a political football. Supporters have said the support would be modest. Opponents have argued that taxpayers would get taken to the cleaners. Today, Rich Calder takes a swipe at the topic in the Post and finds that the project is "boosted by so many sweetheart deals that the public stands to pay for more than half the cost of his controversial $4 billion plan." The public tab, per the Post, which has not been overly critical of the project, comes out to $2,139,890,000. The tab could climb because "the developer is gearing up to ask for even more corporate welfare." Nearly half the total is $1 billion in tax payments that will be diverted to pay debt service for the Nets arena, which developer Bruce Ratner will lease for $1 per year.
After a couple of weeks of headlines about how his Miss Brooklyn tower is dead, Frank Gehry has spoken. He told the Brooklyn Paper at the 
