All stories about "Citi Field"

The bitter battle over Willets Point being fougt between the city and local business owners in the so-called "Iron Triangle" is heating up to the point where we've stopped caring about the Mets season entirely, and instead are completely honed in on what's going on next door. Last week, the first two dominoes fell, and the city's Economic Development Corporation predicted that more Willets Point businesses would be selling their land to make way for the big redevelopment. However, the Daily News reports that the resolve of the holdout property owners has been strengthened by the news that some of their comrades have sold out to the city. Against this backdrop, the Land Use subcommittee of Queens' Community Board 7—which lords over Flushing and Willets—met last night to vote on the plan, which certainly seems headed for a lengthy eminent domain battle. A Curbed tipster who apparently loves cramped quarters and chop shops sat in on the proceedings, and sent us the following report on the vote, which was only advisory.

One important voice left out of the white-hot Willets Point redevelopment controversy: What do Mets fans think? Hey, it sounds weird, but given that the new Citi Field will be a stolen hubcap's throw away from the Iron Triangle/proposed mixed-use village, it's Mets fans that have to stare at the thing, right? Up until now, the Willets Point opposition has been getting all the press, thanks to a coordinated and highly-effective media campaign. Now, however, we hear from someone who actually wants Willets Point cleared and cleaned: a guy named Chris McShane, author of a blog called Develop Willets Point. From right up top: "Take Action to Make Willets Point the Best Neighborhood in Major League Baseball." From the About Me section: "I'm a Mets fan who would like to see Willets Point complement Citi Field." As far as we know, he doesn't work for City Hall. Or the Mets. But maybe his real name is Johan Santana?
· Develop Willets Point [developwilletspoint.blogspot.com]
· Starting Bell for Willets Point & Hunters Point South Fights [Curbed]

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

The Stadium War is heating up, and we have to say that this round goes to the Yankees. Not long ago the Mets unveiled some new Citi Field renderings, proudly displaying the stadium's new corporate logo. This could have been a response to the Yankees' surprising move to hoist their own new stadium sign into place, despite the somewhat early stage of construction. Now the Yankees have struck back with some new renderings of their own, and they are quite revealing—and blingtastic! The new designs were released on a website meant to market the Yankees' "premium seating," so of course the team had to show off the goods to get corporations to write the checks. While the view of the field from the seats is very similar to the old Yankee Stadium—blue seats with a white façade ringing the park—it's all the other innards that are getting tricked out, from the entrance (Great Hall, above) to the concessions (martini bar, steakhouse) to the luxury suites (more flatscreens than a Tokyo electronics factory). The "cheapest" premium plan is for the 1,300 Terrace Level Outdoor Suite seats in nine higher sections behind home plate, which start at $100 per game. Skip these and go right for the $700/game Club Suite seats, which include food and beverages, indoor and outdoor seating and concierge service. Your move, Mets!
· Yankees Premium [yankees.mlb.com]
· It Luxe Like a Winner [NYP]
· Yankees Deflect Negative Attention With Shiny Gold Letters [Curbed]

[Rendering: HOK Sport]

According to the Mets' Citi Field website, in January 85% of the stadium's structural steel frame was in place. But because percentages are boring and the Yankees have already slapped a name on their new ballpark, the Mets have unveiled some fresh renderings featuring Citi Field's new logo to get folks excited. The Post reports on this exciting development, and points out that the "citi" is accurate to the logo of the corporate overlords, and "FIELD" is in the same style and lettering as old Ebbets Field, the design inspiration for the new park. The Mets have a slideshow of the renderings that should get you in the spring training frame of mind.
· Mets are Citi Slickers [NYP]
· Construction Watch: Mets Looking Good in Stadium Race [Curbed]
· Yankees Deflect Negative Attention With Shiny Gold Letters [Curbed]

The Yanks have been showing off the new Yankee Stadiun and its shiny gold lettering (and ballooning costs) to anyone who asks, but the Mets have been keeping things relatively quiet out there in Queens. Luckily for us, Curbed Photo Pool contributor AllWaysNY has uploaded some recent construction photos of Citi Field, and wow! The Mets are really building this thing! Both stadiums look to be in fairly good shape, so this game is going to come down to the bottom of the ninth. Or a play at the plate. Or some other dumb metaphor.
· Photos: Citi Field [Flickr/AllWaysNY]
· Yankees Deflect Negative Attention With Shiny Gold Letters [Curbed]
· Stadium Showdown: Mets Finally Beating Yankees [Curbed]

The battle over Willets Point in Queens, aka the Iron Triangle, where the city is planning a $3 billion redevelopment, has gone video. This is a long, but fascinating look at some of the businesses that aren't anxious to get out of the way of up to 1.7 million square feet of retail, thousands of units of housing, a hotel, convention center and other things, across the street from the new Citi Field. (The vid, which sort of stayed below the pre-Thanksgiving radar, comes from the Willets Point Industry & Realty Association.) There's a hearing later this week on the plan and a long way to go, especially if the landowners and tenants get organized and become, you know, litigious about that whole eminent domain thing.
· Willets Point: Neglect, Not Blight [Brit in Brooklyn]
· The third world of Queens [Queens Crap]
· Will Iron Triangle Auto Body Shops & Junk Yards Go Peacefully? [Curbed]

The Mets and Yankees are currently locked in a death match to see which team can complete its expensive new stadium first (combined price tag: $2 billion) in advance of both parks' April 2009 openings, and the Sun has an update on both as construction ramps up in advance of winter. The Mets' Citi Field seems to be ahead, as the brick, limestone and steel stadium already has half its bricks, 65% of its concrete foundation and 75% of its steel installed. But, much like the team, be wary of a late-season collapse. As for the new Yankee Stadium, the facade has large swaths of nothingness, the interior looks bare, and the team is denying interview requests on the topic. Hmm. But, much like the team, it'll probably all come together in the end. For visual confirmation, we decided to check out Flickr and grab some of the most recent shots of both projects. The Mets are definitely looking good, but we're not ready to call this race just yet.

The momentum for developing Willets Point, aka the Iron Triangle (or iTri, for short), seems to be growing. The 75-acre parcel, which is next to the current Shea Stadium parking lot and the future Citi Field is currently the home of 250 car-related businesses. It also features no sewers and semi-paved streets. Toxic treasures unknown. The plan is for a $2 billion mixed use develoment and 8 firms, including Tishman Speyer, have submitted proposals. A development corporation headed by a former borough president is being formed and developers are talking about building a "city within a city" and Queens Crap expects eminent domain will be used to get the land. The Bridge & Tunnel Club put together a little photo tour of the Triangle last year.
· Beginning of the End for the Iron Triangle [Queens Crap]
· The Iron Triangle [Bridge and Tunnel Club]
· Shulman to Lead Willets Point Group [Queens Chronicle]

[Photo courtesy of AKlinloch/flickr]