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]
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."
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]
PROSPECT HEIGHTS—The reactions have been rolling in today about the Atlantic Yards Stall in the form of delays, cancellations and a doubling of the cost of the Nets arena:
"I am obviously disappointed that some key components of the Atlantic Yards project may not be completed on the timetable we had envisioned...I remain confident that Forest City Ratner...will fulfill its vision of bringing the Nets, affordable housing, and a new city center to Downtown Brooklyn."--Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz [CurbedWire Inbox]
"Atlantic Yards cannot be built as planned, and was never financially feasible...We call on the city and state to work with the community to develop the rail yards in a responsible manner, without destroying the existing neighborhoods in the process." Also, the arena "would now cost $950 million...and therefore is subject to new governmental review."--Daniel Goldstein DDDB [CurbedWire Inbox]
"Forest City Ratner made a commitment to ACORN and to the people of Brooklyn to deliver on a historic plan for affordable housing...we continue to have every confidence they will live up to their commitment."--Bertha Lewis ACORN [CurbedWire Inbox]
The road from the announcement of the Atlantic Yards project in 2003 through the possible "stall" making headlines today has not been a simple one to follow. The arena, many will recall, was originally supposed to have been finished in 2006, but along the way there have been delays, controversy, fierce opposition, lawsuits, financial revelations and everything that a New York City megaproject could be expected to have. For those who've forgotten some of the twists and turns, here's a very selective Atlantic Yards timeline touching on some of the, uh, highlights:
December 10, 2003: "Forest City Ratner officials publicly unveiled the Atlantic Yards plan—millions of square feet of office, residential and arena space to take over the Vanderbilt Rail Yards in Prospect Heights." Bruce Ratner predicts his Nets arena will open in 2006. June 9, 2005: Check out the photo of ACORN's Bertha Lewis kissing Bruce Ratner on the lips after a Community Benefits Agreement is reached. September 9, 2005: "All systems are go" as the MTA is ready to approve a deal with Mr. Ratner for the Atlantic Yards site. Things are "looking pretty damn good."
Among the many negative reactions to developer Bruce Ratner's bombshell about the Atlantic Yards "stall" is a blistering, if not withering, analysis by the Times' Nicolai Ouroussoff, who attacks the possible changes in Atlantic Yards on many fronts. In a nutshell, Ouroussoff thinks that an arena without the tall towers designed by Frank Gehry will be an "eyesore." So, while Atlantic Yards opponents may be amused by the venom directed at possible changes, they may be less tickled that his major criticism is that the project would be too small and denuded of its boldest elements. Nonetheless, Mr. Ouroussoff describes the change as a "bitter pill" for the developer and "a painful setback for urban planning in New York." He also calls it "a betrayal of the public trust" and the possible arena that will result "a piece of urban blight."
Right about now, the reverberations of the story in this morning's New York Times are making their way around Brooklyn: key parts of the Atlantic Yards project are being scaled back, delayed or may never be built. The Timesuses the word "stalled" in its headline. It all comes about as a result of comments in an interview with developer Bruce Ratner, who blamed the tanking economy and the credit crunch for big problems in the $4 billion project at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue. Mr. Ratner says the economy "may hold up the office building" and "the bond market may slow the pace of the residential buildings."
Atlantic Yards is getting a trim here and there, and the prime target so far appears to be Frank Gehry's Miss Brooklyn tower. Atlantic Yards Report noted yesterday that "the size of the project may have been reduced" based on a review of some documents and follows up today with more detail about possible cuts. The overall project apparently hasn't shrunk in a dramatic way, but the Frank Gehry-designed Miss Brooklyn looks like it will be smaller, down from 900,000 square feet to 528,000 square feet, although a hotel could bulk it up again. Also, of note: the building won't have condos, but will have office space, bringing the total number of residential units associated with the project down from 6,430 to 6,000. Plus, the timetable for building a new rail yard is about 5 years rather than the previously mentioned 3 1/2 years. Even the Barclays Center is getting the reduced calorie treatment, with the number of luxury suites cut from 170 to 130. Of course, demolition is moving forward on the parts of the site that aren't involved in litigation. May will mark two years since the Gehry renderings of a tall Miss Brooklyn were released.
· AY scaleback? Well, at least Miss Brooklyn, apparently [AYR]
· Atlantic Yards Quietly Scaled Back? [Crain's]
· Atlantic Yards Scope Trimmed; Funding Still Fuzzy [Brownstoner]
Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project—including Frank Gehry's sultry Miss Brooklyn(left)—finds itself, inevitably, back in the headlines. A big NYT story questions the risk of the project based on analysis of previously unseen internal documents. The nub of the issue: that Ratner & Co. may be underestimating construction costs, and overestimating future sales prices, which could make building out the entire project untenable. Naturally, the opposition jumped on the news, picking it apart in extreme detail, but what most intrigues us in the NYT piece are the detailed construction cost numbers that make it clear Ratner & Co. see nothing but boom times ahead for Downtown Brooklyn.
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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 
Among the many negative reactions to developer Bruce Ratner's 
Atlantic Yards is getting a trim here and there, and the prime target so far appears to be Frank Gehry's 
Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project—including Frank Gehry's sultry Miss Brooklyn (left)—finds itself, inevitably, back in the headlines. A 
