We’ve also avoided the complex topic of using Federal economic recovery funds to bail out the financially sinking Atlantic Yards project. Local backers have been pulling out al the stops to lobby the governor for money and to us–who fully support a massive Federal spending plan to rescue the economy–putting money into Atlantic Yards would […]

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In case you haven’t heard, oral arguments in the state eminent domain case concerning Atlantic Yards are being held on Monday, February 23. The hearing will take place in a session that starts at 10AM at the Supreme Court, State of New York; Appellate Division, Second Department; 45 Monroe Place. Brooklyn, NY. The case is […]

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The Daily News has figured out via a source why the cost of Frank Gehry’s Atlantic Yards arena shot up to $950 million: the cost of making the glass bulletproof. (We would have thought bomb proof, but whatever.) Here’s some of the lowdown: The stratospheric cost of protecting the Atlantic Yards from terrorist attacks could […]

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Symbolically, the final shoe dropped yesterday. One of the people chiefly responsible for Atlantic Yards, Borough President Marty Markowitz told the New York Times that in the paper’s words he was “calling on the developer and state officials to review the design with an eye toward paring costs so that the long delayed project is […]

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On New Year’s Eve we sat at this computer and picked “five rotting corpses“–projects we didn’t think would make it or that would be radically altered as we work our way through this economic crisis. One of them was Atlantic Yards. We wrote: “We think there is a good chance most of the project will […]

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“So, in all of eight minutes, the IFC Media Project tonight tried to address how the three major New York newspapers have covered Atlantic Yards. The segment landed a body blow on the New York Daily News, treated the New York Post far more gently than it deserved, and took some swipes–only partly effective–at the […]

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A quarter century from now, when the planners analyze what went wrong in Brooklyn in the early 2000s, they will have a lot to say (and none of it good) about the chain of events that started on December 10, 2003, when developer Bruce Ratner, flanked by a beaming Marty Markowitz and other public officials […]

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We love anniversaries because they can be so meaningful. Well, tomorrow (12/10) marks the Fifth Anniversary of the announcement of the Atlantic Yards project. For those who enjoy taking trips down memory chain, we highly recommend the Curbed Atlantic Yards Timeline of Despair, which only runs through this spring, but rather hits on many of […]

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[Photo courtesy of Jonathan Barkey/via AYR] Note, of course, Bruce Ratner, and a smiling Borough President Marty Markowitz. Atlantic Yards Report writes: “While the remarks from Borough President Marty Markowitz, other politicos, and FCR President Bruce Ratner were mostly predictable (jobs, peace, Democratic rule), I was surprised to see that, on a dais that featured […]

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[Photo courtesy June Carter Cash Peep/GL Flickr Pool] Yes, Ward Bakery in the Atlantic Yards “footprint” is gone and the land will no doubt have a glorious future as either an empty lot or a parking lot for years to come. Perhaps, as time drags on, it can be renamed “Markowitz Grove.”

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Well, we’re pretty sure it ain’t Superman (though he would seem to prefer you to think differently), but what are those freaking loud noises that some people in Prospect Heights are hearing? The first indication on the Brooklynian’s Prospect Heights Forum in a thread called “Big Booming Noises” was this: “i keep hearing big booms […]

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Are you part of GL’s excellent Flickr pool? If not, we hope you’ll consider joining and/or tagging your photos “gowanuslounge.” [Photo courtesy of threecee/GL Flickr Pool] Here’s one from the Vanderbilt Rail Yards from Tracey Collins, a stalwart GL Flickr Pool contributor and chronicler of Atlantic Yards, who’s been busy creating an invaluable photographic record […]

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The ostensible headline on today’s New York Times story about Atlantic Yards is that developer Bruce Ratner says he will break ground on the Atlantic Yards project by December. The details in the story, however, are far more interesting. For instance, the lawsuits that would allow that to happen won’t be resolved by then. Then, […]

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The Atlantic Yards eminent domain case, which the US Supreme Court declined to hear, has been filed in New York State Court, which is where a Federal Judge had said the case should be heard. Nine property owners and tenants filed the petition with the Appellate Division of New York State Supreme Court “seeking an […]

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“Despite public statements to the contrary, as on the Barclays Center web site, the New Jersey Nets have three, not two, more years at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands–and that’s in a best-case scenario. The word comes directly from Forest City Ratner president (and Nets majority owner) Bruce Ratner, who indicated to shareholders in […]

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[Photo courtesy of Tracy Collins/flickr] We posted about the Saturday block party on Dean Street yesterday, but can’t resist this photo put in our GL Photo Pool by Tracy Collins that shows construction work on Dean Street plus a flier for the block party. Most of the buildings on the left are slated to come […]

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We’ll leave aside the assertion in this video as to whether or not this video shows “harassment” of senior citizens by Bruce Ratner to get to the crux of the issue: it painfully the demonstrates the extreme violence being done to the quality of life of an elderly woman that is enduring Atlantic Yards demolition […]

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[Photo courtesy of Tracy Collins/flickr] This is 644 Pacific Street, which is near Sixth Avenue, in its current state of demolition. The building with the water tower is the Newswalk Condo, which will remain standing and, ultimately, very lonely surrounded by newly vacant lots.

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[Photo courtesy of Tracy Collins/flickr] Atlantic Yards footprint photographer Tracy Collins offers this updated photo of Ward Bakery demolition porn. It is coming down steadily.

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There’s a reading from the Brooklyn Was Mine collection of writing tonight at 7:30PM at Greenpoint’s wonderful WORD bookstore at 126 Franklin Street. Contributors including Philip Dray, Rachel Cline and Joanna Hershon read and sign books at Greenpoint’s WORD. Proceeds from the sale of Brooklyn Was Mine go to support Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. More […]

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The Atlantic Yards Webcam now has a flickr stream which is updated with new webcam images. It is destined to grow into quite the collection.–flickr

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There’s a benefit concert coming up at Southpaw for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn on Thursday, May 15 featuring Clare & The Reasons, John Wesley Harding, Richard Julian and special. There’s a screening of the documentary Brooklyn Matters at 7PM and the show starts at 8PM. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. […]

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The fight to sway opinions and create impressions about Atlantic Yards played out with a vengeance over the weekend and yesterday. Of course, on Saturday, there were dueling rallies of supporters and a counter-demonstration by supporters that seemed orchestrated by Forest City Ratner and groups that had signed the Community Benefits Agreements. On Sunday, Mr. […]

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[Photo courtesy of threecee/flickr] Call this the Big Bruce Chair as it comes from Pacific Street, within the Atlantic Yards footprint. Also, it has fall and can’t get up.

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Via a post on No Land Grab titled “MTA Police DDDB Database? Photographers Detained at AY Site,” here’s a vid about the recent incident of police harassment of a videographer in the Atlantic Yards “footprint.”

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