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Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park infographics: what's built/what's coming/what's missing, who's responsible, + project FAQ/timeline (pinned post)

FCR announces demolitions; Ward Bakery not yet on list

Forest City Ratner yesterday announced its plans to demolish a dozen buildings within the Atlantic Yards project footprint. Asbestos abatement will commence next week and take at least two to three weeks before the structures are razed.

(The permits have been filed but not yet approved. See CB6 list and CB8 list.)

Notably, despite having filed a permit for demolition of the Ward Bakery on Pacific Street, which preservationists seek to protect rather than see an interim surface parking lot in its stead, the developer did not announce that demolition. Rather, demolitions of four other properties, at the corners of Vanderbilt Avenue and Pacific Street and Vanderbilt Avenue and Dean Street, are scheduled first on the block bounced by Vanderbilt and Carlton avenues, and Pacific and Dean streets.

Those properties, as the map shows, partially surround a building with renters who are part of an eminent domain lawsuit against the project.

However, that doesn't mean that Forest City Ratner intends to spare the Ward Bakery, the largest property marked in red on the map; this is just the first phase and that would be a complicated building to take down.
(Map by NoLandGrab, updated 3/8/07. Click to enlarge)

Confusing press release

Still, the press release, which emphasized the role of minority-owned contractors, was short on details and seemed to confuse at least one press outlet.

Under the headline 12 STRUCTURES TO BE RAZED AS PART OF ATLANTIC YARDS PREP WORK, it stated:
Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) today announced that phase one of Atlantic Yards construction will proceed next week with the demolition of 12 buildings owned by FCRC. Demolition will continue at 179 Flatbush Avenue, and abatement of an additional 12 buildings will begin as part of the preparatory work to demolish those buildings.

The New York Post, in an article headlined Ratner Readies Wrecking Ball, took that literally, stating:
Developer Bruce Ratner plans to demolish 12 buildings within a 22-acre footprint next week as he revs up efforts to begin building his $4 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.
The developer - who last week began prep work for the Frank Gehry-designed development featuring an NBA arena and 16 skyscrapers - announced yesterday that he will also begin asbestos removal and abatement work on 12 other vacant buildings he controls in the project zone.


But the "additional 12 buildings," according to the press release, appear to be those additional to 179 Flatbush Avenue.

Demolition list

Block 1119
Lot 1 622 Atlantic Avenue (old U-Haul site, not noted in red on above map)

Block 1127
Lot 10 193 Flatbush Ave
Lot 11 191 Flatbush Ave
Lot 12 189 Flatbush Ave
Lot 18 618 Pacific Street
Lot 22 626 Pacific Street
Lot 30 644 Pacific Street
Lot 54 465 Dean Street

Block 1129
Lot 45 814 Pacific Street
Lot 46 818 Pacific Street
Lot 50 542 Vanderbilt Avenue
Lot 54 546 Vanderbilt Avenue

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