Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report

The Democratic primary race to succeed City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, finishing her second term in the 35th District, involves seven candidates, four of whom have received some matching funds, but boils down to a contest between the two with the most endorsements and full matching funds. They are Michael Hollingsworth , a graphic designer and tenant organizer via the Crown Heights Tenants Union, and Crystal Hudson , a sports marketer, staffer in City Council and the Public Advocate’s office, and founder of Greater Prospect Heights Mutual Aid. Hudson is clearly the “establishment” candidate, with backing from more unions (1199, 32BJ, District Council 37), elected officials (Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Yvette Clarke), and the Citizens Union, as she pledges “an unapologetically pro-Black, pro-queer, pro-justice, pro-accountability, people-powered campaign.” That makes Hollingsworth the insurgent, citing the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s failure to “protect neighbors from predator

OK, the big news today, as the tabloids tell us , was Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant's epic, full-game performance last night, with an absent Kyrie Irving and a subpar James Harden, to power a comeback, leading the team to a 3-2 playoff series edge over the Milwaukee Bucks.  The series now returns to Milwaukee for a sixth game; a seventh, if necessary, would be played in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 19, at 8:30 pm. But in the wake of the more-than-sports discussions centered around the Nets and the NBA, and in anticipation of a book being published about that next week--Matt Sullivan's  Can't Knock the Hustle: Inside the Season of Protest, Pandemic, and Progress with the Brooklyn Nets' Superstars of Tomorrow --let's take a closer look at what the team owner says. Lots about China, but sports gets the focus Unsurprisingly, given the strictures on sportswriting--and the audience for the sports page--a CNBC interview yesterday with Brooklyn Nets owner (and Alibaba tyco

Yesterday, independent, left-leaning journalist/columnist Ross Barkan, on his Substack, published  Eric Adams and the Weapon of Identity , warning, in his subheading, "The Left doesn't quite know what could hit them." Indeed, Brooklyn Borough President Adams is positioned "for a slim but significant victory" in the Democratic primary, tantamount to the election: Rising in the polls, Adams appears to be gaining great traction with Black voters and winning over more moderate whites in the outer boroughs, particularly older voters worried about rising crime. White liberals, increasingly wary of him, still may rank him on more ballots than Andrew Yang, who faced months of media scrutiny that Adams never endured. Adams is a smart guy and a deft politician, able to corral numerous labor endorsements and ride the power of machine politics. His professional biography--though see Vanity Fair's caveats on his police career--and the much-highlighted rise in crime posi

Never underestimate the power of the tabloids to shape public consciousness, and never underestimate the reliance of the tabs on easy storylines. So, Kyrie Irving was injuried in the Brooklyn Nets' loss Sunday to the Milwaukee Bucks, who evened the playoff series to 2-2. That left Kevin Durant as the team's lone superstar, given the previous injury to James Harden. As shown at right, the New York Daily News went with "1 is Nets' Loneliest Number" on their back cover. Meanwhile, the New York Post, on their back cover, went with "In a Jam," as shown at left. Wait--the Post even put the game result on their front page, as shown below right, giving the result the top half--not even the bottom!-- with the headline "Ky and dry." The Daily News  coverage  called it "the Nets’ worst nightmare," given that "the Nets have devolved from juggernauts into jugger-nots." The post-game drama, as the New York Times reported , involved questi

So, according to a recent podcast interview with John Abbamondi, CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and the arena operating company, the Barclays Center has job openings--sort of. As indicated below, I couldn't find any link on the BSE Global site, which does not list hourly arena jobs. Hey @barclayscenter is there a link for arena jobs (ushers?) w/BSE? (not here yet https://t.co/8SHn78E5M8 ) In the podcast, @JAbbamondi said they paid "very competitive rates" but said he'd "have to get back 2you" on specifics Prev, I'd heard workers grouse they got too few hours https://t.co/LpUnPpgRlh — Norman Oder (@AYReport) June 11, 2021 Levy Restaurants, which runs the food stands, *is* hiring hawkers/vendors https://t.co/DN9fHeMDMp no pay rate cited, tho some other jobs here https://t.co/Z6UPGBxzjB — Norman Oder (@AYReport) June 11, 2021 At least as of December 2015, the last time there was a union protest presaging contract renewal, employees complained that they got

The concerts are coming back to the Barclays Center, for sure, as John Abbamondi, CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and the arena operating company, said recently on a podcast.. Abbamondi also predicted there'd be a burst in concerts over next years as musical acts get back on the road. However, not true re concerts that "they're generally sold out" Averaged <12K in debut year (with biggest concerts) Tho likely to be increased attendance in coming year  https://t.co/LpUnPpgRlh   pic.twitter.com/20zBDomPMS — Norman Oder (@AYReport)  June 11, 2021 Here's the original  source  for the concert attendance over the first four years, starting in 2012, a disclosure--released in 2016--to buyers of refinanced arena bonds. The arena can  seat "up to 19,000"  for concerts, given the ability to put seats on what is otherwise an event floor, though it's harder to sell seats behind a stage if it's oriented toward one of the arena. The capacity for basketball is 17,73

With a narrow victory Thursday June 10 over the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks guaranteed themselves at least one trip back to Brooklyn, cutting their best-of-seven series deficit to 2-1, and today they have another chance, at home. If the Nets win, the fifth game , on 7:30 pm Tuesday June 15 at the Barclays Center, could be decisive. But if series goes seven games--unlikely, at this point, but who knows--the series would close Saturday June 19 at Barclays, presumably in the evening.

A 6/8/21 press release announced that yes,  MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) return to New York City LIVE on Sunday, September 12th, airing globally in over 175 countries .  What's unclear is how many fans will be allowed inside the Barclays Center, but... it seems clear that many will be, as health and safety protocols evolve. And the limits on an audience might have more to do with production constraints than safety ones. Also unclear is the impact on the neighborhood surrounding the arena, which took a hit during the 2013 VMAs, the last time they came to Brooklyn. Note that the event will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The press release MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) return to New York City LIVE on Sunday, September 12th, airing globally in over 175 countries From Barclays Center and packed with epic performances, VMAs set as one of first fan-filled awards shows In observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, MTV and 9/11 Day to partner on events leading up th

The latest Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Construction Update (bottom), covering the two weeks beginning June 14, was circulated yesterday at 10:09 am (lead time) by Empire State Development (ESD) after preparation by Greenland Forest City Partners.  One change from the  previous Update  regarding expected work: at the B12/B13 site (615 Dean/595 Dean) on the southeast block of the project, between Carlton and Vanderbilt avenues, "West Tower crane set up and installation scheduled for Saturday, June 19, 2021 and Sunday, June 20, 2021. Tower crane will be set up from Pacific Street and access to Pacific Street will be limited due to crane operations."  Note that an East Tower crane was previously announced to be set up last weekend. After-hours work contines Regarding after-hours work at B4 (18 Sixth Ave.), the Construction Update accurately lists weekday work  5 am  to  10 pm  and Saturday work  9 am to 5 pm . It also lists Sunday work 9 am to 5 pm but there's no after-hours

Some scenes from the Barclays Center on Monday, June 7, before the Brooklyn Nets' playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Yes, the former entrance to the team store is being used as an additional entrance to the building. The plaza was cordoned off more than ever--as shown in the photo below, extending to the sidewalk bordering Atlantic Avenue. This view from Flatbush Avenue, under the oculus, shows a maze of fencing to control the flow of crowds. This view from Flatbush Avenue also shows a very controlled perimeter, extending almost to the sidewalk. Yes, the new "Brooklyn Style" team store comes with LED signage, something certainly not portrayed in any of the documents regarding the design of arena retail--but "fixed illumination" is permitted, as per the Atlantic Yards Design Guidelines . Yes, there were numerous t-shirt sellers and other vendors on the sidewalks near the arena plaza, or across the street, and they were ignored by cops. The former Modell

It's another example of what I call "Atlantic Yards down the memory hole"--people don't remember basic facts about the project. In an essay published yesterday in City Limits,  Opinion: Shaun Donovan Praises Atlantic Yards, But It’s No Model Housing Partnership , I wrote, in part: So it’s disappointing to see Donovan unwisely touting the Atlantic Yards project announced under Bloomberg as an exemplary public-private partnership. In a Real Deal interview Feb. 3, he said the next mayor should plan for “equitable growth.” “You folks may remember that when we announced Atlantic Yards and the thousands and thousands of units of affordable housing it would create, Bertha Lewis, the legendary progressive activist from ACORN, kissed Mike Bloomberg on the lips,” Donovan stated . “Those are the kind of partnerships that I could build, bringing together progressive leaders and the public sector, the private sector, to create growth.” ... It’s too bad that Donovan, whose substan