Video: a walk around the arena block footprint shows traffic, demolitions, and perspectives from a wide road and a low-rise neighborhood
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(December 22 photo of Atlantic Avenue at Fifth Avenue, looking east, by Tracy Collins.)
I wanted to see the new advertising signage erected by Forest City Ratner after the master closing and I wanted to see the impact of the new traffic plan, in which Fifth Avenue is limited to northbound traffic between Flatbush and Atlantic avenues, and southbound traffic is diverted to Sixth Avenue.
Bottom line observations
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That's an interim condition, of course, because Fifth Avenue would be completely demapped, either compounding the problem or provoking new solutions.
(December 22 photo of Fifth Avenue below Atlantic Avenue, looking north, by Tracy Collins.)
Also, a walk around the block offers evidence that can be used by both project opponents and supporters. Yes, the southern border of the site is an intact, low-rise residential community, with houses less than 200 feet away, thus violating zoning, which is why the city's rules would be overridden by the Empire State Development Corporation, with the city's assent.
And the remaining parts of Dean Street, despite demolitions, attest to the residential character of the block--a reason why AY supporter Roger Green, then an Assemblyman, declared that the neighborhood was not blighted. Some of Pacific Street is still residential, but there have been many more demolitions of industrial buildings.
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For a look at the existing and demolished buildings, as well as some neighboring buildings, see Tracy Collins's collection.
(December 22 photo of Atlantic Avenue at Flatbush Avenue, looking east, by Tracy Collins.)
The route
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Note that the map derived from the site plan, at right, shows Fifth Avenue already demapped, though it hasn't happened yet. See Tracy Collins's map, below, part of his collection of AY maps.
Before the video, some notes
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While the houses might be attractive, say, to someone wanting a pied a terre near the arena, the foot and auto traffic, if/when the arena is built, would make Sixth Avenue a much, much busier street.
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Also note that, while Forest City Ratner has demolished two buildings across Dean Street east of Sixth Avenue, leading to construction trailers, the state has deferred plans for eminent domain on the three adjacent occupied row houses.
The Barclays Center signage is not wrapped around all the arena footprint block, just the western part of it, the triangle bounded by Fifth, Flatbush, and Atlantic avenues
The video is not continuous; I had to edit segments to fit it within the ten-minute limit set by YouTube.
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