Tracy Collins offers time-lapse photos from outside arena site, near FCR's malls, despite official discouragement

Photographer Tracy Collins did some filming yesterday, and workers at Forest City Ratner's arena site as well at the developer's mall complex didn't want him getting too close.

The documentation doesn't bring up anything unusual, but there's a value to consistent documentation. Surely Forest City Ratner is trying to control the visuals, such as with these shots of new Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Arena construction

Flatbush Avenue at Pacific Street
Prospect Heights
Brooklyn, New York
May 27, 2010
2:30pm

Collins writes:

Site of the Barclays Center Arena of the Atlantic Yards development by Forest City Ratner. Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Center Mall is in the background.

I was told by the construction workers (who eventually covered the gap in the fence thru which I was shooting) that I should "move along" and that "I couldn't photograph here." I told them that I could and I would as I was on a public sidewalk.

Barclays Center Arena construction, Flatbush at Pacific from tracy collins on Vimeo.

Near the malls

Fort Greene Place at Hanson Place
Fort Greene
Brooklyn, New York
May 27, 2010
around 3pm, facing south along Fort Greene Place
toward the site of the Barclays Center Arena of Atlantic Yards

Collins writes:

I planned to shoot this time lapse on the corner on the left on the far side of Hanson Place (next to the crosswalk signal). Within minutes of setting up the tripod, I was told by a nice gentleman in a suit that I wasn't allowed to photograph there as it was a private street, that the street was demapped by the city for "the owner of these two buildings" (a.k.a. the Atlantic Center Mall on the left, and the Atlantic Terminal Mall on the right). He said that he couldn't stop me from photographing on a "city" street, so I moved across Hanson Place.

I'd note that the best vantage point from north of the site is clearly at one of the two malls, as shown in those photos of Prokhorov. Chances of Collins being invited to set up shop there? None.

Forest City Ratner's private street (formerly Fort Greene Place) from tracy collins on Vimeo.