In brief, somewhat cryptic remarks, city official says task force is pushing to improve conditions around Atlantic Yards

This morning's Atlantic Yards District Service Cabinet meeting was almost exclusively about the Transportation Demand Management plan that aims to get arena-goers to use public transit.

But Lolita Jackson, the mayor’s director of special projects (and not quite ombudsman on quality-of-life issues), for the first time spoke publicly at moderate length, though her remarks were relatively brief and a bit cryptic.

A task force of agency officials, Jackson said, has done “three walkthroughs” (presumably beyond the Atlantic Yards site itself) and “did discover some conditions we were able to alleviate very quickly.”

The response includes “ some enforcement from NYPD,” presumably to limit parking violations; outreach from Department of Health rodent export Dr. Bob Corrigan to businesses; and an effort to more efficiently collect information regarding project-related issues delivered via 311 calls.

Beyond that, Jackson said, work is ongoing to establish protocols regarding arena operations, such as sanitation. More information on that work will be offered at the next District Service Cabinet meeting, scheduled for an unspecified date in July, some two months before the arena opens.