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WPIX finds residents skeptical of new color-coded worker ID system; developer claims incidents "extremely isolated" (vs. "shark tank")

If the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park developers can't spin (too much) WPIX, the business parter of the Barclays Center, then they're in public relations trouble.

In Company creates color-coded hardhats to stop catcalling at Brooklyn construction site, WPIX takes a skeptical view of the new system, starting with the irony that developer Greenland Forest City Partners declared "this would be an ideal New York City neighborhood from scratch."

Instead, a visit to the blocks bordering the site produced tales of daily headaches: workers yelling and smoking, construction noise, and catcalls. (One resident complained about the loss of parking, which could be remedied by neighborhood parking permits.)


"It happens and it does bother people a lot," resident Jessica Flores said, adding that she was skeptical about the new color-coded system: "The odds of you walking up to someone who's essentially antagonizing you, or making you feel uncomfortable — check the color on their hat? It's pretty slim. I don't know how secure that's going to make people, especially women feel."

"Extremely isolated" or "shark tank"?

The final paragraph:
A representative from the Pacific Park developers told PIX11 News the company wants to create a safe and accountable site and the ID system is just a part of doing that. The representative also said reports of bad behavior on its construction sites have been extremely isolated.
Well, reports of harassment that have led to calls to the police have been extremely isolated, but the original complainant, as described in my blog and then the Daily News, likened living in the neighborhood to being in a "shark tank."

It's curious that locals are not getting back-up from elected officials like Council Member Laurie Cumbo and Public Advocate (and former Council Member) Letitia James.

Two kinds of press coverage

By the way, you can bet this story was not solicited by the developer via its p.r. firm but rather was driven by in-office initiative, at least after reading coverage in DNAinfo.

By contrast, I'd bed this Fox 5 piece, Virtual reality real estate tours, was driven by a public relations handout. Because it's pretty much free advertising.

Comments

  1. Naturally, WPIX-TV is a Barclays Center sponsor AND tenant.

    ReplyDelete

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