The Barclays Center still has (mostly) a two-toned sidewalk, given dripping rust from facade. So much for that promised power wash.

Atlantic Ave. side

Sure, it's hardly the biggest thing about the Barclays Center.

But shooting some photos last week I was struck by the distinctly two-tone sidewalk visible bordering both Atlantic and Flatbush avenues, caused by rust dripping from the pre-weathered--but not fully pre-weathered--facade.

And I was struck how the sidewalk repairs/replacements on Atlantic Avenue, below right, seem to be limited to structural rather than cosmetic issues, setting up a pattern in which rusty stains prevail.

The problem was already visible less than two months after the arena opened, when the New York Times, on 11/27/12, reported:

The deliberately rusted facade has dripped patches of bright orange onto some of the surrounding sidewalks, and left them looking as though a very tall and mischievous teenager had gone at them with a can of pumpkin-colored spray paint.

Was this the plan?

Atlantic Ave. patches

Despite the pre-weathering in the factory, the panels were expected to continue to "cure." Which meant the impact on the sidewalk was supposed to be resolved by, well, cleaning.

There was more rust dripping to come. The Times reported at the time:

Joe DePlasco, a spokesman for the Barclays Center, said in an e-mail that the arena staff had expected the discoloration and planned to clean the sidewalk with, essentially, a “sidewalk power wash,” sometime in the next few weeks and then again as needed.

Well, maybe they did so early on.

But it looks like they gave up after some point, given the well-weathered sidewalks in the photo.

Rust on the Flatbush Avenue sidewalk

Below, the rust hugs the building facade and then the area around the benches, which is attributable to the varying overhang of the metal mesh.

Atlantic Avenue replacement work

Perhaps recently-announced plans (and continually updated) to revamp cracked sidewalks on might cure part of this. But, as noted, the sidewalk replacement--on Atlantic Avenue, below--seems to be limited to structural rather than cosmetic issues.