As I wrote yesterday, there's a glut of office space in Brooklyn, though that still doesn't rule out the chances for Site 5, which could deliver significant office space in 3-4 years (in a best-case scenario).But is Site 5--currently home to P.C. Richard and Modell's across from the arena, but long slated for a significant development, including office space--moving ahead?
As I wrote 11/20/19, more than four years after big plans surfaced for Site 5, construction seemed more likely.
Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority that oversees/shepherds Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, issued a statement 11/19/19: “Later this week, ESD will file papers to condemn a property in Downtown Brooklyn, allowing an important part of the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project to move forward. This condemnation was always envisioned in the original project documents. We will continue to work collaboratively with the developer and the community to deliver an exceptional mixed-use project at this site.”
What now?
Were those papers filed in court? More than two weeks later, I can't find them. I asked ESD twice for an update, but didn't get a response.
Could there be a snag, or just a bureaucratic delay? Did I miss something? Unclear.
Note a complication in the ESD statement: while the condemnation "was always envisioned," it was contemplated for a single tower, approved in 2006 at 250 feet tall and containing some 440,000 square feet. Floated in 2016 was a two-tower complex, more than 1.1 million square feet and up to 785 feet tall, with bulk transferred from the unbuilt B1 tower, aka "Miss Brooklyn."
That bulk transfer, and the lengthy public process needed to approve it, didn't happen as planned. P.C. Richard went to court, and earlier this year won the initial round in a lawsuit against original developer Forest City Ratner/Forest City New York, claiming that it was promised space in the future tower.
Though that decision was appealed, the dispute always could've been settled--and that process, as of last month, was apparently in motion. (Forest City is now owned by Brookfield.)
We just don't know how far along.
Nor do we know developer Greenland Forest City Partners has an anchor tenant in mind, and aims to build a tower or towers with significant office space--or whether the complex could include a significant number of apartments, and whether any would be affordable.
Though that decision was appealed, the dispute always could've been settled--and that process, as of last month, was apparently in motion. (Forest City is now owned by Brookfield.)
We just don't know how far along.
Nor do we know developer Greenland Forest City Partners has an anchor tenant in mind, and aims to build a tower or towers with significant office space--or whether the complex could include a significant number of apartments, and whether any would be affordable.
Nor do we know the currently contemplated dimensions. It's about four years after the two-tower plan first surfaced, and plans can change.
Stay tuned.
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