From the latest Construction Update: developer/ESD finally come clean about After-Hours Variances allowing work 5 am-10 pm and on Sundays (also note railyard work for three weekends)

After-Hours Variance for B15 (662 Pacific St.)

Well, they finally came clean. 

For the first time in more than 11 weeks, the two-week Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Construction Update (bottom) accurately acknowledged After-Hours Variances (AHVs) that allow weekday work from 5 am to 10 pm, and on Sundays. 

(The document was circulated yesterday at 2:39 pm, which represents lead time.)

I previously wrote about the issue multiple times: 11/18/20, 11/27/20, 11/30/20, 12/8/20, 12/9/20, 12/13/20, 12/14/20, 12/14/20, 12/24/20, 12/31/20, 1/11/21, 1/23/21, and 2/3/21. 

That's an inordinate amount of attention to a matter that could've been resolved with minimal professionalism from the master developer, Greenland Forest City Partners, which produces the document, and Empire State Development (ESD), which circulates it and should vet it.

ESD, a state authority that both oversees and shepherds the project, in this case has deferred to unreality for nearly three months.

Getting it right

In that previous article earlier this week, I tried to get ahead of the upcoming Construction Update, and cited AHVs for the upcoming two-week period already issued by the Department of Buildings--see example above.

So the new document acknowledges reality, with red type indicating a change, as excerpted below.

At the B4 site (18 Sixth Ave.), AHVs allow weekday work from 5 am to 10 pm, though previously the Construction Update stated only 6 am to 9 pm.  (Note the "10 am" typo.)

At the B15 site (37 Sixth Ave., 662-44 Pacific St.), AHVs allow weekday work from 6 am to 10 pm, and that there may be work on Sundays, though previously the Construction Update stated 6 am to 9 pm and ignored Sundays.

The latest update says that Saturday work will continue at B12 & B13 (615 Dean St. and 595 Dean St.), but doesn't indicate the time period. No AHVs are listed as of yet.

The extended AHVs have been said to allow social distancing and, at least in the early morning, are not supposed to involve disruptive noise. That still doesn't excuse the failure to reflect reality.

Track work on weekends

Another change, compared to the previous update (though disclosed at the subsequent Quality of Life meeting), is that the potentially disruptive track work previously announced for the two blocks of the Vanderbilt Yard was expected to start this weekend and continue over the following two weekends. The work starts 9 pm Friday and finishes by 4 am Monday.

The work "may require the use of portable light towers," according to the notice. "The light towers will be positioned to illuminate only the work zone in the Yard thereby minimizing impact to the surrounding community." 

Again, the specific reason for such work is not stated, though it likely involves final completion of the replacement Vanderbilt Yard, used to store and service Long Island Rail Road trains, and the hours relate to the LIRR's availability.

Construction progress

At B15, the window installation has progressed through the 26th floor; it was previously at the 24th floor of the 28-story building.

Community concerns

The Community Liaison Office located at 550 Vanderbilt Avenue is temporarily closed. The CLO can be reached by phone at 866-923-5315 and by email at communityliaison@pacificparkbrooklyn.com.