On cars parked outside Barclays Center along Atlantic Avenue during Nets game, no placards. As with parking on sidewalk during events, an implicit city accommodation to arena operations.

I wrote recently about cars combat-parked along Atlantic Avenue during Nets games--despite "No Standing" signs and a fire hydrant--and one question raised was whether the cars somehow had placards allowing it.

My response was that I hadn't checked but I'd never seen them in the past--in other words, this is related to Barclays Center events, rather than a routine flouting of rules thanks to placards, which is all too common around the city.

So I went back Friday night, April 23.

As shown in the video below, shot from the sidewalk, there were again numerous cars parked along Atlantic, including a hydrant.

And while I didn't shoot a video of the dashboards--it was too dangerous to be walking close to traffic--I can confirm (as exemplified  in the photo at right) that the vehicles didn't have placards.

  

Along Dean Street

As I've described, the public sidewalk along Dean Street, near the secondary entrance to the Barclays Center as well as the loading dock (and associated street-level "pad"), has long been encroached on by arena-related vehicles.

And the drop-off lane(s), including the indented section, is frequently full of parked vehicles.

Consider the photo below. The nearest vehicle is sticking out into the sidewalk. In the distance, a vehicle is parked on the sidewalk. And there's a truck parked next to the hydrant. 

As I wrote, the official answer I got from Empire State Development, the state authority that oversees/shepherds the arena, was this:

There has been no formal permission granted for parking along Atlantic Avenue. Parking signage is regulated by NYC Department of Transportation and enforced by the NYPD.

Presumably that also applies to the situation on Dean Street.

Given that the 78th Precinct is literally around the corner from Dean Street, these infractions would be easy to enforce and, as with other parking-related infractions related to arena events, a potential revenue source for the city.

But the Barclays Center has been operating for more than eight years. So the most obvious conclusion is that city officials have agreed to allow such encroachments, enabling the arena, with a very tight fit in the neighborhood, to operate with more slack.

That's a financial advantage to arena operators, and a "taking" from the public and, especially, the neighborhood.