Next Quality of Life meeting is next Tuesday, on Zoom; many questions still pending

The next Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Quality of Life Meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at 6 pm, two days after MTV Video Music Awards may have caused significant disruption--at least according to pre-show announcements of street closures--in the immediate neighborhood of the Barclays Center. 

Eight years ago, the VMAs were both celebrated as a success and seen as an imposition. We'll see how much this latest event impacts neighbors.

The meeting's Zoom link is here.

Dial In: 646-558-8656 || Passcode: 967 1621 4798 # 

Meeting ID: 967 1621 4798 

Project-related questions and suggested agenda items may be sent to atlanticyards@esd.ny.gov. (An agenda, typically non-informative, should be circulated soon.)

Note that the bi-monthly meeting, hosted by Empire State Development, was two months ago described as likely involving an in-person meeting, perhaps in a hybrid format. But earlier this month new Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation extending virtual access to public meetings, given the spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus.

The ESD format for such meetings, unlike some other public meetings in COVID-19 times, precludes the opportunity for members of the public to speak, and their questions/comments, posed in chat, are visible only to the mdoerators.

Big questions likely still pending

As with many previous meetings, expect questions but not necessarily updates on some big unknowns regarding the project:

• the timing for the platform over the Vanderbilt Yard, crucial to the construction of six towers
• plans to complete the project's required affordable housing by May 2025, and/or plans for an exemption or extension regarding that deadline, which imposes a $2,000/month fine for each delayed unit
• plans to transfer bulk from the unbuilt Miss Brooklyn tower, which was to loom over the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic avenues, site of what’s now the arena plaza, but likely will be transferred across Flatbush to Site 5, currently home to P.C. Richard and the shuttered Modell’s, already approved for a large building, creating a giant two-tower project.

Some answers awaiting confirmation

All evidence suggests that the under-completion B4 (18 Sixth Ave.) and B15 (662 Pacific St.) towers, each with 30% affordable units, will have those units limited to middle-income households averaging 130% of Area Median Income, or AMI. That translates to one-bedroom units for up to $2,838, at current income levels.

That's according to evidence shared by the developers of Brooklyn Crossing (18 Sixth); Plank Road (662 Pacific) is likely similar, but there have been no official statements from Empire State Development or city/state housing agencies.

Those buildings have not yet appeared on the city's Housing Connect database for affordable housing lotteries, but likely should appear reasonably soon.

Transparency issues

There are several unanswered questions from the previous two meetings, as noted in my summary of meeting notes, such as how long the 6 am start at the B12/B13 site would persist? (Perhaps throughout construction?)

Also, why was no Construction Update (aka two-week lookahead) circulated for the two weeks beginning July 26 (7/26/21)?

Fire department at the railyard?

An observer recently told me that the fire department every week or so is summoned, with a truck and personnel, to a booth at the Vanderbilt Yard near Carlton Avenue and Pacific Street. Sometimes an alarm has gone off at the booth, but other times there's no alarm.

What's up? Perhaps we'll learn more.

Barclays Center reopening

After the VMAs, and relatively low-attended New York Liberty basketball games--one recent game drew 2,315--the Barclays Center ramps up with larger events, starting with a Marc Anthony concert on Sunday Sept. 19.

Given the requirement of proof of vaccination for all guests 12 and over, that should mean longer lines to get in, perhaps extending around the plaza (and also Dean Street entrance well) to the sidewalk. What perimeter is planned?

Also note that the arena's changing policies regarding masks, which are no longer required--perhaps unenforceable, or just simply contra the fan/attendee experience?--for vaccinated patrons, which adds some increment of risk.