Outside Barclays Center, arena operators hope to refresh plaza and fully reopen by October 19, for Nets' first regular-season game. Escalators still out.

This is the third of three articles about the 9/20/22 Quality of Life meeting. The first concerned the delayed platform. The second concerned updates at two tower sites.

Revamp incomplete in area near Atlantic
Avenue and behind transit entrance

The Brooklyn Nets play pre-season home games on Monday, Oct. 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers and Thursday, Oct. 6 against the Miami Heat.

Both are key Eastern Division rivals, and if coaches play their first-string rosters, should attract solid crowds.

For now, though, the owners of the Nets and the Barclays Center operating company have another date in mind: the season opener Wednesday, Oct. 19, against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Given the new-look Nets, with the expected debut of enigmatic star Ben Simmons coupled with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and the appearance of the surprisingly strong Pelicans, with budding superstar Zion Williamson, that should draw a big crowd. Plus: free t-shirt.

Oct. 19 target

So no wonder that, as arena spokeswoman Mandy Gutmann said at the Quality of Life meeting, the arena operating company is aiming to complete restoration work on the plaza--er, the SeatGeek Plaza--by that season opener.

After ten years, there's ample evidence of wear and tear--and now progress--as shown in the photos I took yesterday.

The pavers are being replaced, she said, and the fencing is moving daily. "We are currently in the process of installing the grout that will hold the pavers together," she said.

"So at this point, our target completion date for the plaza is mid-October," she said. "We are trying as fast as possible to get that done in time for October 19."

Let's see if they make that deadline.

Note that in May, Gutmann said that the work was due to be finished in September--presumably in time for the arena's tenth anniversary, Sept. 28--but that schedule has slipped.

Then and now

As shown in the image at right, the new pavers look fairly similar--if a bit longer--than the old ones, but do not have the wear and tear.

Also, as I've noted, by replacing the pavers, the arena operators remove long-outdated branded bricks honoring the New York Daily News, the plaza's original sponsor, before Resorts World Casino NYC and then Seat Geek.

One posted Department of Buildings permit, for the fence outside the transit entrance, indicates an Oct. 9 expiration, but presumably that can be renewed.

Also, as shown at right, the revamp includes replacement lighting in areas where the casing was cracked or broken, as in the zone around the sculpture "Ona," which some liken to a gyro, located near Flatbush Avenue.

Questions

One reader asked on Twitter, "Would like to know how much it cost, who paid, the purpose, and whether there was any public input or approvals."

I'll attempt some answers.

It's a private project, since the arena company (Brooklyn Events Center, part of BSE Global) controls the (technically publically-owned) space, so they're paying for it. There's no evidence of public money.

But they're not saying how much they're spending--or, for that matter, how much they raise from current/new sponsors and advertisers to help pay for it all.

The purpose is fairly clear.

Were there any public approvals? Not outside the Department of Buildings, as far as I know.

Was there any public input? No.

Was there any requirement for public input? Not that I know of. 

Update: I got a response at 9:41 am from Empire State Development:

The arena operator provided notice and obtained the necessary approvals to restore the pavers on the plaza. The activity will improve conditions on the plaza with additional lighting and restoration of damaged pavers.

The restoration work was presented during public community meetings and also detailed in a notice distributed to local neighbors. The restoration is expected to be completed by mid-October.

Note that "presented" does not mean invited public input. As to approvals, as I asked in response: does that mean anything beyond the Department of Buildings? (ESD had not answered whether it had provided approval.)

Limited access

The fence has been moving steadily, Gutmann said, and indeed there's now ample access from both Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue to the transit entrance.

As stated in May and again in a letter in June, pedestrian access from one side would always be maintained.

Elevators and escalators will not be out of service at the same time, we were told, and I haven't noticed that. 

However, they handle very different volumes and, as shown in the photo at left, the escalator was out of service yesterday, yet again.

As far as I know, that problem, which predates the plaza revamp, is unrelated to that work.

As I've suggested, the arena company should offer regular updates--a hotline? posted information?--on the status of the escalators: when did they go out of service, and when should they return to service.

C'mon, Barclays Center Community Relations (community@bseglobal.net).

In August, I suggested the arena company may have another major job. As has been clear since the arena opened, the pre-rusted metal components of the arena facade and oculus were still dripping rust, staining the sidewalk below. They can't be cleaned.

More photos