As city's water and sewer upgrade on Dean Street from Sixth to Vanderbilt approaches, restaurateurs protest. How much for existing vs. future Atlantic Yards towers?

Sign at northwest corner of Vanderbilt & Pacific

Well, the unwelcomed outcome for restaurateurs near Vanderbile Avenue and Dean Street, as described at last week's Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation by open streets organizer (and AY CDC director) Gib Veconi, made it to New York magazine's Grub Street, which 4/17/23 published The City Gets Set to Dig Up a Booming Restaurant Row — Literally:

But the situation is not looking so hot this year; over the summer, streets will be dug up, water will be shut off, and construction vehicles will make their way onto the avenue. In talking to the neighborhood’s restaurant owners, it sounds as though many of them are bracing for the worst.

The reason for the work is the boom of high-rise developments that are part of Pacific Park, the megadevelopment project formerly known as Atlantic Yards. Officials say the influx of new and incoming residents necessitates upgrades to the existing water and sewage infrastructure. Whole swaths of the street will need to be removed for access, directly impacting the restaurants near the intersection of Dean Street and Vanderbilt, a group that includes LaLou, Chuko, Alta Calidad, and Patti Ann’s.

May 2022 presentation

Also unclear: how long the whole "Pacific Park Phase II Infrastructure Upgrades" project will take. In May of last year, a representative of the city's Department of Design and Construction said the work would start in the fall and last three years. 

The budget is $15 million, not a previously suggested $5 million-plus.

That seems to have been pushed back a year, which suggests that some of the work--as Veconi warned last week--could continue even after the expected September 2025 opening of the middle school at Dean Street and Sixth Avenue.

Though the streets will be opened back up after the workday, thus, for example, allowing people driving to an evening arena event to park their cars at the underground garage at 535 Carlton, that 303-space garage, with just one entrance, is getting more than 400 additional spaces.

Dean Street west of Carlton Ave.

How much for existing buildings?

The unresolved question, for Atlantic Yards watchers, is for which parts of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park is this crucial.

Two buildings opened (535 Carlton and 550 Vanderbilt), and two more are opening (595 Dean), on the project's southeast block before this upgrade will be completed, though it should add support.

Is it more for the six buildings expected over the railyard, but not expected until an expensive (and delayed) platform is constructed?

Update: Veconi says a city representative told stakeholders that work on the sewer was proceeding on an emergency basis due to concerns about current capacity being inadequate for the new Pacific Park buildings. That of course raises the question about how much capacity is needed and at what pace--and whether residents of those new towers, and neighbors, are at risk.

At an AY CDC meeting last June, Greenland USA's (now-departed) point man Scott Solish said the four buildings on the southeast block connect into existing infrastructure that the developer had already restored or improved.

Sign at northeast corner of Sixth & Dean streets

"So it is a neighborhood enhancement," Solish said, "that supports the overall development and growth of the Prospect Heights area."

"I would point out the DDC's project description specifically cites the buildings at Atlantic Yards as part of the justification for the project," Veconi said.

"Okay," responded Solish. Indeed, the maps visible in the posters point to Dean Street between Sixth and Vanderbilt avenues, with doglegs north on Carlton and Vanderbilt avenues. The  notice said:

The purpose of the project is to (1) upgrade sewer sizes to provide residents in the newly constructed buildings with sufficient capacity for sanitary discharge and to convey storm water from the area, (2) to install new distribution water mains to help with peak demands, (3) to improve the sizing of distribution water mains, and (4) to improve fire protection in the area.

What now?

Ciao, Gloria shed is in parking lane behind cars

The restaurant owners, of course, have more pressing concerns, because, as Grub Street reported, the city Department of Transportation already "started urging" them to take down their "streeteries," even though the work won't get to them until summer--but since postponed the request to Memorial Day..

Council Member Crystal Hudson would like the city to do it, at now cost, while the owner of the café Ciao, Gloria said it would otherwise cost $4,000

Others told Grub Street that previous work disrupted their ability to serve customers, and wearned the planned water shutoffs would disrupt businesses, for--depending on whom you ask--one to four weeks.

As shown in the photos above and below, the work seems ready to start on Dean Street between Sixth and Carlton avenues. That said, as shown in the photo below (among others taken yesterday afternoon), the "No Parking" signs were not getting respect, or enforcement.

Dean Street between Sixth and Carlton Avenues

Dean Street between Sixth and Carlton Avenues