The southeast block now has four towers. The views from the south and from the north differ greatly, and that's without the towers planned over the railyard.

The southeast block of the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project has been built out, with four towers.

It looks very different from the south and from the north--by design, as the project's Design Guidelines set out, among other goals, to"[r]educe building scale as the project meets Dean Street."

The relatively lower-rise street walls along Dean Street, are supposed to harmonize--or, at least, not clash too much--with the lower-rise buildings across the street, which are not part of the project. 

The base heights for the interior towers at 595 Dean, aka B12 & B13, range from 86' to 100', while the tower at 550 Vanderbilt, aka B11, has a base height of 86' but with a street wall of 60', leading to a small setback, and the tower at 535 Carlton, aka B14, has similar dimensions (though the base height is 85'4").

After that, all portions of the building taller than the maximum building base height must be set back 55 to 60 feet from that base.

Variable views

Notably, while the view from the south--at least looking east or west along Dean Street--is complete, the view from the north remains very much unresolved.

That's because the seeming large towers backing into Pacific Street will be complemented by three larger towers, if the project gets built as approved. 

Those three towers are planned to flank the southeast block, while three more would occupy the center block of the railyard, between Sixth and Carlton avenues--at least if a crucial platform is built. 

Also notable: there are at least four more towers approved east of Vanderbilt along Atlantic Avenue, 17 and 18 stories, thanks to spot rezonings, while more may emerge from the pending area rezoning known as the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan.

From the south

Looking west from Dean Street and Vanderbilt Avenue. All photos: Norman Oder/June 1.

Looking east from Carlton Ave. and Dean Street, near 535 Carlton

Looking east from Dean Street east of Carlton Ave., near the west tower of 595 Dean

From the north

Looking southwest from Vanderbilt Ave. and Atlantic Ave. Railyard offers sites for six towers.

Looking southwest from Clinton Ave (east of Vanderbilt Ave.) and Atlantic Ave.

Looking east from Atlantic Ave. between Carlton Ave. and Sixth Ave.

Looking east from Atlantic Ave. between Carlton Ave. and Sixth Ave., closer to Sixth

Looking southeast from Carlton Ave. below Atlantic Ave.

From the center

Looking west from Vanderbilt Ave., just north of Pacific St. B4 (18 Sixth Ave.) in distance.

Looking east from Carlton Ave. between Pacific Street and Atlantic Ave.

Looking east from Carlton Ave., just north of Pacific St.

Looking east from Sixth Ave., just below Atlantic Ave. In foreground: the Newswalk condo building