From the latest (non-) Construction Update: no new work, but work continues in open space at 595 Dean, on southeast block

The latest Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Construction Update (bottom), covering the two weeks beginning  Monday, Aug. 7, has not (yet) been circulated by email, as it should have been by Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority that oversees/shepherds the project.

Update: it was circulated by Monday at 9:48 am, a bit late. 

But it was available Friday (lead time) at ESD's Atlantic Yards page, as shown in the screenshot below. Perplexingly, ESD does not see fit to list previous updates. 

(The document has traditionally been prepared by the master developer, long Greenland Forest City Partners, but operating as Pacific Park Development LLC.)

Reason for confusion

Perplexingly, after two two-week periods (June 12, June 26) in which ESD claimed that there were no new construction activities for the coming two weeks and thus didn't circulate a document, it has three times essentially issued a duplicate of the May 29 document, again with no new activities, as with two weeks ago.

While it states that there are no construction activities for the platform--indeed, such construction is not likely without a change in subsidies or tax breaks for new residential construction--the document still lists what might happen were consruction to start, such as the suspension of the B45 bus stop on Atlantic Avenue.

As I've written, given the general slack in oversight, I'd treat the confusing Construction Update as another instance of slopppiness in communication.

On the southeast block, courtyard work

The new document does not indicate new work at the B12/B13 site, 595 Dean Street, two towers already opened by developer TF Cornerstone.

"Courtyard Work remains to be completed pending final delivery of materials," the document states, without providing a deadline. 

Indeed, as I wrote yesterday, there's a decent amount of "Courtyard Work" left, including completion of the fountain plaza (right) as well as opening the children's playground.

After-hours work? 

Regarding after-hours work at the B12/B13 site, the document still says there's a variance for work to start at 6 am on weekdays. No such variances for that time have been listed since mid-February.

It also says "Saturday work from 9 AM – 5 PM will continue." No variance has been listed since 4/1/23, though previous variances were from 9 am to 5:30 pm, a small but not insignificant persistent inaccuracy.

No one proofreads this stuff. Which is reason to not take the document as gospel.

Work on the school

As I previously wrote, some work is ongoing, notably the construction of a middle school at the B15 site, 662 Pacific Street (and with the address 491 Dean Street), by the School Construction Authority. But because it's not a developer responsibility, it's not part of that two-week documentation.