So, what happened to the promised Times Plaza open space? It's been on hold for seven years.

Times Plaza, a modest triangle bounded by Fourth, Flatbush, and Atlantic avenues just above the Site 5 parcel occupied by P.C. Richard and the now-closed Modell's, is still in limbo.

It was supposed to be revamped as partial mitigation for an impact from Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park. but that never happened.

Times Plaza today. Photo: Norman Oder

Seven years ago (!), in October 2017, I reported that the project's main developer, Greenland USA, said open space work at Times Plaza—on about 4,500 square feet controlled by the Department of Transportation (DOT)—might go into construction in the second quarter of 2018. 

That didn’t happen. “The developer remains in ongoing discussions with the Department of Transportation,” then-Empire State Development (ESD) Atlantic Yards Project Director Tobi Jaiyesimi said at a public meeting in January 2022.

What about now?

What's the status now?

"At this time, there are no immediate construction plans for Times Plaza," an ESD spokesperson recently told me, adding that it's also "subject to decision by NYCDOT."

From Department of Transportation

Greenland USA’s receiding from the project surely hasn’t helped. It still controls Site 5 and has big ambitions for that parcel, but is losing six development sites over the Vanderbilt Yard to foreclosure.

What's planned

As I've written, the work will only take place in the western part of the space, which is controlled by the DOT. The eastern portion of the plaza, with a historic structure controlled by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and guarded by bollards, is not part of the plan.

As shown in the image, the purple indicates space for a bike lane, and a neckdown to make for a shorter crossing of Flatbush.

Heavy planters would be movable (with a forklift). Also movable would be tables and chairs. There's space for a vending kiosk operated by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, bike racks and trash cans.

The plans have been approved by the city's Public Design Commission (PDC), but "we’ve been under DOT review for several months," Greenland USA's Scott Solish said at a November 2019 meeting. Both he and Jaiyesimi have since departed their positions.

It looked pretty similar Oct. 20, 2021, when I took the photo below.

The rationale

The 2006 Final Environmental Impact Statement, Chapter 6, Open Space, included an assessment of the quarter-mile non-residential study area, focusing on passive open spaces that may be used by workers in the area. Why? Because projects have broader impacts.

According to that document, to assess the adequacy of the open spaces in the area, the ratio of workers to acres of open space is compared with the Department of City Planning's guideline of 0.15 acres of passive space per 1,000 workers. 

In addition, the passive open space ratio for both workers and residents in the area is compared with the recommended weighted average ratio. 

The conclusion: while the area has a ratio of 0.20 acres of passive open space per 1,000 workers, which is higher than the guideline. 

But the combined passive open space ratio was 0.08 acres per 1,000 residents and workers, which is lower than the recommended weighted average ratio of 0.37 acres per 1,000 residents and workers. 

So there was supposed to be more.

The mitigation

According to the June 2014 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Chapter 5, Mitigation:

At the time of the issuance of the DSEIS [Draft SEIS], one of the following plaza or open space areas was under consideration to be improved as a mitigation measure to address a prolonged construction period open space impact:

Times Plaza: currently an approximately 0.17-acre triangle formed by Flatbush Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, and 4th Avenue is occupied by a paved sidewalk area, bike racks, and the Times Plaza Control House (an MTA structure, built in 1908 as a subway entrance, which today functions as a skylight for the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station). 

...Since the issuance of the DSEIS, ESD has identified Times Plaza as the plaza to be improved in order to address the prolonged impact on the passive worker ratio in the non-residential study area because of the proximity of Times Plaza to the Phase I non-residential passive open space users. Subject to the review and approval of NYCDOT and, if applicable, the New York City Public Design Commission (PDC), the project sponsors will promptly plan, design, implement and fully fund improvements at Times Plaza, which will consist of the addition of seating, plantings and other open space amenities approved by NYCDOT and, if applicable, PDC. If practicable, the project sponsors will implement these improvements in coordination with restoration of the adjoining segment of Atlantic Avenue affected by the construction of the portal between the LIRR rail yard and Atlantic Terminal.

From Chapter 3E, Construction Open Space:

The 2006 FEIS [Final EIS] identified a temporary significant adverse open space impact in the nonresidential (¼-mile) study area upon the completion of Phase I (assumed in that FEIS to be in 2010), due to the decrease in the ratio of acres of passive open space per 1,000 workers (the passive worker ratio). The 2006 FEIS found that this impact would continue until the Phase II open space is phased in and that, by the completion of Phase II (assumed in that FEIS to be in 2016), the temporary significant adverse impact would be fully mitigated by the eight acres of publicly accessible open space constructed between the completion of Phase I and the completion of Phase II.