Is Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner "the man chiefly responsible for the renaissance of Brooklyn," as Brett Yormark, the relentlessly promotional CEO of the New Jersey Nets, introduced him at the 9/26/11 media event featuring Jay-Z? Of course not. Not even ubiquitous environmental consultant AKRF tried to say that, even though it did offer a very selective history for the Atlantic Yards Draft Environmental Impact Statement. And, a city official suggested last week, credit goes to the creative class. (I don't disagree, but I think it's more complicated.) Urban renewal vs. private investment As I wrote 8/21/06, AKRF emphasized governmental investment in urban renewal, including condemnation, without acknowledging the parallel process in Brownstone Brooklyn of mostly private reinvestment and revival via historic preservation, which was hastened by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission, beginning in the 1960s. Ratner was responsible, in tandem...
This watchdog blog, by journalist Norman Oder, covers the project to build the Barclays Center arena and 15-16 towers at a crucial site in Brooklyn. Dubbed Atlantic Yards by developer Forest City Ratner in 2003, it was rebranded Pacific Park Brooklyn in 2014 after Shanghai-based Greenland USA took a majority share. Forest City left in 2018. Eight towers and the arena have been built. After a stall, Cirrus and LCOR in 2025 took over as master developers. A plan to complete the project is pending.