Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report

Eleven years ago, when Council Member de Blasio aimed at the 2009 Brooklyn Borough President race, he invited bloggers to a Park Slope coffee shop. Asked about affordable housing, he proposed a tiered approach, from the poorest, families under $20,000, to middle-income households. Should those earning six figures get subsidized housing? "Definitely below six figures," he responded. Well, that's changed, partly because incomes have risen--leaving the truly needy even farther behind--and because lower-income units require more subsidy. Area Median Income (AMI), the base from which a percentage is applied--80% and lower is technically low-income--has risen: 100% of 2018 AMI is $104,300. Consider the example of "100% affordable" 535 Carlton , with half the units for households earning up to 165% of AMI--affordable but tough to rent, with two months free on some leases--which de Blasio hailed. At Brooklyn Bridge Park Now come 100 new affordable units ...

In a race that pushed incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo to his left and highlighted challenger Cynthia Nixon's criticism of Cuomo's stewardship of the subway system, Cuomo, riding a huge war chest, soundly defeated Nixon in yesterday's Democratic primary election, likely a path to victory in the November general election. In other words, "Status Cuo-Mo," as the Daily News cover "wood" put it. And that would be the status quo for New York State's stewardship of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, via the state-controlled Empire State Development, which likely will remain deferential to the developer's desires. Not that ESD oversight became a campaign issue. Not status quo was the defeat of most Democratic Senators who were in the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference, including Brooklyn's Jesse Hamilton, who represents a broad district that includes part of Prospect Heights. The AG race From the New York Times In a surprise to some, e...

Update via Brooklyn Paper : "The newly combined company will be known as Schneps Community News Group and will have a total printed weekly circulation of more than 300,000 copies, a digital reach of more than 2.5 million page views per month, and host more than 40 events every year." Update via staffer Juliane McShane : The Bay Ridge Courier will not be published. A Brooklyn neighborhood news monopoly, at least in print, is approaching and the Brooklyn Paper is on its fourth owner in less than a decade. ( Update : I should have included the Brooklyn Eagle , which is independently owned and publishes in print and online.) The Brooklyn Paper, once a crusader opposing Atlantic Yards in editorials and offering tough coverage in news, changed upon the sale by Ed and Celia Weintrob in 2009 to the Rupert Murdoch-owned Community News Group (CNG). Murdoch's News Corp. in 2014 sold  CNG to Les and Jennifer Goodstein. Now CNG is selling, as reported 9/11/18 by the New Y...

Regular readers of this blog know that I've been tough on the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park coverage by the "notorious Stephen Witt."  He now runs the admittedly pay-for-coverage-sometimes Kings County Politics, which I've  criticized   multiple   times  (without rebuttal) for posting Maimonides Medical Center news releases as news stories, without links to the original press release. Last year I tweeted about KCP judicial profiles that were not labeled "sponsored content," though in a separate email the candidates were listed as advertisers, though the disclosure did not follow FTC guidance. Now, a day before the primary election, check out the softball profiles on candidates Gina Levy ,  Ingrid Joseph , Steven Mostofsky , and Loren Baily . As of the pre-primary spending deadlines, I have not seen spending from the following relevant campaign committees: GINA FOR CIVIL COURT JUDGE, FRIENDS OF INGRID JOSEPH, and COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT LOREN BAILY. ...

There's a lot to catch up on regarding the Attorney General race. While Mayor Bill de Blasio has decided to stay out of the race--seemingly a snub toward Public Advocate Letitia James , a fellow Brooklynite--his wife Chirlane McCray has endorsed law professor Zephyr Teachout , the farthest left of the candidates. Ideology trumps identity politics: McCray is a black woman, bypassing two black women, James and Verizon lobbyist and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo aide Leecia Eve , either of whom could be the first black woman in statewide office. Teachout is white. Late-breaking pressure Meanwhile, as Politico  reported  9/10/18, "New York's biggest developer is helping to bankroll an eleventh-hour effort to take down an attorney general candidate who has vowed to do battle with the real estate industry," with the Related Companies giving money to a PAC fighting Teachout, while its had has donated significantly to  Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney , considered the most business-fr...

In June 2013, I called it a "provisional big win for Barclays Center" when the City Council limited Madison Square Garden to 10-year permit, given that the Manhattan arena would, presumably, have to find a new location. But nothing's happened since, as the Real Deal reported 9/6/18: But with five years left on its special operating permit, MSG appears to have taken no significant steps toward what would be a years-long process of acquiring a new site and constructing a new stadium. Moreover, a City Council spokeswoman wouldn't acknowledge whether it expected that deadline to be met. Keep in mind that simply building an arena can take three years, while land acquisition and an environmental review process takes longer. When Gov. Andrew Cuomo held a press conference announcing a new 33rd Street entrance to Penn Station, he didn't mention any MSG plans. But the Municipal Art Society, which along with the Regional Plan Association an influential advocate for mo...

According to a document (below) filed 9/5/18 in state Supreme Court, the long-lingering suit filed in December 2015 by P.C. Richard against Forest City Ratner (now Forest City New York), which is a factor in the stalled project for Site 5, has been held over and now faces a pre-trial conference on 1/9/19. Whether Forest City's motion for partial summary judgment will go to oral argument or not is unclear. The case involves a 2006 letter of intent (LOI) signed by P.C. Richard parent A.J. Richard and Forest City, which indicated that the electronics store would get comparable space in a new building at the project site. Forest City contends the LOI was nonbinding; P.C. Richard says it was ironclad. The LOI is under seal, so no one's seen it, but conditions have certainly changed years, with the retail picture far more glossy. I've speculated that it might have been plausible to include a competitively-priced electronics store in a retail space as of 2006. The developer-...

The Brooklyn Nets are on something of an upswing, but they don't really have stars, and Bleacher Report predicts a 30-52 season. And you know the in-house marketers are straining when they're trying to sell a Jason Kidd plan , named for a retired former star, and short-lived coach, who left his job as coach in Milwaukee last January after 3.5 years there. From the online promotional page : To mark Jason Kidd’s Hall of Fame enshrinement, the Nets will celebrate his legacy with a special 11-game plan that begins with Opening Night and includes teams Jason played and coached for, along with some of the top stars making their mark as the playmakers of today. Plus, with purchase you’ll get a commemorative Hall of Fame Jason Kidd Bobblehead and have the opportunity to take a photo with his #5 retired banner on November 2 when the Nets take on the Houston Rockets.

Excerpt from DCP The Department of City Planning has created a new searchable online map of Privately Owned Public Spaces, or POPS, as noted in the press release below. The database will be updated regularly, says the DCP, which is a good idea, because, for example, there's no mention of the POPS behind 535 Carlton and 550 Vanderbilt, the two towers on the southeast block of the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project. The open space is part of a larger, 8-acre area that could take until 2035 to complete. See screenshot at right and look to lower right. There's also no mention of Domino Park in Williamsburg either, by the way, and that's finished, not merely in progress. By the way, to search from the Department of City Planning map, drill down in the drop-down menu of Parks, Gardens, and Historical Sites, and only check off Privately Owned Public Spaces. See below. The DCP map also links to a Municipal Art Society-produced web site devoted to POPS , with descri...

As we're waiting to learn more about a potential compromise regarding the 80 Flatbush project, I wanted to add some backstory plus a few things discussed at last month's hearing but left out of my article for The Bridge. I wrote in a 4/1/18 article that developer Alloy began acquiring property in 2015, so it was well-positioned, perhaps uniquely so, to respond to the Educational Construction Fund’s (ECF) plan for the space. Indeed, after its purchases, Alloy contacted the Department of Education and School Construction Authority regarding the air rights over the Khalil Gibran school, with the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership making the introduction. Meanwhile, ECF had been independently looking at the site for potential redevelopment. "Well-positioned, perhaps uniquely so," was generous--it's hard to believe that anyone else would've wanted to proceed, because another developer would have had to buy out Alloy, or build around their property. After all...

A press release 9/5/18 from Skanska indicates that another top executive at Forest City New York, Josie Mok, has left the company, which has (mostly?) given up on new development and is part of the larger Forest City Realty Trust, which in the process of being acquired by Brookfield Asset Management. Mok was Senior Vice VP for Financial Planning & Analysis, "where she oversaw investment analysis and financial forecasting for investments in New York office, retail, residential, and hotel asset classes, as well as sports & entertainment." Skanska Taps New Chief Financial Officer for Commercial Development Operations in the U.S. NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2018  -- Skanska has added Josie Mok as Chief Financial Officer for its USA Commercial Development business unit. Mok replaces Axel Wingard who moved into a global position for the company based in Stockholm. In this role, Mok is responsible for overseeing Skanska's real estate asset portfolio in the U.S., in collabora...

Update 9/12/18: there's another private event on Sept. 26, with 19,000 people expected around 10 am for WE Day. The Barclays Center yesterday afternoon at 3:26 pm (late) circulated a Community Notice listing September events at the arena. There are 13 ticketed events and four private, non-ticketed events, the subject of which was not disclosed. Last night, though, the private event was a fashion and music experience put on by the company and website VFiles.com , with free tickets. VFiles also has a pop-up shop  for three days at the arena perimeter, ending today. The ticketed events include one concert (Drake), one boxing card, two Islanders pre-season games, two ESL One e-sports competitions, and seven performances of Sesame Street Live over three days. September 2017 calendar The arena's September 2017 calendar of ten ticketed events included six nights of concerts (two each per act), two Islanders pre-season games, and two e-sports events. At that point, ...

Newsday yesterday published IDA approves tax breaks for Islanders' $10 million Coliseum upgrade plan : The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency voted to approve tax breaks for the New York Islanders Wednesday night on a nearly $10 million planned renovation at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. ...Completion of the $9.95 million interior upgrades would allow the Islanders to temporarily return to the Uniondale arena for three years while a new arena at Belmont Park is developed. Newsday reports that the cost of the renovation, once $8.5 million, has risen. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has committed $6 million. So the arena operator, BSE Global, surely wants to save where they can; in this case, they get a $400,000 to $450,000 sales tax break regarding a locker room renovation, new  video-cable infrastructure, and upgraded ice rink equipment. “We want to see the Islanders back, and if we can assist in a small way, why not,” Richard Kessel, IDA chairman, said, according to Newsday.

From my article published last night in The Bridge,  Down to the Wire: What’s the Compromise on 80 Flatbush? : As the 80 Flatbush project approaches a vote in the New York City Council, District 33 Council Member Stephen Levin, who represents the site, has made a counter-proposal: The developers should cut the controversial, two-tower development’s bulk by one third. While that sounds like a dramatic downscaling of the project’s ambition, it’s a compromise. The size would still be nearly double what’s allowed under current zoning law. It’s not uncommon for developers pursuing a rezoning to request more than they need, with a scaleback in mind that would allow most parties to claim a win. But 80 Flatbush has been especially contentious, with executives at Alloy Development , backed by many city and business officials, insisting that towers rising 986 feet and 561 feet, accommodating 900 apartments and 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, plus two schools, are appropriate for the site...

In last night's Attorney General debate--here's my City Limits profile of candidate Leecia Eve , by the way--I was wondering what candidate Letitia James, the city's Public Advocate, might say about Atlantic Yards. "As someone who has consistently and repeatedly over 20 years spoken truth to power, and who has challenged powerful interests in the state of New York," James said in her closing , "I will not allow anybody to question my independence, because it's already been proven. She cited her work as a former public defender, as a former assistant Attorney General, and then said "as a former City Council member who took on the most powerful developer in Brooklyn," before moving on to her work as Public Advocate. Maybe the micro-pause after "took on the most powerful developer in Brooklyn" was consistent with all her other micro-pauses. Or maybe James considered--but then held back on--saying that she'd taken the developer...

In a brief filing yesterday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Cleveland-based Forest City Realty Trust, parent of Forest City New York, disclosed: (b) On September 4, 2018, Forest City Realty Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that Ronald A. Ratner, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, will be leaving the Company effective September 15, 2018. Mr. Ratner’s departure was not due to any disagreement with the Company or concerns relating to the operations, policies, or practices of the Company. Well, there may not have been any disagreement, but, as The Real Deal noted , Ratner as of last March--when a new board overhauled the company, with Ronald among three family members leaving--was supposed to stay.  But, indeed, family control and power has been steadily diminishing. And of course, Forest City is in the process of being acquired by Brookfield Asset Management. Ratner is a cousin of Bruce Ratner, executive chairman of Forest City...

The latest Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Construction Update (bottom), covering the two weeks beginning Monday, Sept. 3, was circulated at 12:11 pm Friday (lead time) by Empire State Development (ESD) after preparation by Greenland Forest City Partners. Though no new vertical construction is planned for now, there are some changes from the previous update , notably progress on the long-delayed--seen as possible for more than two years--demolition of two buildings on Block 1120, the railyard block between Sixth and Carlton avenues and Pacific Street and Atlantic Avenue. These "bump" into the railyard from Atlantic Avenue. "The water and sewer cut off is scheduled for both 728 Atlantic and 700 Atlantic building during this reporting period," according to the update. "This work will occur overnight but may continue into the early morning." Also the erection of scaffolding on those buildings will continue (though it previously wasn't said have be startin...

Daily News editorial page editor (and Park Slope resident) Josh Greenman is a fan of the Barclays Center (see below) but he also walks to the subway station there (see below), and his regular observations of an out-of-order elevator led to today's stinging editorial, headlined Pushing our buttons: An awful subway elevator must finally come back online : As our correspondent noticed on morning after evening after morning after evening after morning after evening, the station is also plagued by a chronically kaput elevator from the street to the trains. This, despite the station’s total overhaul — with brand new entrances and exits and lifts — in 2012. ...Friday, after the umpteenth complaint lodged on Twitter, folks at the MTA kindly engaged to say: Yep, the elevator is one of the system’s worst. It is out of service about half (!) the time. The folks at Barclays built it and are responsible for maintenance, a task at which they are objectively worse at than the Nets are at bask...