Ratner Answers Critics of Atlantic Yards Project

NEW YORK CITY-Developer Bruce Ratner took his show on the road promoting his planned Atlantic Yards stadium project during a New York Building Congress forum. The plan, designed by architect Frank Gehry, calls for a 7.7-million-sf project that would include an 800,009-sf arena for the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise Ratner recently purchased.

Of late, the proposal has been criticized by community residents. Ratner placed critics of the plan into three categories: those who have housing and traffic concerns; people who live on the site who need to be relocated; and those who will always be opposed. “If we don’t do the right thing by the people who live on the site, then we haven’t succeeded,” he emphasized. He said dialogue is ongoing to address all concerns.

The plan also involves the construction of some 4,500 residential units in addition to 2.1 million sf of office space, 3.1 million sf allocated for retail use, open space and parking. The 19,000-seat arena facility can also be used as a venue for concerts and other sporting events. The first phase of construction on the arena is expected to begin at the end of this year and completed in the summer of 2006. Ratner estimates the rest of the project would take approximately 10 years to come to fruition.