February 13, 2008
How Late is Too Late for Atlantic Yards Construction?
We noticed two YouTube videos, taken from an apartment with a view of Dean Street, documenting some late night construction activity at the Atlantic Yards site in downtown Brooklyn. How late? Well, one video takes place at 11:42PM (video) while the other is in the 4AM hour (above!). For reference, according to 311, construction hours are generally 7AM to 6PM on weekdays (there may be emergency work in the middle of the night, but only on occasion; we also know some contractors get variances and conduct work late at night).
It turns out the video was taken by Daniel Goldstein, spokesman for anti-Atlantic Yards organization Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn. Goldstein, who lives in the footprint of the massive plan (and who has documented the de-construction before), tells us that the construction activity has been taking place for many weeks.
He has been told by Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner that construction has to take place in the middle of the night because the Department of Transportation doesn't want to stop traffic on Flatbush. However, the two lanes of Flatbush that are closed overnight remain closed during the day - with no work going on.
Goldstein also finds it curious that when the Empire State Development Corporation's Environmental Impact Statement conducted a noise study for the area (PDF of the construction chapter), the study only focused on impact between 7AM and 11PM - not during the overnight hours. Of course, the much-criticized EIS had assumed everyone would be out of the footprint by the time construction started.
Goldstein and his neighbors are in the process of trying to get answers from Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other city agencies.
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Whatever you think about this project, you have to admire Mr. Goldstein's tenacity!
That sucks. Wasn't there a story awhile back about some guy in Manhattan, annoyed by early construction, who called the CEO of the construction company at 5 in the morning to bother him?
Maybe that will work here...
repeated calls can land you an unwanted harassment charge.
as for late-night construction, i live near a site in manhattan that on occasion has been granted a late-nite permit.
calling 311 is useless since they put you in contact with the EPA and then EPA then sends someone out the next day or days later (how does that help me tonight?)
go here to cross reference any permit:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/bis/bis.shtml
The late night construction is no doubt a plan by the Ratner to drive people away resulting in more money for greedy real estate scum.
Whine, Whine, Whine.
What neighbors? He's the only noodge left.
wrong Bongo Boy. there are hundreds of people who live there. but haters never let reality get in the way of their kneejerk attacks. right?
btw, are you suggeting that if you had jackhammers out your window every night at 4am you'd refrain from complaining?
wrong Bongo Boy. there are hundreds of people who live there. but haters never let reality get in the way of their kneejerk attacks. right?
btw, are you suggeting that if you had jackhammers out your window every night at 4am you'd refrain from complaining?
Bongoboy... I live right across the street from this site on Flatbush Ave (you can actually see my building in the video). Newsflash, buddy... there are LOTS of other apartments and tenants on this block and we're all equally annoyed by this every night.
I have contacted the group that owns my building and several others in this corridor to ask for their help. We'll see what happens.