Critics Say Bollards At Atlantic Terminal Are Bollocks

The Long Island Rail Road's newly opened Atlantic Terminal Pavilion was decades in the making, and as such, the builders want to make sure it stands the test of time. So they surrounded it with "14 massive coffin-shaped concrete-and-granite bollards to ward off potential, though unspecified, terror attacks," according to the Brooklyn Paper.

Outside the glitzy $108-million terminal — where passengers can walk through a naturally lit atrium to transfer between LIRR trains and 10 subway lines — the hunks of stone take up a chunk of the sidewalk and block views, according to Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Fort Greene). "The coffins are ugly," she said. "This is a facility that is supposed to celebrate openness, yet they put hideous barricades in front of it." Long Island Rail Road President Helena Williams agreed that the bollards aren't pretty, but said they are needed "in this day and age." She added: "We worked with the NYPD and the MTA police, who assess the risks and tell us what kind of security we need. Do these bollards lack elegance? Yes. But they are necessary."

Architect John di Domenico said the initial plan was for "a group of low benches," but but they were made bulkier after construction began because "[s]ecurity concerns kept increasing." In an opinion piece and a video, the paper takes a stand against the structures, arguing that "train stations are supposed to be about magic and adventure, not paranoia and fear." Passersby like East New York resident Jason Russell were equally peeved by the bollards. “It looks like a Greek ritual ground," he said. "It seems like it’s just taking up space for no reason.” Meanwhile, the folks over at No Land Grab and Atlantic Yards Report find it bizarre that NYPD security experts determined that the train station needs to be defended by the bollards, but the arena component of Bruce Ratner's nearby Atlantic Yards project doesn't.

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By Ben Muessig in News on January 6, 2010 1:35 PM

Comments [rss]

jimmycracks

B1+*hes dont know about my massive concrete pottery

justthinkin

At least the Federal Building on Houston and Varick surrounded itself with nice planter-bollards, In fact, there were corn stalks and tomato vines in the ones on the King Street side. These, on the other hand, are monolithic monuments to lazy design.

NannyState

I'm not saying who, but I know for a fact that more than a few pot seeds found their way into those bollard planters as well.

woodendesigner

Oh they are very necessary....... not for terrorists though. Have you seen the way people drive through that intersection? I'm willing to bet that those barriers stop several runaway cars a lot more than once. That intersection sucks.

StedyRuckus

Screw the bollards... $108 million was spent on what exactly? And the MTA (which operates the LIRR) wonders why they have a budget crisis. Same for that nonsensical atrium they're building at Broadway & Fulton.

Michael

Being that my last two visits to Target have both witnessed fist fights, I'm guessing this area is a hotbed of unrest, to say the least.

Maybe rather than keeping terrorists out, these barriers are there to keep the violence in.

How Ya Doin

Imagine how easy it would be to load up a van or a truck with explosives, hop it over the curb and blow up that nice new glass structure. The bollards are absolutely necessary, or are the events of 8 years ago already forgotten? They don't, however, need to be so ugly.

jt10000

WTF are you talking about? Some guys fly two planes into a building once (1 time) therefore we should put up barriers against car bombs a random big building? Or big buildings in general?

Do you use that sort of logic in other aspects of life. "Duh, I got pneumonia once, so I'd better get an MRI every year. Better safe then sorry."

Yeah, that makes sense.

Comments like yours make me realize the truth to the statement "the terrorists have won."

Sketto

Wrong. Seriously, we cannot build our living space so fucking stupidly, just because we're afraid. We can manage both maximized safety and human design.

I mean, hell, why not have bollards in front of every building in the city? Better safe than sorry, right?

Many stupid things we do in the name of "security" create no actual safety, but do create a very real change in society - more paranoia, less freedom to move, less people-friendly design, and more foolish decisions based on the fear of everything.

jt10000

Word.

JMH

"coffin-shaped"? You mean... rectangular?

rebelbelle

Nah, coffin-shaped. They have a freakin' lid on them.

potsmoker

i need to see this in person, around the corner across from target, in the pathmark/old navy part of the mall, they have huge planters that used to be 4 sided benches.

now its just planters, they obviously want to keep riff raff from loitering or feeling comfortable.

id err on the side of protection for pedestrians from crazy ass brooklyn drivers not truck bombs.

MT

Not for nothing, but I bet those bollards save some pedestrian traffic from getting hit by a car flying down the avenue and up on to the sidewalk at some point. The drivers on those streets are probably more dangerous than terrorists.

NannyState

Those 'coffin bollards' could someday contain the remains of the Unknown Long Islander.

KaosDG

The worst part about them is all the pedestrian traffic it creates with people trying to cross Flatbush ave... it was a nightmare around Christmas over there... people were practically in the middle of the street. (You know New Yorkers, we all like to stand as close to the curb as possible)

buttface

"train stations are supposed to be about magic and adventure"

watching a little too much harry potter

cutlass

Not that I think bollards are a great idea, but police have said that the first World Trade Center bombing was plotted about two blocks away, at 4th and Atlantic. Probably played on their minds with this thing.