The NY Times is reporting that Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner will cut the size of the project by 6-8%. How? By reducing the amount of market-rate housing. And also from the Times:
"[Ratner's company] Forest City is also considering reducing the height of the project’s tallest tower, which is known as Miss Brooklyn, to get it under the height of the borough’s tallest building, the nearby Williamsburgh Savings Bank tower, according to real estate executives."
Interesting, given that a lot of focus has been on what impact the project will have on the Brooklyn skyline. After the Atlantic Yards public hearing, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz had suggested the project could be scaled down. A revised plan is supposed to be announced later this month. The article notes that architect Frank Gehry has "objected to any changes in his design for Miss Brooklyn." Heh! Frank Gehry, welcome to building in the city (building for Barry Diller doesn't quite count) - you hand over your designs, they will get the city treatment.
However, some people remain skeptical of this latest move. Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn's Daniel Goldstein tells the Times that he suspects Forest City "[has had this proposal] in their closet for a long time," and that even if Forest City chopped "Miss Brooklyn in half in terms of the height and that won’t change our position."
There's a public forum about the Atlantic Yards project next Tuesday, September 12 - we wonder how the supposed reduction will be explained, if at all. And the Atlantic Yards Report looks at contributions that Ratner's brother made to various people who have political influence.
