If you can’t beat ’em, build ’em a new building.
Plowing ahead with plans to construct a $2.5 billion arena, office and
housing complex in Prospect Heights, developer Bruce Ratner is now looking
to construct a new building to house some of the residents his plan would
displace.
Ratner and architect Frank Gehry have been in discussions about the building,
according to Ratner spokesman Joe Deplasco, who said “a number of
sites” were being considered for its construction.
“It’s among the various options we’re considering at this
point,” Deplasco said.
Gehry, in fact, told Newsweek online this week, “Bruce is asking
me to design a new apartment building for them [neighbors whose apartments
might be destroyed by the complex]. He’s got a specific site nearby.”
As part of the 21-acre plan, Ratner would build a 20,000-seat basketball
arena for his recently purchased New Jersey Nets, flanked by four sweeping
office towers and buildings containing 4,500 residential units.
The plan is dependent upon the state’s condemnation of more than
two square blocks of privately owned property.
For the past several months, Ratner has been going head to head with Prospect
Heights residents who would be evicted or otherwise impacted by construction
of his Atlantic Yards project. And fewof them interviewed this week were
thrilled with the idea of moving into one of his buildings. Others declined
to talk about their discussions with Ratner.|
“Personally, I would want to stay in my home. And if I had no other
choice but to move, I would want to move into a home of my choice,”
said Dan Michaelson, who owns a condominium at 24 Sixth Ave., the A.G.
Spalding Building, which would face the wrecking ball under Ratner’s
plans.
At the same time, Ratner is, according to sources, floating a new plan
that would require less use of eminent domain.
According to one official, the new schematic would save half of the block
between Flatbush and Sixth avenues.
