According a streetsblog link posted to the PHMB by Laura B , Forest City Ratner will now expand it’s (proposed) Atlantic Yards project to include a large suburban-style parking lots aimed at providing an 944 parking spaces for those visiting the soon-to-be-built Nets arena. Forest City Ratner states the lot is “temporary” and will only be in place until 2016, when residential construction is slated to begin (ironically, to replace the buildings that will be torn down to build the lot) . In addition, two more “temporary” lots are planned, replacing existing buildings along Atlantic Avenue between Carlton and 6th Avenue. In total, there will be an estimated 3,600 parking spots created by all three lots, located directly above Brooklyn’s largest public transportation hub: the Atlantic Avenue subway station and LIRR.
Critics worry that if FCR’s project doesn’t go through or economic conditions change before construction begins, Prospect Heights may end up with a not-so-temporary patch of asphalt three times the size of Fairway in Red Hook. Brooklynspeaks also points out that “The more parking provided, the more people will chose to drive – and the more traffic created,” which would exacerbate conditions on an already congested Flatbush Avenue and increase traffic along surrouding residential streets.
Worst of all (according to rogersma), Ratner will charge his own construction workers to park. How’s that for chutzpah?
