Architecture critic Michael Kimmelman delivers his verdict on the Barclays Center, the new home of the Brooklyn Nets and the first phase of the larger Atlantic Yards mixed-use project. He has praise for the arena, but lambastes the larger plan.
Kimmelman has words of praise for the arena, which he seems to value more for what it isn't (a traffic nightmare, the source of roaming drunken mobs, a civic blight) than what it is ("a giant billboard for corporate naming opportunities"). He's especially thankful that after dumping original architect Frank Gehry, developer Bruce C. Ratner hired architects SHoP to "dress up" an "off-the-rack" Ellerbe Becket design.
However the plan for the larger project, and the process by which it was created, comes in for harsh criticism. "[T]the Atlantic Yards project also exemplifies
how the city, in this case hamstrung by the state, got planning
backward, trying to eke public benefits from private interests awarded
public subsidies and too much leeway," says Kimmelman. "Development on this scale may take
its lead from a developer's vision but needs to proceed from
public-spirited, publicly debated plans for what the city and streets
should ultimately look like."
Kimmelman adds that "[i]t's probably too late to reconsider the [next phase of the project]. But
it's not too late to hold Mr. Ratner, the city and the state to their
word about creating jobs and building the promised number and type of
subsidized apartments for low- and moderate-income Brooklyn families.
Then the remainder of the project, which promises next to nothing for
the public realm, ought to be sent back to the drawing board, so that,
should it go forward, it could still include density (density is good)
but also much smarter streets, different scales of development and
diverse public services."
FULL STORY: An Arena as Tough as Brooklyn. But Street Smart?

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont