David Childs and the planned Barclays Center at Atlantic Yards

While Frank Gehry is long gone from the Atlantic Yards development, developer Bruce Ratner may be bringing another architecture heavyweight to the project, according to the Brooklyn Paper. Starchitect David Childs, who served as head designer on the Freedom Tower for the World Trade Center site, has met with Ratner to review Barclays Center plans and to discuss the possibility of designing one of the compound’s planned residential structures. “Bruce wants to bring in different architects, good architects, to do each of the residential buildings,” Childs said. “That’s something I’d be very excited about. Talking to Bruce, it’s clear that he wants to do this right.” Groundbreaking on the Barclays Center is set for tomorrow.
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The Nets basketball team released renderings of the new Barclays Center interior today, designed by Ellerbe Becket and SHoP Architects. The 18,000-seat arena in Downtown Brooklyn will also include luxury suites, currently available for sale. See slide show above for images.

Freddy’s Bar has taken to the airwaves once again in protest of the Atlantic Yards development and the city’s use of eminent domain to displace businesses and residents in the neighborhood. This video, produced by ReasonTV, outlines the reasons why residents are riled over the Barclays Center and surrounding Atlantic Yards development, which is set to break ground March 11.
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From left: Citi Habitats’ Alexander Todd (MVP 2009 at 80 DeKalb), developer Bruce Ratner and Citi Habitats’ Cliff Finn and Gary Malin

Citi Habitats held its 2009 company awards ceremony this week, honoring its top-producing employees, with a keynote address provided by Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner (click here to see additional photos from the ceremony). Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats, named Tracie Hamersley and Elizabeth Hamersley, who specializes in the Murray Hill neighborhood, the top sales agents in the company, and honored the Metzger Team, led by Andreas Metzger, as the top rental agent. Dan Marrello and Luciane Serifovic were honored as the top managing directors of the year. Additionally, Danny Davis was picked as the top producing agent company-wide and Todd Lewin was honored as rookie of the year. TRD
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From the February issue: As New York City construction firms get slammed by the downturn, they are turning to more modest projects, in some cases taking on multimillion-dollar renovations rather than the multibillion-dollar skyscrapers. While it’s clear that the collapse of the New York development market has taken a toll on builders and brokers, there may be nobody in the industry hit as hard as construction firms. As banks have largely cut off financing for new projects and cranes have been mothballed, thousands of contractors have lost their jobs. “It’s having a devastating impact on the construction market,” said Lou Coletti, president of the Building Trades Employers’ Association, which represents 1,700 construction management and contractor firms. “There are very few, if any, new projects moving forward.” To combat that lack of work, major New York construction firms are bidding for much smaller projects and diversifying into public-sector work, while other firms have been forced into bankruptcy protection.[more] [more]

Sandy Annabi, a former city council member, and the Ridge Hill site

A former city council member from Yonkers was charged today with selling her vote to approve developer Forest City Ratner’s Ridge Hill Project, as well as another developer’s real estate project in Westchester, the office of the United States attorney for the Southern District said.

Sandy Annabi, the city council’s Democratic majority leader who served through the end of 2009, allegedly took more than $166,000 in cash and valuables to switch her votes to support the projects, the indictment says.

Also charged in the complaint were Zehy Jereis, the former chairman of the Yonkers Republican Party and Anthony Mangone, a Westchester attorney. They each allegedly made illegal payments to Annabi, the indictment says. TRD [more]

Richard Pesin, an executive vice president with Forest City Ratner Companies, the group behind the controversial Atlantic Yards development project, has been identified as the purchaser of a $4.1 million penthouse apartment at the Prime, a condo at 333 West 14th Street. The Real Deal reported the sale of the 4,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse with three balconies and a private roof terrace Dec. 18, but did not know the identity of the buyer. The development, which up until recently had difficulty moving units, is being represented by R.P. Miller. R.P. Miller did not immediately respond to The Real Deal’s requests for comment. [more]

From left: Bruce Ratner of Forest City Ratner Companies and opponent Daniel Goldstein, a spokesperson for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn

Developer Bruce Ratner announced this morning that he has officially closed on the Atlantic Yards project. The closing indicates the issuance of bonds and execution of real estate documents, including leases, financing and purchase agreements, has been completed, according to a press release sent today (see the release after the jump). The company also indicated that the construction on the Barclays Center and parts of the Atlantic Yards project site has begun. “Today, what has long been a vision for the future of Brooklyn becomes a reality,” Ratner said in a written statement. “Six years after we announced our plan for Atlantic Yards we are very pleased to be closing on the project with our public partners,” including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Empire State Development Corporation. Neighborhood advocacy group Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, which emerged early on as a key opponent to the project, did not share the Forest City Ratner Companies CEO’s enthusiasm. In a press release sent today, the organization said it plans to fight the removal of residents from their homes through eminent domain and added that there are still legal challenges to the Atlantic Yards development that could still effectively halt the project’s construction. “Ratner’s project will never produce the benefits the developer and the ESDC have lied about for years, and should it go forward the governor and other project supporters will rue this day,” Daniel Goldstein, Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn’s spokesperson, said in the release. Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a statement later in the day saying he was delighted with the latest development in the Atlantic Yards project. The construction of the facility will create lasting employment opportunities, Bloomberg said in a written statement, something that the neighborhood is in need of during the rough economic climate. “While the rest of the country wrings its hands about the national recession, we’re building our way out of it,” Bloomberg said. “The $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards project — the most extensive development ever undertaken in Brooklyn — is moving forward, bringing thousands of units of housing and thousands of jobs for New York City’s middle class.” TRD

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Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov may be closer than ever to achieving his dream of owning an American basketball team. The metal tycoon took to his blog in September to express his desire to become the controlling shareholder of the potential New Jersey Nets. Now, Prokhorov and the Nets ownership have reportedly reached an agreement that would sell 80 percent of the team and 45 percent of the new arena to the Russian billionaire. Prokhorov’s interest in the Atlantic Yards development has drawn ire on both sides of the globe, with high-profile Russian leaders calling his potential investment “unpatriotic” and Atlantic Yards opponents speculating that Prokhorov’s funding suggests fiscal weakness in the Forest City Ratner Companies team. The deal is still subject to approval from the NBA Board of Governors, according to USA Today.

A New York Court of Appeals ruling on the use of eminent domain in securing land for the controversial Atlantic Yards development is expected as early as tomorrow. The ruling could prove pivotal for developer Bruce Ratner’s project, which has drawn fervent supporters and detractors through its long process of deliberation. The timing of the ruling is significant for Ratner, who is racing to beat a Dec. 31 deadline in order to receive tax-exempt status on $600 million in bonds and to commit Barclays and the New Jersey Nets for the project.