Crossroads at Brooklyn Speaks

What is the Crossroads initiative? The long-delayed Atlantic Yards project is once again at a crossroads. Developers have only three years to complete the project’s 2,250 units of affordable housing, or face significant financial penalties. Under the current plan, the remaining apartments are to be constructed on platforms over two rail yards that themselves have yet to be started. At the same time, developers are expected to seek changes to the project approvals that would allow a tower the size of the Chrysler building to rise at the southwest corner of Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue–greatly increasing the value of the development rights.

Developers have been bailed out at Atlantic Yards before. This time must be different. After eighteen years, the public deserves a real plan for the future of Brooklyn’s largest project. You can help design it.

The BrooklynSpeaks coalition has announced the community-based planning initiative Crossroads, intended to guide State and City governments toward a new plan for the long-delayed Atlantic Yards project. This site is part of the first phase of community input towards a vision that addresses both the needs of the surrounding communities, as well as the environmental issues and quality of life concerns that have been introduced since the project was announced.

There is still time to get involved with Brooklyn Speaks’ Crossroads initiative in a community discussion about the state of the Atlantic Yards project HERE. What kind of future Brooklynites envision for the area, and how we can hold the State and the developers accountable?

Brooklyn Speaks has hosted 4 webinars discussing urban design/streetscape, transportation/streets, and accountability. The website has the presentations included that the community can comment on as part of the interface: 

Urban Design:
https://crossroads.konveio.com/urban-design-presentation-boards?document=1

Transportation: 
https://crossroads.konveio.com/transportation-streets-presentation-boards

Housing:
https://crossroads.konveio.com/housing-presentation-boards?document=1

Accountability:
https://crossroads.konveio.com/accountability-presentation-boards