The Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey circus arrived yesterday in Brooklyn, and the elephants were the highlight--both for circus-watchers and protesters.
First came a staged walk-through DUMBO in the morning. As NY1 reported:
To celebrate its arrival Wednesday, a parade of eight elephants and their handlers marched across Old Fulton and Old Water Streets, wowing school kids and adults who came out to see the unusual sight. ....Borough President Marty Markowitz also proclaimed it Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus days while they're in town.
A New York Post article headlined Jumbo in dumbo cited the arena developer:
“I have been waiting for this moment for 10 years!” Barclays Center developer Bruce Ratner yelled to the crowd of bystanders that gathered, referring to the time it took to get the arena built.
An evening protest
Before the 7 pm show, however, perhaps 150 activists from Animal Defenders International, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals gathered at 6 pm to walk around the arena, carrying protest signs like "Built to Enslave," a parody of the show name, "Built to Amaze."
The number was somewhat more than the 100 maximum police predicted; smaller groups are expected through the end of the circus on April 1.
The treatment of elephants was key to their protest, given the use of bullhooks to guide/control/scare the bests. For a defense of the circus, see links from Ringling and industry allies. For a critique, see material from animal rights advocates and a zoo director.
The extended perimeter
Meanwhile, evidence suggests that the lengthy term of the circus requires some unusual accommodation for participants.
For example, as the photo at right from Atlantic Yards Watch shows, not only was there late night activity Tuesday night in the loading dock, there appear to be a residential trailer and generator in the "pad" next to the loading dock.
And, as other Atlantic Yards Watch photos and videoshow, delivery and construction trucks have both used residential streets rather than approved truck routes and idled on those streets.
In some way, the delay in building residential towers adjacent to the arena is a boon for arena operators; if there were a tower in the space immediately next to the trailer, above, some residents likely would be lodging complaints.
Next week developer Forest City Ratner will remove 20 street trees on that north side of Pacific, part of a 2008 Parks Department permit that allows the removal of 86 existing street trees. But this may take far longer than previously assumed.
As Krashes writes:
The area where the trees on Pacific Street are located was originally anticipated to be the first area of the second phase of the project to be constructed. However, in October 2012, FCRC Executive Vice President MaryAnne Gilmartin told investors that second phase construction would begin first on block 1129 (between Vanderbilt and Carlton Avenues, and Dean and Pacific Streets). Further, at the time the 2008 permit was granted, it was assumed the air rights over the railyard would already be owned by FCRC. Now MTA still retains those rights and FCRC is not obligated to purchase them.
Arena block loses trees
Krashes also noted that, "[i]n December, approximately five recently planted trees near the arena were removed, apparently at the request of NYPD due to concerns about pedestrian safety." that means only eleven street trees, compared to the original plan for 31 such trees.
So there will be a switch:
A representative from the Parks Department has confirmed with AYW it will allow FCRC to meet their permit obligations by planting trees on blocks near the project when the number of trees originally included in the permit does not fit into the public right of way around the project perimeter.
This, according to Krashes, may be a response to "unanticipated consequences of changes to the arena block" made in 2009, including the inclusion of "an exit at Dean Street and Flatbush which was never disclosed in project plans and never studied in any pedestrian analysis."
What next?
Krashes warns that it may be very difficult to develop the planned 116 street trees, because many "now lie in areas FCRC does not control and is in the position to choose to not develop."
[Christine] Schmidt, who moved into the [Newswalk] building 11 years ago, remembers petitioning to get the trees put in around 2002. "They finally started to get beautiful and were finally stating to provide shade and I can't believe that they will ever replace them with trees of those size," she said "It will take years before new plantings can reach the kind of stature that they can affectively be cooling the street and the sidewalks," she added.
Barclays Center operators got a dose of good luck this week when sold-out Jay-Z concerts combined with slow security lines to stall many event-goers in slow lines outside the three entrances: the weather was balmy.
After all, when it rains, the arena plaza does not exactly offer much shelter and yesterday, during intermittent rain in the early part of the evening, concert attendees clustered under part of the extended oculus (right) or closer to the building (below).
Below that, some videos of the scene one nearby blocks before and after the sixth (of eight) Jay-Z concerts. The crowd may have been somewhat smaller--or, at least, got in faster than on previous days. (Update: it's more likely that the arena procedures are getting better and people were arriving over the 90 minutes between the announced start of the show and the actual start.)
There were still cars taking up spaces and sidewalks in apparent violation of city law--though placards and official vehicles can trump that.
The surface parking lot was still mostly empty, but I'd better more usage during next week's Barbra Streisand concerts. And crowds continued to stream north to Fort Greene and the G/C trains--less likely, I'd bet, with Streisand.
Cars parked on the west side of Sixth Avenue, 6:55 pm
At the surface parking lot, still mostly empty
No Standing on Dean Street
After the event, 11:15-11:30 pm
Walking up South Portland Avenue from Atlantic Avenue and up to Fulton Street, down to Fort Greene Place and back to the arena
It's an unanticipated impact of Barclays Center operations: a concert venue that leaks noise and bass so it can be heard and felt by neighbors. I reported yesterday about neighborhood complaints, and even heard/felt it myself, albeit from the street.
Three moreincidentreports on Atlantic Yards Watch, posted last night, repeat those concerns. One resident on Dean Street between Sixth and Carlton avenues reported:
The concert last night was clearly audible from inside my apartment, even with the windows closed.
Another resident, on Dean between Flatbush and Fifth avenues, reported:
For the second consecutive night the bass and music from the concert was audible inside of our apartment. Despite an email from the community affairs manager stating that they were investigating what caused the noise last night, there is no improvement. This is so frustrating and disheartening, yet I'm hardly surprised.
I'll query arena operators, as well, and report back any response. It would be appropriate for them to be proactive on this matter, but, then again, a fix might not be easy: they can't exactly install more noise-muffling panels overnight, but they don't want to turn down the volume on a Jay-Z concert.
Zoning override for noise? No
Lawyer George Locker (involved in previous Atlantic Yards cases, representing renters) commented:
I have litigated noise cases. I believe that the sound levels from Barclays Center are subject to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection Noise Code, with respect to commercial music. I do not believe that the zoning override to build the place also overrides current NYC Noise Laws. That has to be checked. ...Noise in excess of lawful limits can be enjoined in court. Under law, excess noise is a tort called nuisance.
According to the 2009 Modified General Project Plan approved by Empire State Development, the state agency overseeing the project, there's significant "Local Regulation Override" (p. 42) but no mention of noise. Those overrided include:
Use Regulations
floor area and open space regulations
height and setback controls
minimum distance between buildings on a single zoning lot
signage regulations
parking regulations
loading requirements for commercial uses
Zoning Resolution special permit requirements to allow for a platform over or within a railroad right of way or transit air space to be included within a zoning lot and used for development.
land use controls of the Atlantic Terminal Urban Renewal Area as they relate to Site 5 and Site 6A
the restriction on the use of streets... as it relates to Pacific Street between Flatbush and 6th Avenues, 5th Avenue between Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Pacific Street between Vanderbilt and Carlton Avenues and an area underneath 6th Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street.
Even with the Atlantic Antic, Brooklyn's biggest street fair, closing Atlantic Avenue west of Fourth Avenue until 7 pm yesterday, traffic flowed well on Flatbush Avenue next to the Barclays Center before the 8 pm show by Jay-Z, his third straight sell-out performance.
Magic? No, human intervention. (Also see coverage of first and second nights of arena operations.)
As shown in a video below, shot from the intersection of Flatbush and Pacific Street, the key to traffic flow is a cluster of pedestrian managers--more like traffic managers--and traffic agents/cops who steadily waved northbound and southbound traffic through red lights.
That extended the time available for Flatbush flow, and cut down the crossing time for pedestrians, many of whom understandably assumed that a green light meant go. Such an override is manageable only with such additional staff, and that's not a permanent feature of the arena. So check back in a few months.
Line waiting to get in 7:07 pm
Also worth noting:
most people took transit, and those driving said they tried to park on the street, even far from the arena, deterred by parking lot costs
the low use of the surface parking lot meant less impact on residential Dean St.
the bass from the concert penetrated neighboring blocks
the "controlled" closing of Atlantic Avenue post-event continued, with numerous people flowing not just to the Long Island Rail Road station but into Fort Greene to reach cars, transit, or home
when I entered the subway station, a northbound B was waiting, staged, and a southbound Q arrived within three minutes. Both left around the same time
the weather again cooperated, which meant the long lines to get into the building, beginning more than an hour before opening, were peaceful (security takes a while)
the long lines at the Dean Street entrance filled the sidewalk and, if they continue, would impact the adjacent residential towers once built
there was again a massive police response, with clusters of cops standing around on quiet street corners for hours
As seen in the video, traffic managers waved Flatbush Avenue traffic through lights, leaving less time for pedestrians to cross, and for vehicles to turn from Pacific Street onto Flatbush.
The closing of Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic Avenue was again closed in response to the huge flow of event-goers from the Atlantic Avenue arena exit, which is located west of Sixth Avenue in the middle of the block, without any corresponding crosswalk.
Police officials began shutting down westbound traffic at about 11 pm, several minutes before the concert ended, sending vehicles north on South Portland Avenue or south on Sixth Avenue.
A few minutes later, they shut down eastbound traffic, though not until a few minutes into the beginning of the video below.
Two nights ago, I measured the shutdown at 12 minutes; last night, I instead walked with the crowd toward Atlantic Terminal and the Long Island Rail Road station, passing numerous vendors and seeing many attendees keep walking into Fort Greene. The video begins just after 11 pm.
Before the arena opened, there were concerns that streets might be closed for security reasons, as in Newark, outside the Prudential Center. Officials vowed that wouldn't happen.
Police/fire staging area on Pacific Street east of 6th Ave.
However, Captain Michael Ameri, commanding officer of the 78th Precinct, was asked 8/22/12 if any streets be closed off, as with the West Indian Day Parade, which includes diversions simply for flow
“As of right now, there’s no intent of changing traffic patterns,” Ameri replied.
Clearly, that intent has changed. Stay tuned to hear arguments for a new crosswalk to accommodate arena patrons.
Closing Atlantic will remain a challenge when there are weekend afternoon events.
The booming bass
Also, for the first time in three nights, multiple residents in blocks immediately east and west of the arena reported feeling the booming bass from the concert inside their apartments--an unnerving observation confirmed by a walk outside.
I was with some people standing on Sixth Avenue a few doors below Dean Street and we could hear/feel it. It was as if the Barclays Center is just a huge nightclub--or a massive SUV parked at the corner--with a souped-up sound system and imperfect noise protection.
See report on Atlantic Yards Watch, which states, "Samuel Pierre, Brooklyn Borough Director, Office of the Mayor, also heard the music Sunday morning when he was attending services @ a nearby church."
More than ten people logged complaints at night, including one who stated, "We can clearly hear the concerts from our apartment, even with the windows closed. I don't understand how this is even possible. Is anyone else experiencing this?"
The boom was also palpable during a morning sound check, as shown in the video below.
An empty parking lot again
The surface parking lot associated with the arena, bounded by Carlton and Vanderbilt avenues and Dean and Pacific streets was again empty, perhaps 10-15% full, as shown in the video below, shot at about 8:15 pm.
An unscientific survey of several dozen people waiting on line for the concert revealed that most took transit, some got driven, and a small but not insignificant fraction did drive.
Few of the latter were willing to pay for parking, and they were willing to park not so nearby--as far away as DeKalb Avenue to the north and Grand Army Plaza to the south. The surface parking lot costs $25.65 prepaid (more for drive-up) and is limited to HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) parking, with three or more passengers. There are also 150 free spots for VIPs.
South Portland Avenue north of Atlantic Avenue
Then again, some people are buying the allotted spaces in the prepaid service of ClickandPark.
Fr tonight's show, for example, three lots are sold out (nearby 700 Pacific Street, $41.04 with service charge; 253 Ashland, $20.52; and 62 Rockwell, $20.52).
Atlantic Ave. east of Sixth Ave.
This doesn't mean there are no spaces; it may be that they've just sold out the spots they allotted for prepayment.
The other five lots within a half-mile have spaces, as do the six remote lots. (Note that there are now eight lots within a half-mile, not seven.)
Vehicles in the wrong place
There's also illegal parking and standing, as shown in photo at left, at South Portland Avenue just north of Atlantic Avenue, or at right, a livery car on Atlantic Avenue east of Sixth Avenue.
One resident reported to Atlantic Yards Watch an idling Chevy Suburban at the southwest corner of Bergen Street and Flatbush Avenue at 10:20pm:
Traffic officer in intersection the entire time. I asked the officer to take action after about ten minutes (I returned after initial sighting) and office said he would, but was quite surprised at the request.
Some theories on parking Likely the cost of parking and availability/promotion of transit are the biggest reasons people took public transit. On Friday night, the fact that many people were coming from work was clearly a factor.
But roughly similar numbers avoided paid parking--and, presumably, a took transit--on the weekends. Presumably an audience for Jay-Z, predominantly younger adults, is more likely to take transit than the older audience for Barbra Streisand or families going to Nets games--though, by then, they may have gotten the word to use transit.
One semi-fanciful explanation I also heard was that a not insignificant number of Jay-Z attendees were getting high and uninteresting in driving while baked. That's not without plausibility; much pot-smoking was reported at the first concert.
Walking around last night before the concert, I spotted people smoking pot on Pacific Street west of the arena and South Portland Avenue north of the arena.
The Atlantic Avenue entrance
A look at the midblock entrance to the arena, 6:40 pm
Atlantic Avenue at Fort Greene Place
Managing traffic, around 6:40 pm
Getting there early
The line waiting to get into the building, about 6:50 pm.
Across from arena
At Atlantic Avenue and South Portland Avenue, 7:38 pm, then crossing the street to the Atlantic Avenue entrance. At about 2:50 of the video, people cross Atlantic Avenue mid-block.
Crossing Flatbush Avenue at Pacific Street, 7:43 pm
The crowd at the Dean Street entrance, 8:06 pm, stretching to the sidewalk.
The bicycle race, with about a dozen bikes, 8:07 pm. Some of these, I heard, are for arena workers.
