The logo-emblazoned roof of the Barlcays Center is going from white to green. The Journal reports that the arena's developer, Forest City Ratner, is bringing back a plan to cover the top of the structure with a 130,000-square-foot green roof. When the first designs for the arena were unveiled more than a decade ago, a lushly planted roof was part of the project, but the feature was cut to save money. But now that the first residential tower of Atlantic Yards is underway, Forest City resurrected the plan in part because it will make the apartments overlooking the arena more marketablegazing down upon a grassy lawn will be much more pleasing than looking at a bright white and blue bank logo. Ultimately, three of the 15 Atlantic Yards towers will be built directly beside the Barclays Center.
The green roof, currently being designed by SHoP Architects, will also help to muffle loud concerts, though Forest City says that sound reduction did not drive their decision in bringing back the roof. That said, Barclays has been hit with multiple noise complaints from loud concerts; last year, the arena was fined $3,200 after a Swedish House Mafia concert.
Watchdog website Atlantic Yards Reports points out that this refreshed plan for a green roof isn't exactly what was originally proposed back in 2003. The first iteration called for a lawn-topped roof that would be open to the public; that changed to a private roof before the plan was scrapped altogether. With this new proposal, it seems like this will just be a green roof, not a space that's open to anyone.
· A Roof Grows on Barclays [WSJ]
· In Wall Street Journal, Forest City spins arena's new green roof, claims noise complaints didn't play a role [AYR]
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