The other day, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has been the biggest public booster of the Atlantic Yards mega-project, and frequently uttered the name Frank Gehry to conjure the glory it would bring, jumped off the listing ship and said this whole Atlantic Yards thing needs to be rethought. Well, Jotham Sederstrom of the Daily News dug deeper in the Beep's brain and found that he now wants something that would just be "functional." Mr. Markowitz said that developer Bruce Ratner had to eliminate in words of the News "the costly flourishes and glassy facade." Of renowned architect he once used to sell the project he said: "We don't have to be rocket scientists to know that the awe-inspiring arena project designed by Frank Gehry has now become ... It's just not doable. To create an arena that's in-your-face and may become an icon of the world is just not realistic anymore." He really said that about Frank Fucking Gehry? Yes, he did. In fact he said of the overall project, including the towers and the housing: "If they don't have the resources to do all the glass, maybe a brownstone feel isn't so bad." No word on how the worlds greatest starchitect feels about being kissed off by Marty Markowitz, but we wouldn't go into shock if epithets have been heard at Gehry World HQ.
· Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz: Ratchet down Yards arena [NYDN]
· Markowitz Wants Cost of Atlantic Yards Arena Pared [CityRoom]
· Atlantic Yards Coverage [Curbed]
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