So, who has what to say about the removal of value engineering of Frank Gehry from Atlantic Yards? There is some react:
1) "The aesthetic choices are Forest City Ratner's," says Warner Johnston of the Empire State Development Corp., which approved Atlantic Yards. [WSJ]
2) “Frank Gehry has not been removed from the project,” says Joe DePlasco, a spokesman for Forest City. [CityRoom]
3) "...would it just look more ordinary, like the Prudential Center in Newark, which cost under $400 million, and is increasingly being suggested as an alternative? There's another reason behind the 'value engineering,' I surmise. There's just no way the land underneath the arena could be valued high enough for the foregone taxes to be sufficient to match the PILOTs, or payments in lieu of taxes, needed to pay off a $950 million arena." [AYR]
4) "...it would seem Brooklyn was promised an SL-Class Mercedes, but now, it turns out that a Ford Focus may be delivered. In some circles they call that 'bait and switch.'" [GL]
5) "'Value engineering' company is code for 'less expensive architect.' 'Gehry has not been removed from the project' sounds like doublespeak for 'we didn't quit Gehry, Gehry quit us.'...Let's pause for a reality check. No arena has EVER been built for the tune of a BILLION DOLLARS. [No Land Grab]
6) "...obviously if Gehry is no longer working on the arena he is no longer working on any part of the 22-acre development proposal." The "Frank Gehry hype was" important "to selling politicians, cultural critics and the media on Ratner's development proposal." [DDDB]
Loading comments...