Today the Municipal Art Society named the year-old Barclays Center a 2013 MASterworks Winner for being a “Neighborhood Catalyst.” The distinction may be somewhat vague, but it’s certainly fitting. Even before the arena opened in September 2012, the surrounding neighborhoods of Park Slope, Prospect Heights, and Fort Greene started to see changes, but now that construction is underway on the first residential tower of Atlantic Yards, new development will no doubt increase. Property values are increasing, new retailers and restaurants are moving in, and old stores are being replaced with new buildings. For this microhood map, we charted the changes happening in the blocks closest to the arena. There’s likely a property or two that we missed, so leave a comment or hit up the tipline if you know something that we don’t.
Atlantic Terrace
Plans for the eco-friendly co-op building Atlantic Terrace began around the same time that Bruce Ratner first announced his grand plans for Atlantic Yards way back in 2003. The building is located on the site of a former gas station, so a brownfield remediation took place before construction could begin. The building opened in 2010, with 59 of the 80 units being affordable, and it sold out within a year and a half. Since then, the new building has been a residential anchor on this stretch of Atlantic Avenue, which faces the railyards. Before the Barclays Center opened, the developer had trouble finding a tenant for the street level commercial space, but the chain Tony Roma’s is supposed to open soon, much to the dismay of residents.
212 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.6831583-73.97283479999998
Barclays Center
After nine years of lawsuits, fights, and delays, the controversial Barclays Center basketball arena opened in September 2012. The arena was the first piece of the megaproject to be completed, and it’s opening boosted changes in the surrounding neighborhood.
Atlantic Yards Tower B2
Three months after the Barclays Center opened, Forest Cit Ratner broke ground on the first tower of Atlantic Yards, the 32-story B2. It will be tallest modular building in the world when complete. The building will eventually be joined by 14 others, and the project’s new investor expects to complete everything within eight years. That may be overly optimistic, however, given that a platform must be constructed over the rail yards before work can begin on most of those towers.
215 Flatbush Avenue
Directly across the street from B2, PRD Realty is building a new six-story apartment building at 215 Flatbush Avenue. The site was formerly home to the Bergen Tile Company, and now it will have 53 rentals and 9,875-square-feet of ground floor retail.
474 Dean Street
The yellow clapboard house at 474 Dean Street went into contract just 22 days after hitting the market in early 2013, ultimately closing for $1.52M. The asking price was $1.95M. The owners wouldn’t discuss why they wanted to sell, but many believed the opening of the Barclays Center was a major catalyst. The new owners are a Richard and Angela Datlon. No permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings, so for the time being, they clearly aren’t planning any major changes, like demolishing the house and building something bigger.
Shake Shack
Food critics have praised the selection of local eateries inside the new arena, and it seems that better dining choices are coming to the outside neighborhood. In February, restauranteur Danny Meyer announced that a Shake Shack would be opening across from Barclays at 170 Flatbush Avenue, formerly home to a furniture store.
170 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.682631-73.976789
182 Flatbush Avenue
Before the Barclays Center even opened, the owners of Triangle Sports at 182 Flatbush Avenue put their building up for sale. The store had occupied the location since 1916, but the owners saw an opportunity to make big bucks thanks to the arena. They didn’t put a price on the property, but rather let the market determine its value. Public records show that it sold to an LLC for $4.1 million, closing just one day before the arena opened. No new building permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings, but Triangle Sports has long since closed.
182 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.68213-73.97631799999999
Church of the Redeemer
A 150-year-old Gothic Revival Church at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street, just one block from Barclays, announced its imminent demolition in the summer of 2012, but neighbors have been fighting to save or repurpose the building. The priest in charge of the site said the church needed at least $8 million to repair the building, and at least $20 million to make is useable. At the time of the announcement came, the dwindling congregation had already relocated to a different church, and the priest admitted that they had made no moves to try to raise money. The church planned to tear down the building, and rebuild a more profitable residential mixed-use building. But as of April 2013, no final decision had been made, and neighbors were still trying to save it.
561 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.6838032-73.97884529999999
U.S. Post Office
In August, a tipster told Brownstoner that the post office at 542 Atlantic Avenue would be closed, demolished, and replaced with a 7-story hotel. The closure of another post office would not be surprising given that it’s happening in other parts of the city, and a hotel near the Barclays Center would make sense for a property owner looking to make more money. The owner also owns the warehouse next door at 540 Atlantic Avenue. The post office is widely loathed, but it’s still open, and there are no demolition or new building permits on the DOB website. In September, a rep for the post office told DNAinfo that they were “still in lease negotiations on this location.”
542 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.684583-73.97981199999998
123 Fort Greene Place
In the immediate blocks around the Barclays Center, most new developments have been retail, but one of the first new condo buildings is 123 Fort Greene Place. The development, a conversion of two adjacent townhouses into six condos, hit the market in February, and they were snapped up in a hurry. By June, only one remained, and by the end of August, all six were sold and closed. As the Atlantic Yards towers grow, we expect more condo projects to pop up nearby.
Atlantic Terrace
Plans for the eco-friendly co-op building Atlantic Terrace began around the same time that Bruce Ratner first announced his grand plans for Atlantic Yards way back in 2003. The building is located on the site of a former gas station, so a brownfield remediation took place before construction could begin. The building opened in 2010, with 59 of the 80 units being affordable, and it sold out within a year and a half. Since then, the new building has been a residential anchor on this stretch of Atlantic Avenue, which faces the railyards. Before the Barclays Center opened, the developer had trouble finding a tenant for the street level commercial space, but the chain Tony Roma’s is supposed to open soon, much to the dismay of residents.
212 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.6831583-73.97283479999998
Barclays Center
After nine years of lawsuits, fights, and delays, the controversial Barclays Center basketball arena opened in September 2012. The arena was the first piece of the megaproject to be completed, and it’s opening boosted changes in the surrounding neighborhood.
Barclays Center
After nine years of lawsuits, fights, and delays, the controversial Barclays Center basketball arena opened in September 2012. The arena was the first piece of the megaproject to be completed, and it’s opening boosted changes in the surrounding neighborhood.
Atlantic Yards Tower B2
Three months after the Barclays Center opened, Forest Cit Ratner broke ground on the first tower of Atlantic Yards, the 32-story B2. It will be tallest modular building in the world when complete. The building will eventually be joined by 14 others, and the project’s new investor expects to complete everything within eight years. That may be overly optimistic, however, given that a platform must be constructed over the rail yards before work can begin on most of those towers.
215 Flatbush Avenue
Directly across the street from B2, PRD Realty is building a new six-story apartment building at 215 Flatbush Avenue. The site was formerly home to the Bergen Tile Company, and now it will have 53 rentals and 9,875-square-feet of ground floor retail.
474 Dean Street
The yellow clapboard house at 474 Dean Street went into contract just 22 days after hitting the market in early 2013, ultimately closing for $1.52M. The asking price was $1.95M. The owners wouldn’t discuss why they wanted to sell, but many believed the opening of the Barclays Center was a major catalyst. The new owners are a Richard and Angela Datlon. No permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings, so for the time being, they clearly aren’t planning any major changes, like demolishing the house and building something bigger.
Shake Shack
Food critics have praised the selection of local eateries inside the new arena, and it seems that better dining choices are coming to the outside neighborhood. In February, restauranteur Danny Meyer announced that a Shake Shack would be opening across from Barclays at 170 Flatbush Avenue, formerly home to a furniture store.
170 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.682631-73.976789
182 Flatbush Avenue
Before the Barclays Center even opened, the owners of Triangle Sports at 182 Flatbush Avenue put their building up for sale. The store had occupied the location since 1916, but the owners saw an opportunity to make big bucks thanks to the arena. They didn’t put a price on the property, but rather let the market determine its value. Public records show that it sold to an LLC for $4.1 million, closing just one day before the arena opened. No new building permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings, but Triangle Sports has long since closed.
182 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.68213-73.97631799999999
Church of the Redeemer
A 150-year-old Gothic Revival Church at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Pacific Street, just one block from Barclays, announced its imminent demolition in the summer of 2012, but neighbors have been fighting to save or repurpose the building. The priest in charge of the site said the church needed at least $8 million to repair the building, and at least $20 million to make is useable. At the time of the announcement came, the dwindling congregation had already relocated to a different church, and the priest admitted that they had made no moves to try to raise money. The church planned to tear down the building, and rebuild a more profitable residential mixed-use building. But as of April 2013, no final decision had been made, and neighbors were still trying to save it.
561 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.6838032-73.97884529999999
U.S. Post Office
In August, a tipster told Brownstoner that the post office at 542 Atlantic Avenue would be closed, demolished, and replaced with a 7-story hotel. The closure of another post office would not be surprising given that it’s happening in other parts of the city, and a hotel near the Barclays Center would make sense for a property owner looking to make more money. The owner also owns the warehouse next door at 540 Atlantic Avenue. The post office is widely loathed, but it’s still open, and there are no demolition or new building permits on the DOB website. In September, a rep for the post office told DNAinfo that they were “still in lease negotiations on this location.”
542 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
40.684583-73.97981199999998
123 Fort Greene Place
In the immediate blocks around the Barclays Center, most new developments have been retail, but one of the first new condo buildings is 123 Fort Greene Place. The development, a conversion of two adjacent townhouses into six condos, hit the market in February, and they were snapped up in a hurry. By June, only one remained, and by the end of August, all six were sold and closed. As the Atlantic Yards towers grow, we expect more condo projects to pop up nearby.
Atlantic Terrace
Plans for the eco-friendly co-op building Atlantic Terrace began around the same time that Bruce Ratner first announced his grand plans for Atlantic Yards way back in 2003. The building is located on the site of a former gas station, so a brownfield remediation took place before construction could,…