33rd District Councilman for Brooklyn Heights David Yassky tells GlobeSt.com that an RFP for construction on Brooklyn Piers 1-5, the main area of development, could be expected within a year. "In truth, part of it is already underway right now--landscaping the Empire State Park and reconstructing the boardwalk," says Yassky. "The city-owned playground to the north of that is actually finished."

According to the approved layout from New York-based developers Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Alschuler Inc., the area will stretch from south of the Brooklyn Bridge at Atlantic Avenue to north of the Manhattan Bridge at Jay Street. The proposed layout for the Brooklyn Piers areas is as follows:

Pier 1: A hotel at the base of the pier, a cafe and retail kiosks. Details of the hotel, however, may not even get off the ground. "It may become clear as this goes forward that the hotel market is not what they thought it was," says Yassky.
Pier 2: An open air athletic field.
Pier 3: An amphitheater, water fountain and walking path area
Pier 4: A small finger-pier to replace the dilapidated existing pier
Pier 5: An indoor recreational facility, with a swimming pool, ice skating rink and basketball courts. "This will be a Chelsea Piers-like structure," says Yassky.

$85 million of the funding will come from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as part of its 2001-2005 capital plan, while $65 million will come from the City. The new park will be developed and operated by the Brooklyn Bridge Development Corp., a newly established subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corp. The project is estimated by the mayor to be completed within 5 years.

Mayor Bloomberg described the undertaking as "reclaiming part of the City's coastline," while Gov. Pataki called the park "the most significant addition to New York City's collection of state and city parks in more than a century."

Instant Insights /

Construction Under Way on $150M Brooklyn Bridge Park; Hotel Planned

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