ABOUT THE BROOKLYN ARENA AND BROOKLYN ATLANTIC YARDS -- Residential, Retail and Commercial Buildings and Landscaped Public Open Space-PROJECT OVERVIEW Brooklyn Atlantic Yards addresses severalissuesfor both Brooklyn and New York City. New York City requiresnew housingthat meetsall levels of needand income- and additionaloffice spaceto createand retainnew jobs. The project has four essentialcomponents,which supportand complement eachother:the Arena, commercialspaceand housing- interspersedwith a significantamountof publicly accessibleopen spaceto enhanceexistingneighborhoods.The "Brooklyn Nets" will give Brooklyn the pride of watchinga hometownsportsteam onceagain;and the Frank Gehry-designed Brooklyn Arena and residentialand commercialbuildings surroundingit will be importantnew architecturalicons,making downtown Brooklyn a must-seedestination. While the final detailsof the plan are still subjectto an agreementamongthe City , the State,the MetropolitanTransportationAuthority and ForestCity RatnerCompanies,the proposedl.T million zoning squarefeet at Brooklyn Atlantic Yards would be divided into approximately: o 800,000squarefeet for the sportsarena- with 19.000seatsfor basketballgamesand 20,000as configuredfor other events,suchas concerts; o six acresofpublicly accessible openspace; o 4.4 million squarefeetof residential.in approximately4,500units c 2.1million squarefeet of commercialoffice space; o 300,000squarefeet ofretail space: o 3,000parking spaces. BROOKL ATTANTIC YARDS TMAGES AVATLABLE Ar>))) I[WlflBBAt[.NET It's estimatedthat the full Brooklyn Atlantic Yardsdevelopmentrvill takeapproximatelyl0 yearsto complete.Durin-ePhase1, the Arenaand its rooftoppublicpark riillbe constructed. alon-uwith 300,000 squarefeet of the commercialspace,supportspacefor the Arena andpossiblyonc residentialbuilding. The complexhasbeenplannedto look 'uvhole and contpleteduringeachphascol'construction. LOCATION, TRANSPORTATION AND EXISTING USES Generallyboundedby FlatbushAvenue,Atlantic Avenue,VanderbiltAvenueand DeanStreet,the projectconsistsof six blocksof varyingsize. The site- approximatelyhalfwaybetrveenthe Brooklrn Bridge and ProspectPark- sitsbetweenthe Brooklyn Academyof Music and the neighborhoods of Fort Greene,ProspectHeights,ParkSlopeand BoerumHill. The site is adjacentto Atlantic Terminal,the third-largesttranspoftation hub in New York Citr. Nrne subwaylinesandthe Long IslandRailroadconvergeat this terminal.providingquick and convenient accessto all five boroughsand Long Island. Creatin-e a nodeof higherdensityaroundthe transportation hub at Atlantic Terminalwill allow Brooklyn to grow while preser',,ing the characterof its already developedneighborhoods. The Brooklyn Arenawill sit on a three-blockparcelof land at the intersectionof Flatbushand Atlantic Avenues- the sameareawhereWalterO'Malley, the lesendaryownerof baseball'sBrooklyn Dodgers, had envisioneda homefor his team nearlyhalf a centur\,aso. :r - '' (" r 6', D .: u -il. =l ; -s .i':-c.. 3.. t rL i* 3i .^ itr.""*, / , --: ' l: t, -. k '"4*;L,;l-:'.,,,::.,. ' . .,' ,,,.,. '1.',.r 11..'' '' i:: '' ,,. r '' ..... ) i,' t, Map of Brooklyn Atlantic Yards Site j.f,. .,..,'t'f;.ri.:,.' .a. '<.i'. ,', i! The primary existing useon the proposedsite is a rail storageyard for the Long IslandRailroad,which has createda strongpsychologicaland physicalbarrierbetweenthe neighborhoodsnorth and southof Atlantic Avenue. THE MASTER PLAN In preparingthe masterplan fbr Brooklyn Atlantic Yards, Frank Gehry and his teamwere consciousof the balancebetweenthe needsof the existingcommunitiesand thoseof the peoplewho would live, work in or visit the new complex. Their goalsfor the projectinclude: o To developthe Arena as an iconicbuilding,visible from both Atlantic and FlatbushAvenues: o To respectthe scaleof the existingneighborhoods surroundingthe site; o To vary the heightsof the buildings and entrancesto the site for pedestriancirculation,to give appropriatescaleand length to the streetwallalong Atlantic Avenue; o To recognizethe importanceof the intersectionof Flatbushand Atlantic Avenues- on the main axis of Brookh'n - by establishinga significantlandmarktower marking this intersectionas an urban node approximatelyhalfway betu'eenthe Brooklyn Bridge and ProspectPark; o To enhanccthe useof public transportation and the pedestrian experienceat the intersection of FlatbushandAtlantic Avenuesby reactivatingexistingconnections to masstransitand connectingtheseto the nervdevelopmentand Arena, as well as making Atlantic Avenuemore pedestrian-friendly: r To createnew public openspace,designedto organizethe placementof the buildingssuchthat pedestrianexperiettcesare enhancedand eachopen spacehas a deliberaterelationshipwith the surroundinguses: o To create2'l-hour.diverseactivitiesevenwhen the Arenais not in use; o To providesulllcientparkingto mect the demandsof the Arenaand additionaldevelonment. Four office buildingssunoundingthe Arena u.ill place2.1 million squarefeet of commercialspace within a few blocksof the masstransithub. and allow the restof the siteto be occupiedby residential buildings.Thesewill containaffordable,miclcllc-and market-ratehousingtbr rent and for purchase. The buildingswill vary in scaleandin height.makingappropriatetransitionsto the neighborhoods surroundingthem. The northernmost building on the site,an office builcling.will be setback slightly fiom the intersectionof Atlantic andFlatbushAvenues,to maintainthe view corridorto the WilliamsburgBank building. The point of this trianglewill becomeparl of an "urbanroom," a new Page3 exterior spaceformedby raisingthe office building on pilotis (a term coinedby famed architectLe Corbusier,pilotis are columnarstructuresdesigneclto raisethe massof a building off the ground). Travelerswill enteror exit the transportationhub as u'ell as the Arena and the northemmostoffice building through the urbanroom, which will also cclntainretail shops. A glassed-inrestaurantwill be positionedat the top of the urbanroom, giving additionallife to the intersection. The roof of the Arena offers an exciting opporlunityto createnew public space.with 52,000squarefeet in four lushly landscapedareasfor passiverecreationand a promenadealong the outsideedgeof the roof with outstandingpanoramicvistasfacing Manhattan. For activerecreation.an outdoorice-skating rink connectsthe four gardens;in warmermonthsthe rink will becomea running track. This open space not only providesa destinationfor communityresidentsaswell as for the workersin the offlce buildings - it also allows the commercialbuildings surroundingthe arenato be connectedat the sky-lobby level. rvithinthe residentialareasto rcinforcethe Some300,000squarefeet of retail spaceareinterspersed openspace,includingalongAtlantic Al'enueand neighboringstreets.A varietyof retail establishments will servicethe peoplewho live and work in the complex. The retail spaccswoven throughoutthe residentialareasareproposedto be community-orientedand the public open spacetherewill be filled with major amenities- public art, culture,greatrestaurantsto draw the public into the complex. Atlantic Avenue will be transfbrmedinto a tree-linedboulevard,with a wider, pedestrianfriendly sidewalkon the southside of the avenue.DemappingPacific StreetbetweenCarlton and Vanderbilt will residential.The plan accessible openspacein combinationu'ith higher-density createa large,publicl-1' proposespassiveopenspace,with a seriesof hierarchicalelementsto organizethespace,suchas alarge grassmound. a retlectingpool, and urban plazasat eitherend to connectto VanderbiltAvenue and Pacific Street. Altogether,the masterplan calls for six acresof openspacethroughoutthe complex, encouraging both passiveand activerecrcationby residentsof BrooklynAtlantic Yardsand its neighboringcommunitiesas well asvisitors. PUBLIC PROCESS as a generalprojectplan of the State'sESDC,which is The Brooklyn Atlantic Yardswill be developccl reviewunderthc Statc'sEnvironmental subjectto environmental QualityRevieu Act (SEQRA). This reviewwill includcpublic hearingsand communitvparticipation.The derelopcr,ForestCity Ratner Page4 Companies,has a long history of working cooperativelywith Brooklyn's civic, businessand community leaders- as evidencedthroughoutthe 15-yeardevelopmentof MetroTechCenter- and will continueto do so on this importantproject. DEVELOPMENT COSTS The cost of the entireBrooklyn Atlantic Yards project- including residential,commercialand retail spaceandpublic amenities- is estimatedat more than $2.5billion over a ten-yearperiod. The Arena will be primarily privately funded. Incrementalrevenueswill be derivedfrom salestaxeson tickets, food and merchandisesold at the new Arena. ECONOMIC BENEFITS BrooklynAtlantic Yardswill bring a hugeinfusionof newjobs to the area- more than 15,000 jobs, over 10,000permanent jobs createdand/orretainedin the commercialoffices, construction 400 permanentjobs at the Arena and additionalindirect benefits. DEVELOPN{ENT SCHEDULE Investorsacquirethe Netsbasketballteam.a tianchiseof the NBA. Phase 1: Arena developmentto begin at tl.reend of 2004, ."vithcompletionset for the summerof 2006. Future phases:Developmentof commercialand residentialbuildings,as well as the complex's remainingparkingfacilitiesand public openspace. PROJECT TEAM Developer: ForestCitr,'RatnerCompanies Architects: Gehr-r'' Partners,LLP Landscape Architects: Olin Partnership StructuralEngineers: Thornton-TomasettiGroup Mechanical,Electricaland Plumbing Engineers: Flack * Kurtz FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelede Milly JovceBaumgarten Geto& de Milly, Inc. 212t686-4551 pr@getodemilly.com December2003 Page 5 ABOUT FORESTCITY RATNER COMPANIES ForestCity RatnerCompaniesis a verticallyintegrated.full-servicerealestatefirm that develops predominatelyfor its own portfolio. One of the leadingdevelopers of commercial.retailand residential properlies,the companyhasdeveloped, primarily fbr its own porlfblio.over 10 million squaret'eetas well as morethan900 hotelroomsin two urbanhotel complexes.Anotherrt.5million squarefeet,including residential,off-iceand retailspace.is presentlyin development. ForestCitv RatnerCompanies'projectscanbe found throughoutthe five boroughsof NervYork City. N e wJe r se y'a n dP ennsylviinia. Thecompany is a n a f f llia t e o f F o re s t Cit y E n t e rp ris e s , o n e o ft h e l a r g e s t m i x ed - u se p r o p ertyo\\nersintheUnited S t a t e s . r. rit h a p o rt f o lio o f a s s e t s o f mo re t h a n 9 5. 2Wb hi l il li e on. publicly tradedon thc \eu York StockExchange(tickersymbol:FCE).the companyremainsfamily controlled,which ensuresa strongcomnritnrent to creatingand maintaininglong-termvaluein all of its properties. o - MetroTech Center - is a $1 billion. 7 rnillion square-foot FCRC's flagshipdevelopment office, academicand high-techdc-relopmentin Downto*'n Brooklynfeaturingtwo acresof public openspace. The 14-buildingcompler r.rasbegunin 1988;thefinal two buildingsin the originalmasterplan are detailedbelow: o 9 MetroTech Center South, a 675.000square-foot.19-storyoffice buildingjust openedin the summer of 2003. EntpireBlue Crossand Blue Shield.the largesthealthinsurerin Nerl' York State,is the anchortenant.occupying395.000squarefeet of offrcespaceon ten floors: ' 330 Jay Street,alsoknou n as 12 MetroTechCenter.is the siteof the stiite-of-the-art homefor the Kings Countl'Supremeand Family Courlhouse.as w'ellas new commercialoffice space.in the BROOKT IMAGESAVAILABLE AT )))) ATIANTIC YARilS IilWUT.BBAtt.N heartof DowntownBrooklyn. The 32-storybuilding,containing1.1million squarefeet of space, will openin 2005. o Otherkey FCRC projectsin Brooklyn include: ' Atlantic Terminal Office and Retail Complex, a ten-story,400,000square-footoffice building is beingconstructedabovea four-story,375,000square-foot retail shoppingcenterandrehabilitated subwayand Long IslandRailroadstations.The Bank of New York will occupy320,000squarefeet of spaceon eight floors; . ' Atlantic Center, a 400,000square-footretail centerin Downtown Brooklyn, openedin November 1996, ' One Pierrepont Plaza,a 651,000square-foot, $138million, 19-storyoffice buildingopenedin 1988,the first new office buildingin DowntownBrooklyn in 25 years. High profile projectsin Manhattan include: ' The new New York Times Company Headquarters,a 52-story,1.5.1miliion square-footoffice buildingon EighthAvenueat 4lst Street.Constructionis expectedto beginin 2004; . The Hilton Times Square,,Entertainment and Retail Development,a $300 million. 610,000square-footcomplexopenedin 2000 that includesthe 444-roomHilton Times SquareHotel, a 25screenAMC CineplexandMadameTussaud'sWax Museum; ' Harlem Center, an $80 million mixed-useprojectthat includesup to 130,000squarefeet for retail use(which openedin 2003)and 146,000squarefeet of office spacealon_e Malcolm X Boulevard and l25thStreet,Harlem'sprincipalcommercialthoroughfare. o ProjectsFCRC hasdevelopedin Lower Manhattan: . A 600,000square-footmixed-use complex in Batterv Park City, openedin June2000,featuringa 14-story,463-suite EmbassySuitesHotel,retail stores,and a -1.5O0-seat,l6-screen RegalCinema; ' 111 Worth Street,a 330-unitresidentialandretaildeveioprnent. the first residentialbuilding in Lower Manhattanafterthe 9l1l attacks;the buildingopenedin 2003; constructed . The 500,000square-foot headquarters for the New York }lercantile Exchangein the World FinancialCenterat BatteryParkCity, completedin the springof 1991. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: MicheledeMilly/ JoyceBaum-sarten Geto& deMilly, Inc. (2rD 686-4551 email: pr@getodemilly.com December 2003 Page2 of 2 ABOUT FRANK GEHRY Raisedin Toronto,Canada,Frank Gehry moved with his family to Los Angelesin 1941. Mr. Gehry receivedhis Bachelorof Architecturedegreefrom the University of SouthernCalifornia in 1954,and he studiedCity Planningat the HarvardUniversity GraduateSchoolof Design. Mr. Gehry hasbuilt an architecturalcareerthat hasspannedfour decadesand a wide rangeof both public and private buildings.constructedin America,Europeand Asia. Mr. Gehry's work hasbeen celebratedin major architecturalpublicationsand in nationaland internationaltradejournals and his architecturaldrawingsand modelshavebeenexhibitedin major museumsthroughoutthe world. SelectedAwards and Honors 1974. Electedto the Collegeof Fellows of the American Instituteof Architects(A.I.A.) 1971 'Arnold W. BrunnerMemorial Prize in Architecturefrom the American Academy of Arts and Letters 1981. Nameda Fellow of the American Academyof Arts and lrtters 1989' PritzkerArchitecturePrize,honoring"significant contributionsto humanityand the built environmentthroughthe art of architecture" . Named a trusteeof the American Academyin Rome l99I . Nameda Fellow of the American Academyof Arrs and Sciences 1992. Wolf Prize in Art (Architecture)from the Wolf Foundation ' PraemiumImperialeAward by the JapanArt Associationto "honor outstanding contributionsto the development.popularization.and progressof the arts" BROOKL ATTANTIC YARDS TMAGES AVATLABLE Ar )))) I[WW.BBA[[.NET 7994'Dorothy and Lillian Gish Award for lifetime contributionto the arts (first recipient) . NamedAcademicianby the NationalAcademyof Design1998 . National Medal of Arts . Friedrich Kiesler Prize (first recipient) . Named HonoraryAcademicianby the Royal Academyof Arts 1999. Lotos Medal of Merit from the Lotos Club . Gold Medal from the American Instituteof Architects 2000 . Gold Medal from the Royal Instituteof British Architects . Lifetime AchievementAward from Americansfor the Arts 2002'Gold Medal for Architecturefrom the American Academyof Arts and Letters 2003.Inducted into the EuropeanAcademyof SciencesandArts . Designatedas a Companionto the Order of Canada Mr. Gehry has receivedhonorarydoctoraldegreesfrom the RhodeIsland Schoolof Design,the CaliforniaInstituteof Arts, the Otis Art Instituteat the ParsonsSchoolof Design,the Universityof Toronto,Yale University,HarvardUniversity.andthe Universin'of Edinburgh.In 1982.198,5. and 1987-89,Mr. Gehryheld the CharlotteDavenportProfessorship in .\rchitectureat Yale University. In 1984,he held the Eliot NoyesChair at HarvardUniversity.ln 1996-91.he was a visitingscholar at the FederalInstituteof Technolosyin Z.jrrch.Switzerland. Mr. Gehry'sbuildingshavereceivedover 100nationaland regionalA.I.A. awards. FOR FURTHER INFORNIATION CONTACT: Michelede Milly/ JoyceBaumgarten Geto & de Milly. Inc. QlD 686-4ssl email:pr@getodemilly.com December 2003 Page2 of 2 242039 ABOUT LAURIE OLIN AND OLIN PARTNERSHIP Laurie Olin's work as a landscapearchitectand urbandesignerexaminesthe role that common aspectsof the environmentplay in creatingexemplaryand uncommonlandscapes.Currently a Practice Professorof LandscapeArchitectureand RegionalPlanningat the University of Pennsylvania,Mr. Olin servedas the Chair of the LandscapeArchitectureDepartmentat the GraduateSchoolof Design at HarvardUniversityfrom 1982-1986.In 1991,he won the BradfordWilliams Medal for his writing on the history and theory of landscapearchitecture,and in 1998he receivedthe Award in Architecture from the American Academvof Arts and Letters. Olin Partnership is an internationallyacclaimed,award-winninglandscapearchitectureand urban designfirm dedicatedto creatingartistic,sensitiveand timelessenvironments.Olin Partnershiphas directedsomeof the most extraordinarytransformationsof the humanenvironmentin the last several decades,including Bryant Park in New York City and Canarywharf in London. At the heartof the firm's philosophyis its aspirationto raiselandscapearchitecture-an art form that combinesecologicaland socialresponsibility-to a positionas the most influential field in the design and planningof humansettlements.Olin Partnershipstrivesto synthesizethe demandsof art and sciencewhile acknowledgingthe sometimes-conflicting requirementsof outdoorenvironments.The hallmarksof Olin Partnershipdesignsare powerful, imaginativeconcepts,fine craftsmanshipand the useof handsome,lastingmaterialsto createbeautiful,useful and meaningfulplaces. BROOKT ATTANTIC YARDS TMAGES AVATLABLE Ar )))) I[l[1[.BBALI.NET Foundedin 1916as Hanna/Olinby two leadersin the field of landscapearchitecture,the currentfirm was formed in 1995by original founderLaurie Olin and threeother principals,Lucinda Sanders, DennisMcGladeand SusanWeiler. The diverseexperienceof the firm encompasses environmentalanalysis;masterand site planning;and landscape design,documentation - a depthof experlisethat allowsthe andconstructionadministration firm to underlakea broadrangeof projects,includingmixed-useurbandeveloprnents suchas Brooklyn Atlantic Yards,corporateheadquarlers, educationalandculturalinstitutions,andpublic parksand cir.'ic spaces.The 4O-plusstaff of landscape architects,architects, designersand plannerscollaborates with a broadrangeof designand technicalprofessionals to bring complexand imaginativedesignconceptsto fiuition. Often,the circumstances of a projectforcethe f}m to createusableenvironments * herenone previouslyexisted. Olin Partnershipprojectsrecentlyreceivedflve awardsfrorn the American Socien'of Landscape Architects,includingthe 2003Designof Honor Award for the J. PaulGetty Centerin Los An-seles and the Battery Park City LandmarkAward. Recentand cumentlandscapeand urbandesignprojectsinclude: o o o o o . o o o o o The BeringerVineyardsin the NapaValley, Califonria; The UniversityoJ'PennsylvaniarnPhiladelphia.Pennsylvania; d Children's Gurtlen at the Fort Worth Botaric Garclenin Fort Worth. Texas: The Universitt'of'VirginiaArt Museurnin Chiirlottesville, Virginia; The WashingtcltMtnttmenrin Washington.D.C.: The BrancusiEnseniltlein Targu-Jiu,Romania; The BethelPerfonrtirtgArt Centerin Bethel,New York; WinterGarclenandReader'sGardenfor The N{idwayPlaisance, Chicago,Illinois; The Stanford UniversityScienceand EngitteeringQuadrangle,in Palo Alto, California; The J. Paul Getn' Centerin Los Angeles.California; CaymanShoresDevelopment- Westlrtdittrt CIub in the CaymanIslands. FOR FURTHER INFORN,IATION CONTACT: Michelede Milly/ JoyceBaumgaften Geto& de Milll'. Inc. (212\ 686-4551 email:pr@getodemilly.com December2003 Page2 of 2