Wayne Bailey Comments on the Draft Scope for the Atlantic Yards DSEIS

7/29/2019 Wayne Bailey Comments on the Draft Scope for the Atlantic Yards DSEIS

1/15

CommentsonthedraftscopefortheAtlanticYardsDSEISby:

NWayneBAILEYVicePresidentofCommunityRelationsNewswalkCondominiums

535DeanSt/700PacificSt,Brooklyn,NY11217

Areason forusingeminentdomainwasblight fromtheexposedactiveLIRRVanderbiltrailyards.Sincethe

startoftheAtlanticYards/BarclaysArenaconstructiontodatewhenresidentsonPacificStreetlookouttheir

windowswe

continue

to

see

ablighted

rail

yard

under

continual

construction

since

2010

and

it

now

appears

that the railyardwillbe the lastelementof theAtlanticYardsProject tobedeveloped.Residentshaveno

reasonableexpectationwhentheplatformwillbebuilttocovertherailyardorwhenwillthebuildingswillbe

constructed butwhatwe do anticipate is that it ismore than likely to be: a 25 year build outwith the

associatedundeniableconstruction impacts.AsFCRChasproclaimedintheirshareholdercalls,FCRC infact

controls thepacewe cannow conclude therehavebeen very significant impacts to the local residents

qualityoflifebecauseoftheNYStatezoningvarianceoverridesthatletourresidentialneighborhoodbecome

integrated intotheaconstructionplansandtheBarclaysarenaoperationsnowwithaplanned25yearsof

developmentconstruction.

If there was the promised independent oversight then the community wouldnt have had to create

(www.AtlanticYardsWatch.com) to document the continual serious impacts to their quality of life in the

neighborhoodfrom24hr.adayarenaconstructionthathasnotbeenadequatelyaddressedormigratedby

theESD;ESDandFCRCpreferto letresidents fend forthemselves;noise,trafficcongestion, lossofparking

with theadditionoftheneverendingVanderbiltLIRR railyardswork thathas24houradayhighpressure

sodium lights (asmuch lightasabaseballstadiumamere30~50 fromresidentswindowsmostwithsmal

children)formonthsonend.

ThefollowingarticlefromtheAMAreports,http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2750lightnighthealth.htm

Lightingup the night is essential toa 24/7 society,but itmay have unintended consequencesfor humanhealth,doctorssay.Thisweek,theAmericanMedicalAssociationadoptedapolicyrecognizingthatexposuretoexcessivelightatnight,includinglightsfromcomputerscreensandotherelectronicmedia,candisruptsleepparticularlyinchildrenandteens;yearsBEFOREtheAtlanticYards/BarclaysArenaconstructionitwasanactiverailyardandbusdepotthatNEVERneededthisamountoflight;thenewspecifiedamountoflightingisnow

requiredforconstructionoperationsandnotemergencies.IfwasntneededbeforetheBarclaysArena,whyal

of a sudden is it needed now, and with such frequency? And why such powerful lighting if rail yard

developmentistobecompletein10years?Isitbecauseitisneededforrailyardconstructionand/ortherai

yards are going to be uncovered for decades to come! It is because of the rail yard construction for

development,it

is

disingenuoustosayotherwise.

Thecommunityhaswelldocumentedfactualreportsthatnotsharingtheraworunredactedenvironmenta

data takenbyFCRCandnot readilyavailable to the residents isdetrimental tooursafety,healthandwell

being to the residentsof the community.An environmental report preparedby Sandstone Environmenta

Associates(theauthorofthereportwaspreviouslyhiredbyFCRC)documentedthevariousdust,noiseand

otherimpactsjustfromtheVanderbiltLIRRrailyardconstructiononthecommunityandhowtofix,monito

andreportbacktothecommunityonthoseimpacts,thefactisthatiftherewasnonegativeimpactsonthe

qualityoflifetherewouldbenoreportsonAtlanticYardsWatch,311ortheSandstoneEnvironmentalreport.


2/15

http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/sites/default/files/atlantic_yards_air_noise.pdf

Ourcommunityhashadtoendurecountlessgovernanceissuesattemptingtoresolvetheseimpactsbecause

the State/EDS ALWAYS seeks to override the cities regulations in favor of FCRC not the community. The

communityhashadtotaketheleadtodealwiththeESD,Mayorsoffice,BrooklynBoroughPresidentsOffice

and threeseparatecommunityboards (2,6,8)andatone time threepoliceprecincts (77th,78

th,88

th)now

thankfullyonlythe78th.Nothingisevertheconstructionsactivitiesfaultoritistheansweris:nothingcan

bedone;youlivenexttoaconstructionsite!WhydotheresidentshavetotakeontheburdenofoversightthatwaspromisedbytheESDtothe

communitytoattainapprovalforvariancesbutnevermaterialized?TheESD/FCRCmustbeheldaccountable.

Examplesoftheimpacts;theweeksof60plusdailyarrivalofdieselpowereddumptrucksusingnonapproved

truckroutesornotusingroutesidentifiedandagreedtointheEISat4am~6amthatillegallyidledforhours

beeped,blastedmusicALLnexttotheNewswalka171unitfamilyresidentialbuildingonPacificSt.between

6th

Ave

and

Carlton

Ave.

One

remedy

available

to

the

ESD

should

have

used

is

to

require

FCRC

to

ban

using

the

offending truckingcontractor, it iswelldocumented that thesame truckingcompaniesneverwerebanned

andFCRCcontinuestousethesetruckersforB2constructiontoday.Themaddingnoisefromthemandated

vehicle safetywarning beeping fromeverypieceof constructionequipment; thisnoiseentersourhomes

thruthewallairconditioners(eventhoughapreviousremedywastoinstalldoublepanewindows).Thedust

fromnotwateringduringexcavation,piledrillingandnowheelwashingbeforeenteringpublicstreets.The

CarltonAveBridgeclosurefromJan08didntopenuntil2~3weeksbeforethearenaopen28thofSeptembe

thatneeded 24hr. 7 day aweek construction tomeet the arena opening completion date.An untended

consequenceisconstructionworkersthatsmokeintheDeanSt.playgroundwhenNOADULTwithoutachildis

allowed;

understandability

child

minders

and

mothers

are

extremely

reluctant

to

enter

the

playground

andwhyshouldtheyhavetofindanotherfarawayplaygroundtouse?

Therewas1millionpatronsastheBarclaysArenaannouncedtodate inourneighborhood;after5months

there is still isno effectiveplan todeal that finallydealswith the limo/black cars, concertnoise that the

BarclaysArenaweresummoned$3200 forviolatingtheNYCnoisecode,dailyarenadeliveryvendors (most

are18wheeltractortrailerillegallyidling)thatnowusethelocalstreetstowaittheirturntoenterthearena

elevator,illegallyidlingonpadnexttotheelevatorsat6thAveandDeanSt.,the24hr.loadin/outactivity.

Now with the added Barclays Arena impacts to the neighborhood and the questionable 25 years ofconstructionimpactsthatweresidentsmustendure,ourquestioniswhenwillitallendandenforcementofinitiallypromised10yearbuildoutandmitigations,whenwilltheresidentsgetthepromisedindependentoversightandarealisticplanofdevelopmentthatminimizestheseriousdocumentedconstructionimpactsthatweendure?Thefollowingpagesaresomeexamples;theSEISshouldreviewallincidentreportsandstoriesonAtlantic

YardsWatchandincludetheinformationinthemwhenupdatingassessmentsofimpactsandmitigations.

@www.AtlanticYardsWatch.net


3/15

VARIOUSEXAMPLESofATLANTICYARDSIMPACTSHighPressureSodiumLighting

VanderbiltLIRR railyardsworkhas24houradayhighpressure sodium lights (asmuch lightasabasebal

stadiumamere30~50fromresidentswindowsmostwithsmallchildren)formonthsonend,thefollowing

article

from

the

AMA

reports,

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2750

light

night

health.html

Lighting

upthenight isessentialtoa24/7society,but itmayhaveunintendedconsequencesforhumanhealth,doctors

say.Thisweek,theAmericanMedicalAssociationadoptedapolicyrecognizingthatexposuretoexcessivelight

atnight, including lightsfromcomputerscreensandotherelectronicmedia,candisruptsleep,particularly in

childrenandteens;yearsBEFOREtheAtlanticYards/BarclaysArenaconstructionVanderbiltrailyardswasan

activerailyardthatNEVERneededthisamountoflight;thenewspecifiedamountoflightingisnowrequired

forconstructionoperationsandnotemergencies. Ifwasntneededbefore theBarclaysArena,whyallofa

suddenisitneedednow?Itisbecauseoftherailyardconstructionfordevelopment,itisdisingenuoustosay

otherwise.

http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/433


4/15

Enoughlighttoread@9pm


5/15


6/15

AirconditioningdriftingdustandnoiseThemadding noise from themandated vehicle safetywarning beeping from every piece of construction

equipmentorcommercialvehicles;thisnoiseentersourhomesthruthewallairconditioners(eventhougha

previousremedywastoinstalldoublepanewindows).Amitigatingfactorthatwasavailedtoresidentswasair

conditionersbecauseitisimpossibletoopenyourwindowsduringconstruction;overoneandahalfyearsago

FCRCstoppedprovidingACunitstoresidents.AnuntendedconsequenceusingthethroughthewallstyleAC

unitsdefeatedhavingdoublepainedwindows installed,onesolution is tohaveacompany likeCitiQuietor

Cityproof City Windows to install a removal sound proof barrier door. The dust should be minimized by

watering/mistingduringexcavation,piledrillingandwheelwashingbeforeenteringpublicstreets.

20110406AtlanticYardsConstructionSpewingDustintheAir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwqPZwmYgHI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv6z1xkc6rg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a34dxDv4NZ8

20110412DustAtlanticYards6dayslater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBN1p9J3ww

20110418retrofitteddrillstillspewingmassivedustAtlanticYards6dayslater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN2P3FfbtXQ

20110928BarclaysArenadumptrucksillegallyidling@6thAve&PacificSt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFmQoAgRcy8


http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/628Barclaysdumptruckscreatedustbowl


7/15

NoiseConstructionworkersmakelittletonoefforttodecreasethenoiseanytime.Theycoulduseachainsaw

whenpossible

instead

of

atype

rescue

saw

like

aHusqvarna

K760.

http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/73720120616BarclaysLIRRworkershouts'Idon'tgiveafk'

aboutmakingnoise@2amof120dbhesaysIbehere55morehours

10pm~6amJackhammering extendedallnight

http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/288September9,2011 1:47am

http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/313September24,2011 1:55am


12

17

Examples

of

Barclays

Arena

rail

yards

daily

incessant

&

relentlessdeafeningnoise&exhaustfromgenerators

Interruptedtrafficflowfromarenaoperationsandconstructioncausesexcessivehornhonkingforresidentswholive

neartheBarclaysArenaandconstructionzone,thisisparticularlybadposteventonPacificStreet/6thAveduetothe

frequentdelaysatthePacificStreet/6thAvenueintersectionandexitingcarsfromthe700PacificStreetsparking

garage.


8/15

Vibrations

SeveralhomesonCarltonAvereportedseverdamagefromvibrations.

20120529residentstates,"Ceilingfelldownwhenworkstartednear500blockofCarltonAve"noonewill

helpme!!



IllegallyidlingTheconstantdelugeofchaoticarrivalsofconstructiondelivery/dumptrucks;95%usetheSEcornerofPacific

St&6thAveinsteadofofficialFCRstagingareaandillegallyidleforhoursonend;Themostseriousinstances

thataffecttheadjoiningresidentshealthistheillegallyidlingoftheconstructiontrucksfromasearlyas4am

to6amthatillegallyidleforhours,beeping,blastingmusic,yelling,ALLnexttotheNewswalka171unitfamily

residentialbuilding

on

Pacific

St

between

6th

Ave

and

Carlton

Ave.

One

remedy

available

to

the

ESD

should

haveusedistorequireFCRCtobanusingtheoffendingtruckingcontractororvendors,itiswelldocumented

thatthesametruckingcompanieswereneverwerebannedandFCRCcontinuestousethesetruckersforB2

constructiontoday.


20110928BarclaysArenadumptrucksillegallyidling@6thAve&PacificSt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFmQoAgRcy8


9/15

Hazardousmaterial,garbage&verminDiscardedurinebottlesorurinatinginpublic,discardedfoodattractsrats,dumpingoftires,dumpingof

varioustypesofvehiclebatteries,increasessignificantlywithconstructionactivity.











10/15

ConstructionworkersparkingandblockingsidewalksConstructiondeliveryworkersorconstructionvendorscarsparking3deepshowsdisregardforpedestrian

safetybyblockingthesidewalkaccessforresidentsincludingchildminderswithbabypramsandtheelderlyat

timesforcingthemintodangeroustrafficlanes.


HowmuchmoreunsafecanitgetforthecommunitywhenaBarclaysarenavendordrives&parkstheir18

wheeltractor

trailer

on

public

sidewalk

&

then

says,

I've

been

here

all

fing

day

Iwait

here

&

Ican't

move?

Thesecurityguardtoldmetoparkhere!Ihavearighttoparkhere!really?Picturesshowafamilycoming

dangerouslycloseandwasunawarethatthetruckwasgoingtomove.

20110328WorstyetparkingfromAtlanticYardsworkers6thAve&PacificStreet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=motibB9mXOs



11/15


12/15

Drivingonthesidewalks


13/15

InterlopingconstructionworkerssignificantlyincreaseswithconstructionactivityAnuntendedconsequenceisinterlopingconstructionworkersintheDeanSt.childrensplaygroundwhenNO

ADULTwithout a child is allowed;understandability childminders andmothers are extremely reluctant to

enter the playground andwhy should they have to find another far away playground to use? Interloping

constructionworkersareusuallysmokingthatalsoviolatestheNYClawprohibitingsmokingoncitypropertywhichisespeciallyegregiousinachildrensplayground.Constructionworkersusingthechildrensplayground

asmeetingspace,lunchorbreaksoverrunsresidentsandchildminders;eventodaywithrenewedcomplaints

fromlocalresidentsconstructionworkerscontinuetousetheplayground.










ConstructionWorkersSmokinginPlayground


14/15

StreetscapechangestakesittollRemovalofover30treesforconstructionwithnofirmcommitmentofreplantingschedule.


Alltypesoftrafficlightsincludingstopandstreetlightsknockeddown


Tearingdownandchangingoftrafficsignstoenableillegalparkingbyconstructionworkers




18wheeltractortrailer,heavyconstructionequipment,andotherdeliveryvehiclesonresidentialstreetsnottruckroutes

Dailyarrivalofdieselpowered trucks andequipmentusingnonapproved truck routesornotusing routes

identifiedandagreedtointhefirstEISbytheESDandFCRC;bothalwaysreply,isolatedincidents,sorrywe

cantdoanythingaboutit..

20120814Barclaysarena18wheeltractortrailerdrives&parksonsidewalksaysI'vebeenhereallfingday

&Ican'tmove!





15/15

Notstaginginofficialstagingarea20100427PacificSt AtlanticYardsconstructionvehiclesblockingtrafficfor2+hours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rp36DbTjmkhttp://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/706http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/322http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/node/309

Documents

Wayne Bailey Comments on the Draft Scope for the Atlantic Yards DSEIS