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After the years of lawsuits (the last of which was concluded yesterday), public acrimony and lack of transparency, Bruce Ratner is scheduled to break ground on his divisive Atlantic Yards project this morning. At this point, all we can really do is hope that the whole project ends up being not nearly as ugly, congestive and delayed as many people fear. Just because Bruce is breaking out the back-hoes, however, don’t expect that the most die-hard opponents will be hiding in the shadows. Though there was no sign of any drama outside the groundbreaking tent when we cycled past earlier this morning, the day promises to be full of surprises, Freddy’s style. The official groundbreaking ceremony starts at 1:30 and the anti-Yards contingent will gather outside Freddy’s bar at 12:30. We’ll update this post with photos as they start to hit the interwebs. Update: Curbed is live-blogging the event, along with photos from pre-game show at Freddy’s, here.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Oh, its a long way from being done. Three years for the arena, with luck. Decades for the rest of the buildings. Never for the needy.

  2. D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!
    D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!! D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L!!!

  3. ” “I will not be attending any games there unless the tickets are comps.”

    Entitlement runs rampant through this part of Brooklyn. ”

    Or maybe since our tax dollars are already going to build the arena, we unwilling benefactors shouldn’t be required to pay again.

  4. Freddy’s used to be an afterthought bar, out of the way and too weird to keep fans. I liked that; that’s me. The best nights were comedy nights on Mondays, 20 people in the place, all 30 or older.

    Now that it’s about to close, every night is like Saturday – roadtrippers stopping through, oh yeah, went to that place once in 08, kinda small, yeah, I must be cool.

    Like Churchill said, in fact it’s been completely spoilt.

  5. bad traffic gets worse with the arena. thats a given, but it was never going to get better in any case. Making it worse isnt ideal, but lets not pretend that it was ever a pleasure driving near the place. In time, people will adjust.

  6. shovel in the ground
    shovel in the ground
    lookin’ like a fool with yer shovel in the ground

    with Goldstein on yer butt
    hat turned sideways
    shovel hit the ground
    call yourself a fat cat
    lookin’ like a fool
    walkin’ downtown with yer shovel in the ground

    get it up, hey!
    get yer shovel outta the ground
    lookin’ like a fool
    walkin’ talkin’ with yer shovel in the ground.

    get it up, hey!
    get yer shovel outta the ground
    lookin’ like a fool with yer shvoel in the ground

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