Monday, November 24, 2008

Clarett To Pause Construction At 340 Court For Next Few Months?

oo













Clarett's 340 Court Street Project To Be Closed Down For Four To Five Months?

It has been super quiet behind the blue construction fence on Court Street between Union and Sackett Streets. After months of constant activity, Clarett's "Collection On Court" has come to a virtual stand-still. The building driveway ramp and the underground parking garage foundation seem to have been completed, but that is all. Except for a dumpster and a trailer, the lot has been cleared of the usual construction equipment and materials.

It now appears that Clarett is closing down the project while they "work out some details." For how long? That's anyone's guess, but it has been suggested that it could be as long as four to five months ( or even possibly much longer ?) One could imagine that the new economic reality has caught up with Clarrett. Perhaps the developer is too busy working on the Starrett City deal.
Though Carroll Gardeners never warmed to the over-sized, somber looking Rogers Marvel designed project, they also never signed up for a huge hole in the middle of their neighborhood.

Let us hope that Carroll Gardens will not be held hostage by the project. Five months is an awefully long time for the neighborhood to be inconvenienced by the closing of the sidewalks along Union, Court and Sackett and the loss of parking along those blocks.. Perhaps, Clarett should be asked to move the plywood fence back to the property line as well as removing the parking barriers. The developer should also give the community assurances that the site will be cleaned and baited, the snow shoveled around the perimeter and trash picked up during the building hiatus. The last thing we need is a blighted block right on Court.

But the bigger question by far is what ramifications this will have on other projects in the neighborhood. Surely, the Toll Brothers' developement along the polluted Gowanus canal seems like complete folly if Clarrett is already 'rethinking' theirs in the much more desirable heart of Carroll Gardens.
And how about Mr. Stein's 360 Smith Street "Oliver House." Even if the Board Of Standards And Appeals grants him the variance to continue construction, the market forces may be against him.




Related Reading:

Clarett Keeping Mum About Revised Plans For 'The Collection At Court Street"

Carroll Gardens Not Exactly Loving Clarett's 340 Court Street Design






For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

2 comments:

Lisanne said...

Scarano had the sidewalks closed on Bond Street for the empty "Satori" building for about THREE years!!!

Anonymous said...

Clarrett realized they are not going to be able to sell any apartments in these times, plus on top of that, add a complete drainage of funds..It's not a pause, it's finished, doomed!..You have to be completely insane to want to buy real estate right now. We are in for a terrible ride.