Barclays Center

February 10, 2021

New York stadiums and arenas can reopen February 23 with COVID-19 testing

Large stadiums and arenas in New York can welcome back fans and audiences starting February 23, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday. Venues that reopen must operate at 10 percent capacity and with coronavirus testing requirements in place. According to the governor, this could apply to sports, music, and performance venues. The Barclays Center has already been approved to reopen for a Brooklyn Nets game against the Sacramento Kings on February 23.
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September 1, 2020

Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center to serve as polling sites for 2020 election

Two major sports arenas in New York City will serve as polling sites for the general election in November, providing a socially distanced way for residents to vote in person. The city's Board of Elections announced that Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center will both be Early Voting and Election Day poll sites, the result of a deal made between players of the National Basketball Association and the league to resume playoffs after teams refused to play following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The agreement involved several social justice initiatives, including the use of NBA arenas across the country as voting locations for the upcoming election.
Details this way
August 11, 2020

MTV cancels VMAs at Barclays Center, announces outdoor performances throughout NYC

Along with most other large events for the rest of the year, MTA has decided to cancel the annual Video Music Awards ceremony that would have been held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on August 30th. Instead, "The 2020 VMAs will be held on Sunday, August 30th and pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around the City with limited or no audience, adhering to all state and city guidelines," according to a joint statement from MTV and the Barclays Center.
More details here
July 7, 2020

Brooklyn locals call for Barclays Center to be renamed for Jackie Robinson

The Barclays Center has made many headlines recently, as it's served as a hub for the city's Black Lives Matter protests. And some locals hope to keep this momentum going and are pushing for the arena to be renamed for Brooklyn Dodgers player Jackie Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player. Arthur Piccolo of Park Slope actually began the effort back in 2006, but recently revived it, telling the Brooklyn Paper, "You’re seeing certain individuals being criticized and their statutes rightly removed, and here’s the opportunity to do something symbolic."
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April 10, 2020

See NYC landmarks turn blue in honor of essential workers

To show support for New York City's essential workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of buildings turned blue Thursday night. Madison Square Garden, One World Trade Center's spire, Beacon Theatre, Pier 17, Hudson Yards' Vessel, and more join more than 100 landmarks across the country as part of the #LightItBlue campaign. The nationwide lighting will occur weekly every Thursday.
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December 30, 2019

21 experts on NYC’s most important projects of the past decade

As the decade draws to a close, we're reflecting on the growth and evolution of New York City during the 2010s. In the past 10 years, the city has seen the rebirth of neighborhoods, the creation of a totally new one, the return of a major sports team to Brooklyn, and the biggest subway expansion in decades. We've asked notable New Yorkers to share which project of the past decade they believe has made the most significant impact on the city, from the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site to the revival of the Coney Island boardwalk.
The full list ahead
September 26, 2019

The Nets reveal new Barclays Center court design, inspired by Brooklyn

Images by Mike Lawrence; courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets The Nets have revealed a new primary court design just in time for the 2019-20 season. It's the first full redesign of the court since the Nets moved to Barclays Center in 2012 and it's very much inspired by the team's roots.  The new floors retained their trademark herringbone pattern but got updated with a fresh gray hue—an unusual, but symbolic, choice.
More details
September 14, 2016

POLL: Do you think sports stadiums benefit communities?

Yesterday, 6sqft took a look at a Brookings institute study that showed three New York City sports stadiums--Yankee Stadium (the most expensive of all in the country), Citi Field, and the Barclays Center--have received $867 million in direct and indirect federal subsidies. This resulted in the loss of $3.7 billion in government revenues since 2000, due to "lost tax revenue from issuing exempt bonds and the indirect proceeds high-income bond holders receive." Because of this drain, the authors of the study advocate that stadiums should not be eligible to receive tax-exempt bonds, especially since they claim "there is little evidence that stadiums provide even local economic benefits." But not everyone agrees, likening stadiums to other public enterprises like parks. And, at least as pertains to the stadiums in New York, these venues host other community events aside from ticketed sports games. Which side are you on?
Share your thoughts here
September 13, 2016

$867 million in federal subsidies for three NYC sports stadiums a big loss

A recent Brookings institute study shows that federal government subsidies of big-ticket sports stadium construction are essentially money down the drain, The Real Deal reports. Three New York City stadiums--Yankee Stadium, Citi Field (both completed in 2009) and the Barclays Center--have accounted for a significant portion of these subsidies in the form of tax-exempt bonds, which have resulted in the loss of $3.7 billion in federal government revenues since 2000.
Not exactly a surprise...
April 20, 2016

Skyline Wars: Brooklyn Enters the Supertall Race

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s latest development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. Here, Carter brings us his fifth installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter looks at Brooklyn's once demure skyline, soon to be Manhattan's rival. Downtown Brooklyn has had a modest but pleasant skyline highlighted by the 350-foot-high Court & Remsen Building and the 343-foot-high great ornate terraces of 75 Livingston Street, both erected in 1926, and the 462-foot-high flat top of the 1927 Montague Court Building. The borough’s tallest building, however, was the great 514-foot-high dome of the 1929 Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower, now known as One Hanson Place, a bit removed to the east from Downtown Brooklyn. It remained as the borough’s tallest for a very long time, from 1929 until 2009. A flurry of new towers in recent years has significantly enlarged Brooklyn’s skyline. Since 2008, nine new towers higher than 359 feet have sprouted there, in large part as a result of a rezoning by the city in 2007. A few other towers have also given its riverfront an impressive frontage. Whereas in the past the vast majority of towers were clustered about Borough Hall downtown, now there are several clusters with some around the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the former Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower and some around the Williamsburg riverfront.
more on Brooklyn's skyline here
June 24, 2015

Renderings Revealed for Pacific Park Mega-Development’s Eight-Acre Green Space

Formerly known as Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park Brooklyn will be a 22-acre site anchored by the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights and containing eight million square feet of mixed-use development that includes 16 condo towers and 2,250 units of affordable housing, as well as an eight-acre park. Almost a year ago, developers Forest City Ratner Companies and Greenland USA (now merged as Greenland Forest City Partners) announced that they'd chosen Thomas Balsley Associates to design the green space. And now, we're finally seeing the first set of renderings for the public space, in addition to a master plan. The Daily News first shared the renderings, showing "the long, meandering park, which will follow the footprint of the new towers." The outdoor space will boast a public plaza and promenade, toddler and children's play areas, a bocce ball court, basketball court, dog run, glowing lanterns, sloping lawns, and a water garden.
More details ahead
May 19, 2015

VIDEO: Go Atop the Barclays Center’s Under-Construction Green Roof

The 135,000-square-foot green roof planned for the SHoP Architects-designed Barclays Center is shaping up in readiness for its job of reducing noise from the arena, catching rainwater and looking good from below, though it won't be publicly accessible. But here's your chance to get on top and see all the work that's being done in order to bring this project to life.
Watch the roof getting green, this way
May 15, 2015

What’s Your Favorite Building in NYC? 6sqft’s Writers and Friends Square Off

Once upon a time, when 6sqft was not yet launched, a group of writers were asked for their thoughts on their favorite building in New York City. Their choices, some easily recognizable and others a little further from the beaten path, were mixed together with those of a few folks a lot like our readers—interested in and passionate about all things New York. The result? A wonderful blend of what makes this city great: its diversity, not simply demographically but also in the opinions of those eight million souls who weave together the fabric of all five boroughs to create the most interesting city in the world. And it stands to reason the most interesting city in the world is home to quite a few interesting buildings. As one might expect, there was barely a duplicate in the bunch. Some weren't even on our radar! Is your favorite on the list? If not, we’d love to know what you think in the comments.
Read on to see if you agree with our selections
August 4, 2014

Greenland Forest City Partners Selects COOKFOX and Thomas Balsley for Pacific Park Brooklyn (Formerly Atlantic Yards)

Forest City Ratner Companies and Greenland USA, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group, announced today that their new joint venture, Greenland Forest City Partners, has selected COOKFOX Architects to design two residential buildings at their Pacific Park Brooklyn project. They've also chosen Thomas Balsley Associates to design the site's eight-acre public park, which will be called Pacific Park. Formerly known as Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park Brooklyn will be a 22-acre site anchored by the Barclays Center and containing 8 million square feet of mixed-use development. The public park will be revealed in phases, with permanent and temporary installations. COOKFOX has begun the design for its two residential buildings-- 550 Vanderbilt Avenue, set to feature 275 condominiums, and 535 Carlton Avenue, which will have approximately 300 affordable rentals. Construction is expected to begin on the latter this December, with 550 Vanderbilt not far behind. A third residential building will be designed by SHoP Architects, who were the minds behind the Barclays Center, at 30 Sixth Avenue with another 300 affordable rentals.
Much more on the project here
July 31, 2014

Charming Italianate-Style Townhome in Fort Greene Sells for $3.3 Million

The one-to-two family dwelling at 20 South Oxford Street must have made quite an impression on a few buyers. An apparent bidding war drove the price up from its initial $2.65 million asking to a final sale price of $3.3 million, according to city records. Located on a quiet, tree-lined street in the Fort Greene Historic District, this three-story Italianate-style home has a garden-level apartment with a separate entrance that can serve as an income suite or a fourth level. In addition, the home boasts high ceilings; a large backyard accented by a 123-square-foot deck; and many original details from its 1854 inception, including original marble mantles on each of the home’s six decorative fireplaces.
Take a look inside, here
June 11, 2014

Is Brooklyn the Shark That Can’t Be Jumped?

My wife and I took the kids to the Barclays Center in early 2013, during the Nets’ inaugural season in Brooklyn. There had been a lot of hype, not only about the Nets but also about the new arena. And there had been a lot of flack about both the Nets and the arena, respectively, as well. But after all the back and forth, over many years, both the stadium and the Nets were part of Brooklyn, and while we had been ambivalent observers during the whole imbroglio, we were anxious to check things out once matters were settled. The arena impressed. Spacious corridors and lots of polished surfaces. Professional and courteous service. We roamed around each level, sampling food and drinks from some of Brooklyn’s finest eateries and breweries. And, of course, a stop at the gift shop was mandatory for the kids to purchase Nets gear which had become the unofficial uniform of Brooklyn’s youth. By the time we sat down in our seats, we were definitely on board with the whole Nets/Barclays thing. The pregame production turned out to be top notch, too: dancers, acrobats, a DJ named TJ, a knight-of-some-sort who shot t-shirts into the crowd, and a super-stylish MC definitely on point, ratcheting the crowd into a pseudo-frenzy (it was only a mid-season game against Atlanta after all). And when the lights dimmed, and the music loomed, it was on for real: through the loud speakers came a familiar voice, smooth and deep, informed by a trademark flow... “Welcome to Brooklyn, y’all...” Oh my good-ness! That’s Jay-Z! “Birthplace of Michael Jordan.”  
Read more of Andrew's story here
May 7, 2014

Will Brooklyn Be Home to a New Ace Hotel?

Considering GFI Capital Resources' recent acquisition of several Bond Street parcels at the corner of Schermerhorn Street, downtown Brooklyn continues to be ripe for development in the vicinity of the Barclays Center. According to sources close to the deal, hotel developer Allen Gross, president and CEO of GFI, may be looking to bring Ace Hotel’s unique brand of lodging to the location, joining a growing list of hotels already planned for the area.
Read on for possible plans for the site
April 7, 2014

Barclays Center is Getting a Green Roof!

There is one more thing to cheer about at Barclays Center. The sports and entertainment venue in Brooklyn is about to get a little greener thanks to a collaboration between Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) and the Shanghai-based Greenland Group Co. Barclays will soon be topped off with small plants and a soil-like cover to create an expansive 130,000-square-foot green roof!
Going green