Frank Gehry was trumpeted as a world renowned architect and his name was used to market the Atlantic Yards project when the original plan was unveiled in 2003. Now he's out of a job.
Gehry won't be designing any of the 17 buildings planned for the controversial 22-acre Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.
Joe DePlasco, a spokesman for project developer Bruce Ratner, said Gehry's designs cost too much. The new Brooklyn arena is expected to cost about $800 million, or $200 million less than Gehry's design.
Last week, Ratner revealed that Gehry had been replaced by the firm Ellerbe Becket as the architect for the project's centerpiece: a basketball arena for the Nets. Now he's been yanked from designing the residential and other commercial buildings.
“We do not anticipate that Mr. Gehry will be designing any of the individual buildings,” DePlasco said, the New York Times reported.
Gehry issued a statement last Friday.
“We remain extremely proud of our work on the Atlantic Yards master plan and on the original arena, which we designed in close collaboration with Forest City Ratner,” Gehry said in the statement. “While there are always regrets at designs not realized, we greatly appreciate our ongoing relationship with Bruce and his team.”
Gehry's master plan for the development and his guidelines remain in place, DePlasco said
The project has been plagued by lawsuits and the flagging economy.
