Ratner to Recycle Ward's Bakery!

Just when we thought the Atlantic Yards Well of Irony had run dry, along comes the attempt to spin the impending demolition of the old Ward's Bakery in Prospect Heights that preservationists have been trying to spare from the wrecking ball. The building sits in the Atlantic Yards footprint. Yesterday, Forest City announced that it was going to start demolition on Monday. Its Press Release boasted that "Over 75% of Building to be Recycled as Part of LEED Certification." It said:

Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC), the developer of the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, today announced that abatement and demolition of 800 Pacific Street (also known as the Ward Bread Bakery building) will begin on Monday, March 26, 2007. As part of its sustainability efforts and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process, at least 75% of the demolition debris is expected to be recycled.

“Obtaining LEED certification for Atlantic Yards is one of the highest ‘green’ standards we can achieve,” said Bruce Ratner, President and CEO of FCRC. “Whether it is recycling building materials, using low emission vehicles or reducing storm water overflows into the Gowanus Canal by more than 2 million gallons per year, we are seeking out every possible way to make Atlantic Yards as eco-friendly and environmentally responsible as possible.”

Well, thank God for all that. We'd been a little worried, but it turns out that our fears were misplaced. Ward's is being recycled and the Gowanus will be cleaner. Of course, we're a little tongue in cheek here. The Gowanus Canal "more people equals less pollution" argument, for instance, was refuted (but ignored) during the Draft Environmental Impact Statement process. It was pointed out, for instance, that the "reduction" estimate was based on 1988 conditions that don't reflect the current climate and that the development will, in fact, lead to significant additional pollution of the canal. You can read an earlier post here, if you're interested in a refresher on the crappy nature of Atlantic Yards' Impact on the Gowanus.

Related Posts:
Online Petition to Prevent Demolition of Ward's Bakery
Beware the Gowanus Canal Shit Storm

[Photo courtesy of benben/flickr]