After Less Than One Year, "Pacific Park" Has Faced Significant Wear
Worn Main Lawn open space has required new turf, but yellow patches (from dog urine, likely) persist. What happens when more buildings open?
A meeting today of the (purportedly) advisory Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation (AY CDC), likely will include the emergence of a new “permitted developer,” likely a joint venture led by Cirrus Real Estate, and planning for “community engagement,” as I wrote.
The directors also may be told by Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority that oversees/shepherds the project, about the Pacific Park Conservancy, which oversees the 2.7 acres of open space on the southeast block of the project, around towers B11 through B14.
At the previous AY CDC meeting on, March 25, Anna Pycior, ESD’s Senior VP, Community Relations, said that the Conservancy, to improve oversight and maintenance, had hired Dubner Landscaping and Construction to oversee landscaping.
"This reflects feedback we've gotten and the Conservancy has gotten,” she said, “about maintenance in that space.”
While directors did ask about how to contact the notably opaque Conservancy—controlled by building owners/developers, it has a voicemail and email, but no website nor listed board members—they weren’t told why improved landscaping was needed.
Worn “park”
Well, as my photo collage below shows, combining photos from Aug. 15, 2024 and April 25, 2025, the Main Lawn, between the two 595 Dean towers (B12-B13), had become remarkably worn in barely eight months.
I’ve returned periodically, taking photos from May through last weekend, as shown in the galleries below. The new landscaping company has done significant work.
However, as the photo directly below shows, it’s not yet enough, as worn segments and yellowed patches persist. The latter seems related to dog urine, a problem that likely requires more than signs urging people to keep their dogs off the lawn.
Indeed, every time I’ve visited the open space, I’ve seen dogs on the lawn or other grassy/planted areas, likely after visiting the dog runs west of the 595 Dean West tower (B13).
Some are even off-leash or doing "their business.” It’s likely tough to keep dogs on concrete paths when they prefer softer ground. (So much for the “Garden of Eden” unwisely promoted in 2003 by a New York Times critic.)
Future concern
As of now, 2.7 acres of the promised 8 acres of open space have been provided. If, as expected, the next towers built are B5-B7, between Sixth and Carlton avenues, they would deliver relatively little open space relative to their significant unit count, likely increasing the burden on the southeast block’s open space.
No wonder developer Greenland USA, aiming to make the project more economically viable by increasing its bulk, in 2023 redesigned towers B6 and B7 to be taller, with narrower footprints, thus allowing more open space, as I wrote last August.
Greenland, which likely will cede its role to Cirrus after losing control of the six railyard development sites (B5-B10) in a long-gestating foreclosure, sought even more open space, likely recognizing the burden of a larger resident population.
It suggested that ESD work with the New York City Department of Transportation “to explore using additional portions of Pacific Street, between Sixth and Carlton avenues, as Open Space.”
Not until towers B8-B10 are built, freeing up demapped Pacific Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt avenues to be converted from construction staging. would the full 8-acre “park” be completed. That’s a long way off. That also implies increased pressure on the existing open space.
The dog issue
Multiple dog owners have suggested that dog urine likely caused the patches.
The University of Maryland (UM) advises that “[d]eep green patches or straw colored patches surrounded by a ring of dark green turf may indicate dog urine damage to the lawn. Affected areas are usually circular and six to ten inches in diameter.”
The fixes, however, aren’t easy. UM advises “heavy irrigation” after a dog visit, or new sod. “If it is not possible to prevent dogs from visiting your lawn try to vary the urination location.”
Another source suggests “a designated potty spot” and planting urine-resistant grass. That would require more investment and/or engagement by the Conservancy.
A dog owner suggests
I queried Ian White, who’s been advocating to keep the dog runs open later—the noise from the insufficiently buffered spaces cascades up the West Tower, annoying some tenants—and has experienced frustration reaching the Conservancy. A petition he organized for increased hours and better maintenance has 613 signatures.
“I think the issue needs to viewed holistically and… be addressed by working with all stakeholders,” he observed. “There are many best practices we could learn from across the city and elsewhere.”
“Small artificial grass 'rest areas' throughout the park with regular clean up could serve to herd pets into designated areas,” White said. “The idea of community sponsorship is interesting… Regular policing of the grassy field seems moot unless owners have elsewhere to run.”
“Also, while likely not practical, since the entire project is in limbo, the closed off section of Pacific”—behind a fence—”seems very attractive for some kind of temporary public use,” he added.
“The Conservancy,” he said, “refuses to engage unless potentially forced to by their owners. Dog owners are uniformly angry and confused as the restricted hours, neglect (safety, sanitation, maintenance) have never been explained to anyone and short of an engaged '[Conservancy], I don't think anything will change on its own.”
White has since moved farther away and said he is less likely to be engaged in the issues.
An official rendering
The image below is from Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects (MNLA), which designed the open space.
It states:
MNLA's new public open space is part of the 615 and 595 Dean Street mixed-income development in Brooklyn's Pacific Park. A variety of active and passive uses have been developed as community amenities.
The western side of the site is a family-friendly zone with a playground for children of all ages, as well as small gathering spaces, a picnic grove, and dog run. An eastern plaza provides a semi-programmed space including a fountain that will be activated in the summer. The open space is anchored by a central expansive lawn surrounded by walkways and a variety of plantings. The pathway along the edge of the lawn leads to a lush, inviting shaded woodland garden ideal for a short stroll or a space to relax.
In May, improvements
As shown in the photos below, new turf was being installed.
Still, problems persisted.
More work in June
Both times I visited in June, I saw evidence of work being done—and the need for it.
Issues remain
As photographed last Saturday, July 12, there were still dogs on the lawn and yellow patches.
