Hasta La Ideas

After all the cries of “You’re making Brooklyn bland!” after the Atlantic Yards project recently switched from Frank Gehry to Ellerbe Becket, the developers and designers for the new New Jersey Nets stadium have started moving on the PR front. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be doing themselves any justice. Thanks to a tip from our friend Kristen Richards over at ArchNewsNow, we found our way over to this extended piece where Brett Yormark, CEO of the Nets and Bill Crockett, Ellerbe’s principle on the project, were busy defending the decision and the new plans, explaining how great this all will be for Brooklyn in the end and Yorkmark saying things like “We’re going to brand Brooklyn in a big-time way.” Though outside of naming the two levels in the building “Brownstones” and “Lofts” (ugh), moving the entrances to street level, and building a practice facility next door, there’s not a lot of explanation as to why this is going to be so great for the area — it seems like just coasting on enthusiasm and hoping no one catches on. Ooh, maybe they could paint a couple of quick murals showing Brooklyn’s famous moments in history? Or have “authentic New York hot dogs”? That stuff always works in every single other city in the world. Here’s a little more Brett Yorkmark:

“The biggest change is that the building is now going to evoke Brooklyn like never before,” he said. “There’s such a legacy there. Wherever I travel, it is an international brand. They wear it on their hats and on their chests. We’re going…to brand Brooklyn in a big-time way, and it will start with the look and feel of the building.”

Of note: this writer remains completely impartial to this whole thing with Ellerbe Becket vs. Frank Gehry and whether or not Brooklyn will be bland or not. We just dislike empty PR.