Back in April 2008, when the Clarett Group presented their plans for 340 Court Street to a less than enthusiastic crowd here in Carroll Gardens, the developer estimated that construction on their Collection On Court project would take about 18 months to complete. That was, of course, before the downturn in the economy.
After a few months of steady construction, work came to a standstill in November. It is anyone's guess as to when work will resume. So, for now, Carroll Gardeners have to deal with a big hole and a plywood construction fence that stretches along most of one block on Court Street and wraps around both Union and Sackett Streets.
Through our elected officials, neighboring residents immediately reached out to Clarett to find out who was responsible for site security and how frequently the site would be inspected. Representatives of Clarett were asked to meet to discuss what the delay would mean to the project and to its neighbors. That meeting was never granted. Clarett did respond to a request to clear the street of barricades to restore parking . They have also posted a security guard at the site for a few hours a day.
However, other concerns have never been addressed. Neighbors of the site have repeatedly complained of large pools of water, accumulating trash and an infestation of rats. Though Daniel Hollander, Senior Managing Director of the Clarett Group, promised to " look into the pooling water, debris and specific extermination issues" in a letter dated December 15th, 08, the problems persist. Other concerns expressed by residents include: - a lack of lighting which makes the area dark and desolate at night. - the width of the sidewalk which makes it difficult to walk along the fence - the space between the gates might allow someone access to the site. - dangling Time Warner cable on Union Street which represent tripping hazard.
Carroll Gardeners will have to live with Claretts' construction 'pit' for the foreseeable future. It does not seem too much to ask of the developer to keep the site safe and secure for everyone's benefit.
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