The Public Toilet That Is the Area Around Barclays

Neighbors are saying it literally stinks to live near the new Barclays Center, because patrons have been using the surrounding area as a make-shift toilet. At a quality of life meeting with residents, local officials and Barclays reps, residents complained of public urination (and one instance of defecation) that is already smelling up the neighborhood, and which has the potential to ruin a nearby garden. DNAinfo reports one neighbor’s reaction:

“He was about to release himself on the bushes and I told him, ‘Hey, the plants!,'” said Michelle R., a member of the garden who didn’t want her last name used. “He was right by the rose bushes, poor babies, a few feet from the grape vines I planted this year.”

The Atlantic Yards Report adds that other complaints included idling cars, illegal parking, signs flashing overnight, and more. As for the problem with 311, which the New York Post explained as “operators are routinely brushing aside complaints… even disconnecting callers or wrongly telling them to contact arena honchos,” AYR notes that neighbors with unanswered complaints can contact Ashley Cotton, Forest City’s External Affairs VP at 917-618-6136 or communityaffairs@brooklynse.com or  the Empire State Development’s new Government and Community Affairs Manager Derek Lynch at 646-581-6092 or dlynch@esd.ny.gov.

They hope a plan to install more lighting on Pacific near the Modell’s improves the urination situation, but these quality of life meetings will be a regular thing.