The Barclays Center Has Dozens of Building Violations
The New York Post blew up the Barclays Center’s spot with a report this morning that the potential future site of the 2016 Democratic National Convention has at least 23 open violations with the Department of Buildings and several federal building violations. In what seems like a particularly Post-ian move, the story dropped on the eve of the much-ballyhooed NYC visit by Prince William and the former Kate Middleton, whose itinerary includes catching a Nets game tonight.
Let’s start with the federal violations. According to the Environment Protection Agency’s website, the arena is in noncompliance for issues regarding its generators, dating back to October 2011, and for its handling of “universal waste,” which the EPA defines as “batteries, mercury-containing equipment, pesticides, and lamps.” The violations, if unattended to, will cost $7,500 in fines. It’s worth noting that the arena hasn’t been formally inspected by the EPA since July 2013, when the “universal waste” violations were discovered.
The city violations appear largely to date to the construction of the arena, although the DOB did issue a $6,800 fire-prevention inspection fine last month and a $900 fine for a faulty elevator in April.
State Senator Marty Golden, a Brooklyn Republican, got right to the heart of the matter. “If it’s not up to code, that’s not good,” he told the Post. “They’re going to have to bring the building up to code, and they’re going to have to show it’s up to code.”
De Blasio spokesman Phil Walzak said, on Sunday, that “the city will work to ensure any outstanding issues are resolved.”