Forest City juggernaut presses on with five national projects.

Approval this week of a $4 billion redevelopment of Brooklyn's Atlantic Yards marked a major milestone for the Forest City development giant as the company simultaneously got the go-ahead for four other mixed-used projects that will impact neighborhoods across the country.

"These projects will improve the use of the land in the cities where they are based. They will improve the tax base and create jobs for the communities. That is part of our overall goal as an organization, we are benefiting communities across a broad spectrum," said Nancy McCann, vice president of marketing for Forest City Enterprises.

In New York, the state's Public Authorities Control Board approved Forest City Ratner's 22-acre Atlantic Yards development that will include 16 new office and residential towers as well as a sports arena for the Nets basketball team.

"The PACB's action enables the Atlantic Yards project to move forward in a mutually beneficial public/private partnership," said Charles Ratner, president and CEO of Forest City Enterprises, the parent company of Forest City Ratner which is developing the Brooklyn site.

"Our goal is to create a dynamic commercial and recreational destination complementing vibrant residential neighborhoods. This project will create jobs and help make Brooklyn an even greater place to live work and play."

The company also got the go-ahead for Echo Bay development in New Rochelle, a 26-acre project being designed by architect Peter Calthrope to include shopping and dining facilities as well as residential space. The development is expected to transform the waterfront with a promenade, shops, and shoreline access and will connect two parks, and the main street to the shoreline.

"We understand the city's vision to reclaim Echo Bay for the benefit of residents and are honored to be selected as the master developer in this joint venture. We look forward to a successful partnership as we plan in concert with the community," said David Levey, executive vice president, Forest City Residential.

The other projects include the $152.8 million development of The Shops at White Oak Village in Richmond, Virgina; the $54 million for the Shops at Broad Street in Mansfield, Texas and the potential development of a 690,000 s/f redevelopment in Fresno, California.