Ratner's first Atlantic Yards contracts awarded to MWBE.

Prep work and construction of a temporary rail yard on the east side of the Vanderbilt Rail Yard at Forest City Ratner Companies' Altantic Yards development got underway this week.

The mixed-used development designed by Frank Gehry will include over 2,200 units of affordable housing and the future home of the Nets basketball team.

As the bulldozers finally moved in, Ratner announced that, in keeping with the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) he signed with local community groups, the first contracts for this initial work--worth more than $600,000--have been awarded to minority- and women-owned (M/WBE) firms.

The largest of these contracts were awarded to the woman-owned demolition firm, A. Russo Wrecking, to remove the MTA bus parking facility on the east side of the track and the minority-owned security firm Eddington & Associates.

Other contracts went to J&J Asbestos Abatement Corp., C & W Cleaning, JMV Associates and Cole Consulting.

The McKissack Group, the nation's oldest minority-owned professional design and construction firm, has also been hired to manage the $182 million worth of work being done on the Vanderbilt Rail Yard.

"While this is preliminary work in anticipation of the actual construction, it brings us a step closer to making Atlantic Yards a reality for all of Brooklyn," said Bruce Ratner, president and CEO of FCRC.

"From the current open rail yards will grow a new and enhanced facility for the LIRR, a new mixed-income community, thousands of needed jobs, public spaces and other amenities for people throughout the borough and the City. Atlantic Yards is about the future of our borough and how, when we work together, we can create one of the most progressive affordable housing developments in the City."

As part of the historic CBA, at least 20% of the construction contract dollars will go towards minority-owned and 10% to women-owned businesses, and 35% of construction workers will be minorities and 10% women. All construction and demolition work in conjunction with the Atlantic Yards development will be done with 100% union labor.

In addition to the preparatory work on the rail yard, demolition of 179 Flatbush Avenue was also expected to commence this week. 179 Flatbush Avenue, a former automotive repair shop, is owned by FCRC.

Demolition will be performed by Cole Partners, a minority-owned firm, with construction management services provided by Gateway Demolition.

Air monitoring during and after abatement was conducted by Safety Environmental, also a minority-owned firm.

The demolition of 179 Flatbush and construction of the temporary rail yard will not impact subway or rail travel.

The current rail yard will continue to be used to house the trains while the initial work is conducted on the south eastern portion of the yard.