Forest City Ratner Companies, Brooklyn, N.Y., has canceled its plan to build the Four Sparrows Retail Center at Mill Basin on Flatbush Ave., in Brooklyn, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. Forest City Ratner did not return calls by press time.
The Mill Basin project, estimated to cost between $15 million and $25 million, according to McGraw-Hill Dodge reports, was to include an 11,000-sq-ft automotive sales and service center as well as a shopping center. It had been scheduled to begin by 2014. AKRF Engineering, New York was the architect on the project and Bical Development Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., the owner.
According to the WSJ article, the project was linked to a corruption case involving state Senator Carl Kruger, who represents Mill Basin. Kruger was indicted this past March for allegedly accepting bribes for political favors and helping to obtain millions in state funds for development projects, the WSJ article says.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation, however, will continue to move forward with the auto mall portion of the Mill Basin project, which will be built adjacent to an existing 46,000-sq-ft Toy’s ‘R’ Us store, according to the WSJ.