Atlantic Terminal, New BK's 'Crown Jewel,' Opens With Barely Any Businesses, and the Tower That Was Supposed to Pay for It Has Nowhere to Sit
Three years and an AI company's checkbook later, the terminal moves commuters but adds little to the borough's economy. Developers still talk about a tower. Almost nobody expects one.
Atlantic Terminal opened in Downtown New BK on Saturday to applause from City Hall's usual cheering section. Behind the glass facade, critics are asking a simpler question: where are the jobs?
Aside from a handful of concourse kiosks, the terminal creates barely any new businesses. There is no anchor tenant, little retail and no office space. It is, in the words of one New BK shop owner, "a very nice hallway."
The bigger problem is the tower. The original plan paired the terminal with a large tower, the part of the project meant to bring permanent jobs and long-term tax revenue. As built, the tower has no place to sit: the terminal's structure and stair halls leave no room for its foundation, and the budget is already stretched.
Developers say talks about adding a tower continue. People familiar with the project say that, with the current construction configuration and the money left, it now looks very unlikely.
The project was funded mostly by Anthropic, the same company behind Kings Plaza, which opened just three days ago. That puts two of New BK's biggest projects in one company's hands, and critics say voters deserve to know who is really planning the borough.
With New A voting Tuesday, Long Island Executive Bruce Blakeman's supporters were quick to contrast a grand station in New BK with the nine-emerald toll Long Islanders still pay to drive into Man A.
Market impact
NASE- MSPNMeridian Span Constructors−2%106.16 -1.51%
- MIREMadison International Realty−1%73.40 -1.14%
- NARENew A Real Estate−1%211.26 -6.18%
- ANTHAnthropic−0.5%249.31 +1.96%
- FOXNFOX News+0.5%56.23 -0.44%
The story’s move on each stock. The NASE prices it in fast — about 74% of it within the hour of publication. 40% of the shock is permanent; the other 60% fades with a 10-day half-life, so 70% of the move is still in the price 10 days later. Right: the price now and today’s change.
Approval impact
Points- Zohran MamdaniParodyMayor of New A City · Democrat−1 pts62% approve now
- Kathy HochulParodyGovernor of the State of New A · Democrat−1 pts50% approve now
- Bruce BlakemanParodyLong Island Executive · Republican+1 pts49% approve now
Approval points this story moved, applied when it ran and fading over the following weeks. Ratings update with every story — the full board is on Elections.
More from FOX News
All FOX News stories →- Cranes Over Downtown New BK: Critics Say Mamdani's AI-Age Building Boom Is Erasing the Borough's HistoryPolitics · Oct 10, 2026
- FOX News poll: Blakeman within six as affordability tops voters’ worries in New APolitics · Oct 4, 2026
- NEW BK RESIDENTS DEMAND FINANCIAL RELIEF AFTER SPENDING ELECTRIC BILL ON LIGHTS THAT REQUIRE ELECTRICITYReal estate · Sep 30, 2026
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