Giant billboard turns posh NYC high rise featured in Spider-Man into blinding red-light district
NYC’s red-light district is back.A giant electronic billboard above Atlantic Terminal is making life a blinding hell for residents in and around one of Brooklyn’s most famous addresses.Since the billboard went up Oct.28 across from the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, residents of the iconic high-rise told The Post they’ve been besieged by an unrelenting, flashing glare that is ruining their sleep — and sinking their property values.“We paid over $2 million for our apartment; we’re a young family just starting out,” said Ariana, who moved into a four-bedroom apartment in the building with her hubby Sam and their two young children in 2024.
“They turned our neighborhood into Times Square.I could never sell my place.” The 41-story Art Deco landmark opened in 1929 with a clocktower that could be seen by most of Brooklyn.
It was converted into luxury condos in 2009, has been featured in Hollywood hits such as “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and “John Wick 3: Parabellum.”Now, residents’ senses are assaulted 24/7 by the 20-by-60 billboard.“It makes our apartment look like a brothel, it’s like a disco or a rave, it makes me nauseous,” the furious mom said.And life for her kids has turned into a nightmare.“My kids are losing sleep.They’re groggy during the day,” she said.The parents were forced to buy blackout shades — but they can’t keep out the relentless brightness.“I had to buy stronger blackout shades that were quoted at $6,000,” said Sam, who filed seven of the 21 complaints logged with 311 about the billboard since it powered up.
The city took no action on any of the gripes, records show.Clear Channel Outdoor operates the billboard as part of a licensing agreement with the MTA, which owns the Atlantic Terminal transit hub underneath the mall, and boasts that the structure is the “only large-format digital billboard in Downtown Brooklyn.”The billboard is located across the street from the Barclays Center on...