With Roof Half Up, a View Inside

Billy King, prohibited from talking about players or the lockout or anything much else, has taken to distributing the latest pictures of the Barclays Center, tweeting this image from inside the arena Wednesday, the first since the roof paneling started going up early this month. 

The arena should be fully enclosed in January and permanent power from ConEd will be turned out next week.  Workers continue to work double and triple shifts and weekends to assure "schedule maintenance", that is completion by late August of next year and a grand opening of September 28 (which also just happens to be Brett Yormark's 45th birthday).

Meanwhile, Bruce Ratner has reached a deal with union leaders to permit him to build the first of 16 modular apartment buildings at Atlantic Yards. The agreement will result in lower construction costs (and wages) but would make it easier for Ratner to get financing for the 32-story tower at the arena's southeast corner.

• Unions save Bruce with big pay cut to get Yards going - Daniel Bush - Brooklyn Paper