Council member Stephen Levin. Image credit: William Alatriste/NYC Council

The modified proposal provides for a larger Brooklyn Heights library branch, the construction of a new library branch, STEM education laboratories, and additional monetary incentives.  On December 16, 2015, the City Council at its stated meeting voted to approve the Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ and Brooklyn Public Library’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application to redevelop the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.   The Council-approved version of the library redevelopment plan modifies the City Planning Commission-approved plan from November 2, 2015. (See previous CityLand coverage here.)

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Council Member Juamaane Williams outside Jackie Robinson Tilden Avenue home. Photo Credit: Keith Dawson/NYC Council.

Council Member seeks full Council support and support of online petition.  On April 29, 2014, City Council Member Jumaane Williams of Brooklyn introduced Resolution 209 calling upon the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate 5224 Tilden Avenue in Brooklyn an individual city landmark.   The two story residence served as the home to Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. (more…)

Map of area within the Special Downtown Brooklyn District where revised parking requirements will apply. Credit: DCP.

Proposal to revise residential and public parking rules faces scrutiny on its ability to encourage affordable housing. On November 26, 2012, the City Council’s Zoning & Franchises Subcommittee held a hearing to examine a proposal to amend the parking requirements for the Special Downtown Brooklyn District. The main goal of the proposal, submitted by the Department of City Planning (DCP), is the reduction of required parking sites within the District. The proposal attempts to more accurately reflect car ownership and usage in an area known for its density and rich transit access. Vehicle owners account for 22 percent of the District’s total residents, compared to 45 percent in other areas citywide. Additionally, parking space usage in the District is substantially higher during the daytime than on evenings and weekends. The District is generally bounded by Tillary Street to the north, Atlantic Avenue to the south, Clinton Street to the west, and Ashland Place to the east. Portions of State Street and Atlantic Avenue are excluded from the proposal. The DCP concluded that existing residential parking is underutilized.  DCP argues that requirements to provide residential parking places unnecessary costs on developers, with each space costing approximately $50,000.

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Rendering of 74 Wallabout Street courtesy of Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC.

Developer asked the City to rezone manufacturing-zoned block in order to develop a seven-story building and a five-story extension for an adjacent religious school. On September 12, 2012 the City Council approved 74 Wallabout LLC’s proposal to demolish a low-rise warehouse building and build a seven-story mixed-use building at 74 Wallabout Street in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The warehouse sits on the western half of a block bounded by Wallabout Street, and Flushing, Franklin, and Kent Avenues. The Pointe Plaza Hotel (a converted industrial building) and the K-12 Yeshiva Bnos Ahavas Israel occupy the block’s western half. The new building will be 70 feet tall and include 120 rental units, 28,439 sq.ft. of ground floor retail space, and 60 underground parking spaces. 74 Wallabout LLC plans to make the apartments affordable to moderate income households. 74 Wallabout LLC also plans to sell a 5,000-square-foot portion of its property to the yeshiva, and build the school a 17,640-square-foot, five-story rear extension. To develop the project, 74 Wallabout LLC requested that the block be rezoned from M1-2 to R7-1 with a C1-5 commercial overlay.

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Credit: Karl Fischer Architect

Developer’s two-building, 69-unit project will include 14 units of affordable housing. On September 12, 2012, the City Council approved Walton Realty Associate’s proposal to rezone a three-block area in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn to permit residential uses. The rezoning impacted portions of three blocks located just outside the Broadway Triangle Urban Renewal Area and generally bounded by Middleton and Wallabout Streets and Union and Marcy Avenues. Walton Realty requested the rezoning in order to develop a two-building residential project at 59 Walton Street. The buildings will rise eight stories and provide a total of 69 rental units, and is expected to include 14 units of affordable housing built using the Inclusionary Housing Program’s floor area bonus.

Brooklyn Community Board 1 and Borough President Marty Markowitz supported the proposal but asked that Walton Realty guarantee that it would provide the affordable housing component.

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