Disputed loft application withdrawn

Council Member Reyna raised concerns over loss of light industrial space. On March 20, 2008, Gerald Goldman, the owner of a former factory building at 70 Wyckoff Avenue, filed a motion to withdraw his application to rezone a four-story, 62,000- square-foot commercial loft building for residential use.

Goldman had originally sought to rezone ten lots on Wyckoff Avenue between Suydam Street and Dekalb Avenue, from M1-1 to R6, in order to legalize 70 Wyckoff’s … <Read More>


Council nixes designation of Cass Gilbert warehouse

Council overrode mayor’s veto, claiming Cass Gilbert-designed building is unworthy of designation. On December 5, 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed the City Council’s vote rejecting the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s designation of a Williamsburg, Brooklyn warehouse. The Council gathered sufficient votes on December 8th to override the mayor, calling the building simply unworthy.

Landmarks had unanimously designated the Austin Nichols & Co. Warehouse building in September 2005 over the objection of the owner and Council Member … <Read More>


Council flip-flops on Sanitation garage

Council granted 21-month lease for controversial Williamsburg garage after heated debate. The Department of Sanitation, with a last minute compromise, obtained Council’s approval to extend its Williamsburg garage lease at 306 Rutledge Street for 21 months.

Williamsburg’s Community Board 1 and local residents had opposed any extension of Sanitation’s lease term at the Rutledge street location. Despite complaints that Sanitation blocked parking spaces and washed trucks along the street and sidewalk, the Planning Commission granted … <Read More>