Hearing approved for Domino Sugar building

Refinery buildings, just north of Williamsburg Bridge, were completed in 1884. On May 22, 2007, Landmarks voted to consider designation of the former Domino Sugar Processing Plant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Under consideration are three connected structures, the Pan House, Finishing House, and Filter House, which is the largest structure in the complex, standing 13 stories above the East River. Landmarks’ action did not include the nearby 1960s building hosting the yellow neon “Domino Sugar” sign.… <Read More>


Hearings held on nine Robert Moses projects

Depression-era pools and play centers considered for individual designation. In the 1930s, under the guidance of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, the City built dozens of parks and swimming pools using federal Works Progress Administration funds. In the summer of 1936 alone, the City opened eleven large pool-oriented play centers.

On January 31, 2007, Landmarks heard public testimony on the proposed designation of nine of these WPA play centers, including the Bronx … <Read More>


Variance granted after concession on height and parking

Split-level manufacturing building in DUMBO will be converted to 52-unit residential building. 37 Bridge Associates, LLC, the owner of 37 Bridge Street, a 12,500-square-foot lot between Water and Plymouth Streets in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, proposed to convert a 67,500-square-foot manufacturing building for residential use. The split-level, three- and seven-story building, formerly occupied by a soap manufacturer, is located on the border of M1-2 and M1-3 zoning districts within the DUMBO National Register Historic District.

37 … <Read More>


DUMBO BID approved

BID will encompass 366 properties and address sanitation, security and marketing needs. The Planning Commission unanimously approved an application by the Department of Small Business Services to create a DUMBO Business Improvement District. The proposed BID would encompass 366 properties containing 575 existing businesses bounded by DUMBO’s York, Old Fulton, Gold, and Bridge Streets and extending to the East River.

Under the proposed BID, businesses and industrial uses would be assessed $.05 per-square-foot and $.004 … <Read More>


HPD pushes through 668 affordable housing units

Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn housing projects approved; sent to Council. On April 27 and May 11, 2005, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development obtained the Planning Commission’s approval of seven affordable housing projects, totaling 668 units, to be developed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Three of the Bronx projects, including the 194-unit Prospect Avenue Tower in Melrose, the 102-unit East Clarke Place project in High Bridge, and the 63-unit Jacob’s Place project in … <Read More>


Science Annex approved

Science Annex construction will alleviate overcrowding in Midwood High School. On December 15, 2004, the City Council approved a proposal by the New York City School Construction Authority for the construction of a three-story, 45,476 sq.ft. science annex for Midwood High School in Brooklyn. The project site is a 67,600 sq.ft. parcel of City-owned property located across from the existing school on Bedford Avenue. It is currently used as an informal parking lot and play … <Read More>