979-985 Pacific Street Rendering Image Credit: City Planning

Council Member Cumbo applauds Community Board for involvement in zoning process. On February 12, 2020, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing on EMP Capital Group’s rezoning on the northeast and southeast corners of Grand Ave and Pacific Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The rezoning would facilitate the construction of a nine-story mixed use development on the northeast corner at 979-985 Pacific Street. Read CityLand’s prior coverage of this rezoning and proposed development here.

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23rd Regiment Armory in Crown Heights

Department of Homeless Services operates a 350-bed men’s shelter in head house of landmarked Armory. On August 14, 2012, the City Economic Development Corporation issued a request for proposals from developers interested in leasing and reusing a 50,000-square-foot drill hall space in the 23rd Regiment Armory at the corner Bedford and Atlantic Avenues in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The National Guard completed the Romanesque Revival-style Armory in 1895. The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building as an individual landmark in 1977. Since 1982 the Department of Homeless Services has used the Armory’s five-story head house as a 350-bed homeless shelter. EDC is seeking proposals to develop “neighborhood-serving uses” in the adjacent drill hall and enhance community access to the space. The selected developer would control the drill hall space through a triple net ground lease, which would require the developer to be responsible for operating expenses, insurance, repairs, and property taxes.

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The cellar of the Bnos Menachem school to house a private onsite catering service and events. Bnos Menachem is a not-for-profit girls school with pre-school to seventh grade classes located in a residentially- zoned area of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It sought a variance from BSA to allow a private, for-profit catering company, Ragzag, Inc., to operate from the school’s cellar. The caterer would operate after school hours and provide services to the school and the community with a total event capacity of 550 people. Outside events would be limited to forty percent of the total events each year.

The school argued that the manufacturing nature of its 33,646 sq.ft. building, originally used by a publishing company, made it unsuitable for residential uses. Noting that the catering business was permitted as-of-right on the other floors, the school argued that the cellar was unfit for the school’s classrooms. It also stressed its great financial need, explaining that families in the area could not afford high tuition costs. (more…)

The Van Dyke III in Brownsville. Image Credit: NYCHA/Leticia Barboza

On November 10, 2021, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced the opening of the Van Dyke III, a new twelve-story supportive and affordable housing development in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. The Van Dyke III, is built on underutilized land at NYCHA’s Van Dyke campus on Dumont Avenue between Mother Gaston Boulevard and Powell Street. (more…)

Rendering of the proposed new building at 250 Water Street, which will replace a parking lot. Image Credit: NYC LPC

Zoning is under attack in New York City. Not here or there, in this location or that, but the concept itself. This has been the long game of the city’s real estate interests, and after a decade of raids those interests have launched a full assault on several fronts. The historic city should expect no quarter. (more…)