Hearing held on proposed Crown Heights district

Neighborhood had originally been surveyed for designation in the 1970s. At its September 19th meeting, Landmarks held a hearing on the proposed Proposed Crown Heights North Historic District. The district, on land that was once part of the Lefferts family’s large holdings, had originally been surveyed in the 1970s along with the Fort Greene and Park Slope historic districts. An upper-class suburb in the 1870s, several free-standing Victorian homes still remain in the neighborhood. Following … <Read More>


Crown Heights historic district to be considered

Landmarks takes first step towards designation of new, 470-building historic district. On June 20, 2006, Landmarks voted to hold a public hearing on the proposed Crown Heights North Historic District, which will encompass 470 buildings, primarily along Dean and Pacific Streets; St. Mark’s, New York, Nostrand and Bedford Avenues; and Grand Square in Brooklyn.

At the June 20th vote, Landmarks staff provided a synopsis on the area’s transformation from farmland to the rapid row house … <Read More>


Two Brooklyn developments grandfathered

BSA extends time to complete construction based on common law, not the zoning code. Brooklyn’s South Park Slope neighborhood was rezoned in November 2005 to prevent out-of-scale development, forcing some developers to stop work on projects that no longer conformed to the new zoning. 2 CityLand 161 (Dec. 2005). Two developers in South Park Slope, with projects at 639 Sixth Avenue and 400 15th Street, requested permission to extend their construction time, filing two applications … <Read More>


DEP Announces Drainage and Green Infrastructure for Five City Playgrounds

On April 17, 2024, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced that construction has commenced on the five new Green Infrastructure playgrounds at schools in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The playgrounds are designed to absorb more than 3.5 million gallons of stormwater every year to curb runoff that floods nearby streets and overwhelms local sewer systems in addition to polluting the East River.


City Planning Commission Votes to Approve City of Yes for Economic Opportunity Amendment

On March 6, 2024, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity zoning text amendment. The amendment, the second of Mayor Eric Adams’ three City of Yes proposals, is a collection of eighteen changes to the zoning text designed to remove obstacles for small businesses looking to expand and create more vibrant streetscapes. 


HPD Announces Bergen Green Affordable Housing Project in Latest 24 in 24 Push

On January 31, 2024, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced that Apex Building Group and Bridge Street Development Corporation will be building 116 homes for low-income families at 516 Bergen Street in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The announcement comes in light of Mayor Adams’ push for affordable housing advancements on publicly owned land. Mayor Adam’s 24 in 24 plan is seeking to create or preserve around 12,000 units of housing <Read More>