Mayor Eric Adams helps cut the ribbon on the new Nevins Street Apartments, developed by the Institute of Community Living. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.
On May 9, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams celebrated the completion of Nevins Street Apartments, located at 50 Nevins Street between Schermerhorn Street and State Street in Downtown Brooklyn. (more…)
Rendering of proposed 40-story development (center) at 570 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Image Credit: CPC/ Hill West Architects.
The development which requires a significant upzoning, special permit, and several building envelope requirement modifications will now proceed to City Council for review and approval. On December 5, 2018, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed mixed-use development at 570 Fulton Street, located within the Special Downtown Brooklyn District. The applicant, 570 Fulton Street LLC, is proposing to build a 40-story, approximately 202,000 square foot building containing a mix of office space, residential apartments, and retail. To facilitate this development, the applicant is seeking three approvals including a zoning map change, a zoning text change, and the creation of a special permit that would unlock several building envelope waivers sought by the applicant. The project was presented by the applicant team comprised of Allison Curreri and Jay Segal of Greenberg Traurig, David West from Hill West architects, and David Schwartz of Slate Property Group. On January 9, 2019, the City Planning Commission approved the project, which will proceed to City Council. (more…)
Proposed Development for 141 Willoughby. Image Credit: Savanna
Subcommittee raised concerns about the aggregate effect the mass development of Downtown Brooklyn will have on school resources. On October 5, 2016, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises heard testimony on an application to construct a new 49-story mixed-use building at 141 Willoughby Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The site is a triangular-shaped zoning lot bounded by Flatbush Avenue Extension, Willoughby Street and Gold Street. Currently the space is occupied by a three-story private school, the Institute of Design and Construction, an accessory surface parking lot for 16 vehicles, and a public open space with planting and seating areas. (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.
New downtown Brooklyn residential tower will use City air rights. Image: Ismael Leyva, Architects, P.C.
Transfer of 75,000 sq.ft. of development rights from City property will increase Brooklyn residential tower. On June 27, 2007, the City Council approved a plan by DCAS to sell 75,000 sq.ft. of air rights from a City-owned property at 287 Gold Street in downtown Brooklyn, containing two, two-story buildings used by the FDNY and the NYPD. The sale of the air rights necessitated Council’s approval of a negative easement limiting the City’s future ability to develop next to the proposed development. With the air rights transfer, developer 167 Johnson Street, LLC will increase the size of the mixed-use building from 35 to 40 stories. The project includes 296 primarily luxury apartment units with ground floor retail.
At the hearing before the City Council’s Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions & Concessions on June 19th, speakers from the New York City Economic Development Corporation, 167 Johnson Street, LLC and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership testified in favor of the plan. Kenneth Fisher, speaking on behalf of the developer, testified that 20 condominium units in the new development would be set aside for affordable housing. In the original 35-story design, Fisher added, the development provided only nine affordable housing units, all of which would be built off-site. Fisher explained that the average price for a condominium unit in the development will be approximately $750,000, but the affordable housing units, which will target 110 percent of the area median income, will run from $165,000 to $205,000. (more…)
