David Kramer, principal of the Hudson Companies, testifying before the City Planning Commission.  Image credit: CityLand

The proposed redevelopment would replace the current library with an upgraded library and luxury condominiums.  On September 22, 2015, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ and Brooklyn Public Library’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application to redevelop the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.  The proposal would replace the current library with a new 36-story building containing a new library on the ground floor and 139 market-rate condominiums above.  The proposed plan would also construct 114 permanently-affordable housing units at an off-site location in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn.  The Brooklyn Heights Library is located at 280 Cadman Plaza West, and would remain open throughout the redevelopment process at an interim location inside Our Lady of Lebanon Church, located at 113 Remsen Street, which is five blocks from the library site.  Clinton Hill and Brooklyn Heights are both located within Brooklyn Community Board 2.

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Rendering of 145 Gates Avenue in Brooklyn. Image Credit: LPC.

Vacant since the 1960s, new owners would construct Italianate-style rowhouse on historic district site. On August 18, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered an application to construct a new four-story rowhouse on a vacant lot at 145 Gates Avenue in the Clinton Hill Historic District. The lot, at the corner of Grand Avenue, at one point hosted an 1800s masonry rowhouse similar to others still standing on the block, but it was demolished in the 1960s, prior to the district’s designation. (more…)

Carriage-house style building approved after reducing size and visibility of fourth floor. On December 7, 2010, Landmarks approved a modified proposal to develop a new building on a vacant parking lot at 414 Waverly Avenue in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill Historic District. The owner proposed building a four-story two-family residence inspired by the 19th century carriage houses that bookend the lot. The building would be clad in brick and the fourth floor would be set back fifteen feet. At the project’s prior hearings in October and November 2010, Landmarks expressed concern about the size and visibility of the fourth floor. Brooklyn Community Board 2 supported the project.

At the October hearing, the project’s architect, Jim Hill, said the new building would “keep the rhythm” of the neighboring two- story carriage houses. Hill pointed out that while the building would be taller than its immediate neighbors, it would be similar in size to other buildings on the block and shorter than permissible under the area’s R6B zoning. (more…)

Council Member Letitia James opposed vested right claim. On March 4, 2008, BSA allowed construction of a 16-story building at 163 Washington Avenue to move forward despite the fact that the building is out of compliance with the recently adopted Fort Greene- Clinton Hill Rezoning plan. The building will have community facility use on the first floor with residential use in the remainder of the building. It will also have a second- floor terrace, supported by 15 footings that are separate from the building’s foundation.

In May 2007, the Department of Buildings issued the owner a building permit. Two months later, the City adopted the Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Rezoning plan, which put the proposed building out of compliance with the maximum FAR of 1.93 and maximum height of six stories. Buildings issued a stop work order the same day the City rezoned the area. The owner then filed an appeal with BSA, and an application to renew its building permit and extend the time for completion. (more…)