
90 Sands Street Building/Image Credit: Breaking Ground/CPC
The building conversion will bring 508 supportive and affordable residential units to DUMBO. On March 13, 2020, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved an application to facilitate the conversion of a 29-story former hotel building at 90 Sands Street. The building would be converted into a mixed-use residential use and community facility building with a future possibility for commercial use. To facilitate the conversion, the applicant, Breaking Ground, is proposing to rezone Brooklyn Block 87, which comprises of 90 Sands Street and 175 Pearl Street, from a manufacturing zoning district to a special mixed-use district that allows residential use and to designate the block as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area. Brooklyn Block 87 is bounded by High Street to the north, Sands Street to the south, Jay Street to the east, and Pearl Street to the west. For CityLand’s prior coverage on the application, click here.
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90 Sands Street Building/Image Credit: Breaking Ground/CPC
The conversion of the former Watchtower hotel will bring 508 residential units to DUMBO, Brooklyn. On February 19, 2020, the City Planning Commission approved an application to rezone a block in DUMBO, Brooklyn from a light manufacturing district to a mixed-use residential and commercial district. The block is bounded by High Street to the north, Sands Street to the south, Jay Street to the east, and Pearl Street to the west. The rezoning would facilitate the conversion of a 29-story former hotel building at 90 Sands Street to a mixed-use residential, commercial, and community facility building. The applicant does not have plans to demolish the existing building or make changes to the building’s height or bulk. The applicant only plans to convert the existing hotel rooms into apartment units. After conversion, the building will have a total of 415 studios and 93 one-bedroom units.
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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. (read more…)

Rendering of the proposed redevelopment at 50 Nevins Street. Image credit: DCP
The City Planning Commission approved the expansion of a mental health treatment facility to include low-income affordable units for individuals and families. On July 26, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on an application for multiple land use actions to facilitate the enlargement and reconstruction of an existing eight-story building by integrating a 10-story horizontal expansion onto an abutting parking lot and three-story addition to the northern portion of the existing building. The applicants, the Institute for Community Living, proposed a zoning map and zoning text amendment at the site, located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Nevins Street and Schermerhorn Street in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood. (read more…)

Rendering of the proposed redevelopment at 50 Nevins Street. Image credit: DCP
The proposed rezoning would facilitate the expansion of a mental health treatment facility to include low-income affordable units for individuals and families. On June 21, 2017, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application for multiple land use actions to facilitate the enlargement and reconstruction of an existing eight-story building by integrating a 10-story horizontal expansion onto an abutting parking lot and three-story addition to the northern portion of the existing building. The applicants, the Institute for Community Living, proposed the a zoning map and zoning text amendment at the site, located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Nevins Street and Schermerhorn Street in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood. (read more…)
Welcome to CityLand‘s fifth annual top ten stories of the year! We have selected a range of our most popular and prominent stories, and guest commentaries concerning New York City land use in 2016. Our fifth year as an online publication was marked by the fight to pass the Mayor’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing plan, proposed reforms to the building code to prevent illegal home conversions, and capped by the passage of state laws prohibiting Airbnb advertising in New York City. We at CityLand are excited to continue providing in-depth coverage of the latest land use projects, cases, and legislation in 2017 and look forward to seeing what the year will bring. Thank you for all of your support and have a happy new year!
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