July 11, 2005, Brooklyn Eagle -— David and Jed Walentas’s proposed development for the Independence Community Bank site at 130 Court St. in Cobble Hill is back on the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) agenda for a public hearing Tuesday, July 12. Originally scheduled for an April meeting agenda, the LPC held it over to await input from Community Board 6. As previously reported, which as previously reported, both Community Board 6 and the Cobble Hill Neighborhood Association are opposed to the project.

The bank intends to sell the property, which is in the Cobble Hill Historic District, to the Walentas’s firm, Two Trees Management Co., but retain a bank branch on the first floor. According to commission documents, the firm’s application is to demolish several additions plus a one-story separate store building in the parking lot, and construct a penthouse addition plus a new seven-story adjacent addition. The zoning is R6 for the property, which also bears the address of 195 Atlantic Ave.

Two Trees has described its addition as a contemporary brick and limestone apartment building with retail space on the ground floor. Plans also call for enlarging and converting (to residential use) the upper portion of the bank building. Within the two buildings there would be about 70 residential units. Architects at Beyer Blinder Belle in Manhattan are designing the proposed seven-story, 133,820-square foot adjacent building and the addition to the existing bank building.

In rejecting the proposal, CB 6 followed its Landmarks Subcommittee recommendation, stating that the project’s height, depth and design are inconsistent with and not contributing to the historic district. Specifically, the new addition’s 70-foot height exceeds the district’s 50-foot height limit.

Landmarks to Hear Walentas [Brooklyn Eagle]


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. The LPC tabled the hearing for this property. Although the commission regularly goes aginst CB’s recommendations, it looks like the Walentas were freaked out by CB6’s extreme displeasure at this plan.
    A lot of people hate the “Courthouse,” so the Walentas might have backed off until they come up with a better plan.
    Also, no one wants to see the bank building subdivided to incluude condos on the upper floor, something that’s part of the plan.

  2. You figure this means that current plan is dead?
    Or is it possible the LPC would go against CB6 recommendation? (as well as CobbleHillAssociation).
    This proposal is across from Walentas other new building -‘CourtHouse’ where they just installed this huge flashing lit sign for the parking garage visible for blocks when driving west on Atlantic. After that sign went up – lost respect for Walentas/TwoTrees.