Carroll Gardens is home to one of the most vocal community activist groups in all of Brooklyn, and it seems like the constant clamor about development issues in the neighborhood is starting to have an effect. For starters, Council Member Bill de Blasio is going to officially call for a downzoning of Carroll Gardens at a rally on January 29th. De Blasio will introduce a resolution to limit new building height in the neighborhood to 50 feet, a restriction that the he wants to see go into effect immediately while City Planning conducts a downzoning study. Meanwhile, as Gowanus Lounge reported, the Borough President wrote a letter to Planning Director Amanda Burden highlighting concerns about out-of-context development in Carroll Gardens. There has also been news recently about some of the more controversial developments in the area. Most interesting, perhaps, is the tidbit that Robert Scarano is no longer the architect of record for 333 Carroll Street. It’s unclear whether new plans for the building will retain the current hulking rooftop addition. And demolition is slated to begin soon on a property nearby that has also raised concerns, 340 Court Street. At that site, the Clarett Group (a Brownstoner advertiser) has pledged to cap building heights at six or seven stories, but many residents have fretted about what Clarett will actually build.
de Blasio Calls For Downzoning of Carroll Gardens [BSCG]
Borough President Writes Planning Director About Carroll Gardens Rezoning [GL]
333 Carroll Street Update: Scarano Out! [PMFA]