Kensington‘s doing it. So is Flatbush (and Gowanus and Greenpoint/Williamsburg, too). And now Brighton Beach is slated for the rezoning bandwagon, too. City Limits reports that that proposal is “an attempt to limit destructive overdevelopment by setting clear limits on construction and creating height restrictions for buildings in the area. Most of the neighborhood is now zoned without any height limits.” The limits were removed in the 1970s to stimulate development. Guess it worked, with an influx of young money and immigrants tilting the nabe away from the low-rise housing that once dominated and toward projects like the Oceana, in the photo above. Thus it’s been the victim of the speculation that’s harmed other Brooklyn neighborhoods, with half-finished or vacant projects looming over the area. If the rezoning goes through, most of the neighborhood would have to respect a 40-foot height limit, with 80 feet on commercial streets and 100 feet over on Brighton Beach Avenue, the throbbing hub of the ‘hood. But some folks think it’s too little, too late. “Asked whether the proposal will solve the development situation in Brighton, [CB13's district manager, Chuck Reichenthal] said: ‘No, it won’t.’
Rezoning Too Late for Brighton Beach? [City Limits]