Developer of Cobble Hill Hospital Complex Plans 44-Story and 40-Story Towers
At a contentious meeting of the Cobble Hill Association Monday night, LICH developer Fortis presented plans for an as-of-right 44-story tower and other high-rise apartment buildings that would tower over Cobble Hill. Much of the area is landmarked and no more than four stories high. Fortis also presented a second plan that would have slightly…
At a contentious meeting of the Cobble Hill Association Monday night, LICH developer Fortis presented plans for an as-of-right 44-story tower and other high-rise apartment buildings that would tower over Cobble Hill. Much of the area is landmarked and no more than four stories high.
Fortis also presented a second plan that would have slightly lower buildings but require a special zoning variance and formal public review, the Brooklyn Paper reported.
Curiously, the $240,000,000 sale has not yet closed, although it was supposed to April 30. A Fortis spokesman said the company expects the sale to go through in the next few weeks but did not explain the delay, said Brooklyn Paper.
Cobble Hill residents and others who attended the meeting seemed vehemently opposed to any of the proposals, according to the Brooklyn Paper’s report. “This is going to be a decade-long battle — this is war! Eighty percent of the people in this room are attorneys and they will be up your a– every step of the way,” the paper quoted one man as saying.
Some more details: The as-of-right plan would include two towers of 44 stories and 19 stories each, and two 14-story towers, as well as assorted lower buildings, all within the current LICH campus bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Hicks, Henry and Amity Street. No word yet on whether they would be condos, rentals or include any affordable housing. The second plan would have lower but denser towers reaching 40, 30, and 20 floors. Click through to the Brooklyn Paper story to see more renderings.
Local residents and pols, including Bill de Blasio before he became mayor, vehemently fought the closure and the development of the state-owned hospital, and charged the sale to Fortis Group was rigged, as we have reported.
FIRST LOOK: LICH developer reveals plans for towers in Cobble Hill [BK Paper]
LICH Coverage [Brownstoner]
Photos of renderings by Noah Hurowitz for Community News Group, reprinted with permission
Above, a map showing the as-of-right proposal.
Just curious, is there any planning for new schools in the area? Where will all the kids who will live in these buildings go to school? The local schools are already packed.
“Including Bill de Blasio before he became mayor.” I supported BdB mainly because of his fight against the closing of LICH so I was extremely disappointed when he was voted in and apparently forgot all about this heinous landgrab.
When my kids were at 261 there were serious discussions about making it a K-8 because it was so underutilized and there was a brief fear that it could be used to as a site for students who were suspended from other schools. I think over 50% of the families had variances EHRN my kids were there.
whatever you think of the plans – either good for nyc or neighborhood or not….
I think that in 95% of any neighborhoods or towns or villages in all of USA would is uncomfortable with large development and change. That goes for all socioeconomic groups so I do not think has anything to do with ‘privileged NYC NIMBYism’.
I am not saying that they shouldn’t build or in end won’t be good thing — just no matter where there is dramatic change people it is going to get people upset.
I didn’t fall for his pre-arranged “arrest” stunt. He did the same thing with our firehouse when that was closing.
Rallying against an as-of-right development seems like a waste of time to me. Regardless of your views on development, it should be clear to anyone that the most productive option and profitable to the community (in terms of amenities gained) would be to engage, allow for more towers but reap the benefits of a school, a park, and perhaps some community-use commercial space that would encourage healthcare or daycare tenants. Do they really want to deprive the community and their children the right to a better neighborhood just because they fought in a bitter war against the developers and ended up with four as-of-right towers anyway? This fight reminds me of what’s going on in Prospect Lefferts Gardens – anti-developer sentiment has a way of allowing the developers to win because the community is too vitriolic to engage properly and extract demands.