Decent Townhouse Reproductions?

I took an urban planning class in grad school where our final project was to evaluate Ratner's Atlantic Center Terminal project; as I recall, these townhouses were the moderate income housing component of that plan, so yes, I think these are Forest City's babies.

Posted by: euskaria at April 26, 2005 11:51 AM

I guess I don't see what's so icky about them. They seem a sight better than what usually passes for affordable housing. Thin walls, 9.5 foot ceilings......these seem like tradeoffs New Yorkers make all the time. I could see why if you had a choice between these and an 1890s Ft Greene brownstone you'd opt for the latter, but I'm guessing many of the original buyers didn't have that luxury.

Curious, though, Nativegal, what exactly were they asking for these in 1996?

Posted by: euskaria at April 26, 2005 2:15 PM

Not liking to be accused of posting information without factual basis, I succumbed to the last refuge of blog commenters...actually doing some research.

According to a 1997 NY Times article by Alan Oser, Rose Associates in the 1980s planned to develop a condo community of 650 apartments in 4-story 'brownstone-like' buildings with a central community park in that area. SOM did the master plan, which called for a crescent-shaped street at the center of the park--the city demapped a portion of South Oxford to make way for it. Two large office towers were also planned.

However, the condo and office markets collapsed before construction could begin. Forest City Ratner (!) took over from Rose as the developer and proceeded to develop 400K sq.ft. of stores where the offices were contemplated (Atlantic Center, I presume).

The article goes on, "After examining alternative housing plans, Forest City turned with city encouragement to the NY Housing Partnership's program for moderate-to-middle-income home development. The Hudson Companies, a Brooklyn developer experienced in Partnership housing production, was brought in as the builder. The decision means fewer housing units over all, subsidies make the prices affordable, and an income limit on buyers, though not renters. Ultimately there will be 417 to 450 dwelling units, all in three-family buildings..."

"The first 53 houses were built and occupied off Fulton Street in 1994 and 1995 as Phase One. They sold for $225,000. Last year the 54 houses of Phase Two started construction. They sold for $235,000. Families are currently moving in..."

"Architecturally, the residential section is emerging with little of the panache of the original design. In that design, higher residential density as well as higher contemplated sales prices made it possible to bring in greater design elements for a higher-income buyer. Nevertheless, the design standards at the Village at Atlantic Center exceed the routine. There are orange-red all brick fronts, cornices that mimic historic styles, bay windows on some buildings, and precast details. The site adjacent is the Fort Greene Historic District and the NY State Historic Preservation Office approved the design."

"For buyers like Cheryl Washington, a 33-year old school teacher at P.S. 81 in Bed-Stuy, they are the buy of a lifetime. Ms. Washington said she saved assiduously over 10 years to be able to buy a house, often working three jobs...Two weeks ago she moved into a new house on Cumberland Street with, with her sister Karen...taking one upstairs apartment and her mother taking the other. They had lived for 30 years in public housing in Bedford-Stuyvesant."

I’m neither a Ratner booster nor a huge critic. I think Atlantic Center is a disaster and Atlantic Terminal marginal. That said, I’d rather have more development like Atlantic Commons than like the Green House condos.

Posted by: euskaria at April 27, 2005 12:53 PM