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October 10, 2007
10 Feet for Trader Joe's Building Preservation: A Fair Trade?
The Post reports that Two Trees Management's application for a waiver to put up a 60-foot building on Atlantic Avenue near Court Street got the green light from the powers that be in City Planning last month and will be voted on by the City Council within the next few weeks. The proposed building would be 10 feet higher than what's allowed in the Cobble Hill historic district. A city regulation allows developers to build higher than what historic district rules permit if the developers can demonstrate their building will enhance the area; Walentas & co. are arguing the 60-footer will improve Cobble Hill by helping to preserve the landmark bank building next door, which the firm is leasing to Trader Joe's.
Brooklyn Heights Loophole [NY Post]
Will Two Trees Proposal for Atlantic Ave. Get Chopped? [Brownstoner]
Photo by Kate Leonova for Property Shark.
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Comments
The real story is how ridiculous it is that Atlantic Ave is zoned for the same height restrictions as the smaller one-way streets within Cobble Hill itself.
If any rational urban planning was actually applied - instead of NIMBY planning - Atlantic Ave would be zoned much taller so as to put significant foot traffic on the street and transform this underutilized retail strip from a border between 2 neighborhoods into a meeting place joining 2 neighborhoods.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 9:20 AM
I agree. We have a 235' tall BLS dorm on State Street but only 60" on Atlantic Ave.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 10:01 AM
The HD designation does not set height limits - zoning does. I don't know this project, but I suspect they are getting a special permit from DCP to allow the extra height. The special permit is made possible by the preservation work to be done on the landmark bank building, and by the fact that owner (Two Trees) is entering into an agreement to maintain the landmark building (this agreement would be recorded against the deed itself, and run in perpetuity).
There are a couple of ways to do this under the zoning code, depending on whether or not an air rights transfer is involved.
Either way requires public hearings at LPC and CPC.
Posted by: WBer at October 10, 2007 10:15 AM
How tall is 125 Court St., "The Court House", across the street?
Posted by: tscola at October 10, 2007 11:14 AM
I'll trade 10 feet on Atlantic for Dock Street Dumbo not to exceed 80 feet.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 1:48 PM
Court House is around 10-12 floors, but that resides on the Brooklyn Heights side of Atlantic.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 3:02 PM
Why do we need tall buildings to make Atlantic Ave a "meeting place joining 2 neighborhoods"? The 50-foot limit was put in place to preserve the character of landmark neighborhoods' commercial avenues as well as their residential streets. We've got an exception in the CourtHouse; make another exception and the intersection will reach a tipping point.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 7:42 PM
I have no problem with the 60 feet. But it should be noted how easily a big, savvy builder can roll over the historic preservation regs. Downzoning and historic districts really just stop the small builder and the owner occupier, driving their costs skyward. The big guys just eat it up.
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 8:11 PM
The Bank building itself is 60' tall, and two other historic 19th century buildings on that block are 60' or taller.
The fifty foot height limit makes no sense on Atlantic Ave, which has taller buildings than the rest of the neighborhood.
So Landmarks found the 60' height appropriate.
Posted by: guest at October 11, 2007 8:11 AM
Turn it into a korean hand job parlor.
I'm dead serious.
Posted by: guest at October 12, 2007 12:12 AM
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