Development Watch: 236 Livingston Street

Another biggie for the Livingston/Schermerhorn corridor. Developer Shlomo Karpen (who made the dailies when he was sued by, and subsequently had to settle with, purchasers of his development known as the Williamsburg Mews) has broken ground on a 271-unit residential rental project with two towers, a 26-story one on Livingston and a 10-story one on Schermerhorn. When the project was presented to the Community Board 2 Land Use Committee in December (where we snapped these blurry photos), members were shocked that a mere eight units (one unit per floor on floors 3 through 10 of the Livingston tower) of affordable housing were included in the plan, which comes out to about 3% instead of the standard 20%. Apparently, inclusion of those eight lower-floor units enables the developer to add an extra five floors to the tower. Good deal for him. GMAP P*Shark DOB

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Classic loopholes in the zoning compromise. Makes the city complicit to developer's abusive albeit sly plan.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 12:07 PM

Maybe this is why Procida was trying to unload Be@Schermerhorn as-is. This tower is gonna make it tough to sell those nice balcony units with the eastern views. Still, a net gain for D'town Brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 12:10 PM

even with a blurry photo I count 31 stories(about) and 15 stories.

Posted by: funstraw at January 8, 2008 12:12 PM

Not sure what loop-hole 12:07 is referring to. Sections 23-90 through -95 are 25 pages long and quite explicit. Doesn't seem like a "loop-hole" to me.

The following is not meant to argue any side of the issue, but is it preferable to have no lower income housing built and have the project be roughly 30 apartments smaller?

Posted by: g man at January 8, 2008 12:17 PM

Who will fare better on Livingston, IHOP or Procida 236?

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 12:18 PM

g_man - Yes

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 1:06 PM

Ugly!

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 1:11 PM

ugly, but still good for the hood

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 2:20 PM

build it now

Posted by: BrooklynLove at January 8, 2008 2:38 PM

Thanks for posting.

I pass this site every weekday on my deathmarch to the subway (to work) and I've beeen curious about what's going on here.

I hope someone captures a photo of the optometrist ad on the brick wall before it goes.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 2:49 PM

Ewww Ick. You think you can make that dog look presentable with the soft focus? Beer goggles for architecture must be the next big thing.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 3:31 PM

I live in downtown brooklyn and I own. I am not against it, I am not hating it, and think this will be good for the neighborhood.

Build it high, build it tall, keep building but, please don't make the pancaked floors with 7'8" ceilings. Please don't....

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 4:38 PM

pass by the new IHOP,lots of people inside but the outside still smells like somwone just pissedon the side walk. Hope it will get better with time.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 10:47 PM

« So Long Telecom: 470 Vanderbilt Gunning for Residential Co-op of the Day: 110 Hicks Street, Reduced »

January 8, 2008

Development Watch: 236 Livingston Street

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