« Adams Street Bike Lane Shenanigans Continue Commercial Sales in Brooklyn »
March 28, 2008
Reps From Toll Brothers Detail Big Gowanus Development
Last night representatives from the Toll Brothers made a presentation to Community Board 6 about the company’s proposal to build a large development next to the Gowanus Canal. About 45 people showed up to the meeting, and there was a notable lack of vitriol towards a project that’s stirred quite a bit of controversy at other meetings. As one would expect—or at least hope—from a powerful national real estate firm, Toll’s presentation was polished and addressed many facets of the company’s plans, including the overall scope of the project and how the company intends to deal with environmental issues at the site. Some highlights:
Housing/Built Component: The multi-building, GreenbergFarrow-designed project between the canal, Bond Street, and Carroll and 2nd Street will have 450 units, 30 percent of which Toll wants to set aside as affordable for residents earning only up to 60 percent of the area median income. The affordable component will be rental and L&M Equity will oversee its development, not Toll. The remaining units will be condo, and at bare minimum will attain LEED certification. The affordable rentals will be clustered on the Bond Street side of the development. In terms of density, the project's buildings will get taller as they get closer to the canal, going from six stories near Bond to 12 stories near the canal. There will 268 parking spaces.
Environmental Concerns: An environmental consultant for Toll said the company’s done one Phase 1 environmental assessment and three separate Phase 2 assessments that included collecting 59 soil and groundwater samples. They found petroleum-related compounds and compounds typically associated with urban infill materials, but no evidence of a large plume of oil. The remediation of the property will involve soil removal and capping. Toll VP David Von Spreckelsen noted that bringing residents to the edge of the canal would also likely have a positive effect on cleanup of the waterway.
Park Area: In addition to building two residential courtyards and planting trees around the entire development, landscape architect Lee Weintraub has designed a public park space next to the canal. It is unclear whether Toll or the Parks Dept. will be in charge of maintaining the space. Weintraub said the park will “be more than just an esplanade.”
Rezoning: Toll’s development, which conforms to the specs City Planning has generated in its preliminary framework for rezoning the Gowanus corridor, needs to go through ULURP since it leapfrogs the wider rezoning. “We don’t know what the timeframe is on the rezoning,” said Von Spreckelsen. “We’re concerned that an area-wide rezoning might not happen in this administration and that with a new administration there might not be as much impetus to rezone.”
Reactions: Although commentary from those in attendance last night was largely civil, there were a lot of questions and concerns raised about exactly how the site’s remediation will occur and how the development will affect infrastructure, such as the sewer system. Meanwhile, Councilmember Bill de Blasio said “we have to think” about whether allowing the project to jump ahead of the larger rezoning “is the right thing to do.”
Meeting on Toll Proposal: Agitate, Educate, Organize [Brownstoner]
A Look at What Toll Bros. Wants to Redevelop [Brownstoner]
Toll Brothers' Gargantuan Gowanus Plans Revealed [Brownstoner]
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/4368
Comments
Has there ever been a development whose resulting buildings/parks/waterways/people look anywhere close to as nice as they do in the artist's renderings?
Posted by: Biff Champion at March 28, 2008 11:22 AM
I'm as optimistic about Brooklyn's future as can be, but this rendering looks ridiculous! There is no way in our lifetime that the Gowanus Canal will ever look so appealing.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 11:24 AM
If the Brooklyn Bridge Park looks even half as nice as the proposed pictures show, I'll be pleasantly surprised. I really can't imagine it will be anything close to what is promised. But I'm still excited that something positive will be done with the space that is currently restricted and wasted.
As for Gowanus, it might roughly rhyme with Venice, but that's where the similarities end!
Posted by: Biff Champion at March 28, 2008 11:33 AM
How come gray type dude's messages always post, but mine never seem to appear?
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 11:40 AM
wtf!! only 2 city blocks to jogg?
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 11:48 AM
If the Toll Bros can really commit to the remediation work with some sort of legal binding contract with the city, I say let them build it.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 11:55 AM
Looks like a mini-Battery Park City for well off Wall Street types. Only BPC has access to much existing transit. I have real issues with the Tolls as they came into my nabe (in PA), and ruined the streets with there upscale townhouses. My main issue is that this company has no talent or sensitivity when it comes to urban design. Plus, any company that refers to house as 'product' showing their true colors. Anyway, that lady jogger and the water taxi are god for a chuckle. Good luck, Gowanus!
Posted by: jfmarch at March 28, 2008 12:19 PM
Interesting that the canal in the last picture is the same toxic color it is today. If Crayloa made the color, it could be "Gowanus Green"
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 12:25 PM
We were civilized last night because we were all imagining D.vonS. in the white speedo outfit.
I had longer comment regarding the affordable component but it didn't post so there still might be server issues.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 12:35 PM
Anyone who has lived in NYC for longer than 10 years ( read: the minority of Brownstoner readers) might remember that all of Manhattan looked as bad as the Gowanus in the 70s and 80s.
Central Park.
Riverside Drive.
The Battery.
Those places were just gross. Look at them now. I was in Riverside Park the other day chuckling about the days of hookers, junkies, dog shit, dead foliage, no landscaping. Not any more...
Never say never.
And no, I'm not a realtor.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 12:54 PM
"Those places were just gross."
Yes, but not dangerously toxic. There is a difference.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 1:22 PM
What 12:54 said.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 1:24 PM
Other cleand-up places that the current pack of Brownstoner readers would have AVOIDED in the 1980s and 1970s (when I grew up here):
Bryant Park
Prospect Park
Battery Park
Most of downtown Manhattan
Most of downtown Brooklyn
Times Square
The Upper West Side
The Lower East Side
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 1:29 PM
Other cleand-up places that the current pack of Brownstoner readers would have AVOIDED in the 1980s and 1970s (when I grew up here):
Bryant Park
Prospect Park
Battery Park
Most of downtown Manhattan
Most of downtown Brooklyn
Times Square
The Upper West Side
The Lower East Side
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 1:31 PM
Again, not dangerously toxic. There is a difference.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 1:42 PM
Well... I hope this doesn't happen to the Toll Brothers..
Condo Meltdown
Developer halts project, faces millions in liens
http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=47884
"One source said cancellations at Biscayne Landing have approached 60 percent.
Street said that figure is “incorrect.”
Where did I heard this before?
"In the letter to the city manager on Dec. 20, the company also said it had obtained a $233.5 million loan from Column Financial in early 2007 and that funding was enough to complete Biscayne Landing.
The letter signed by Jeffrey Scott, president of Biscayne Landing LLC, indicated a townhouse portion of the project had been scrapped because of a lack of financing.
Biscayne Landing is to have about 6,000 condos and apartments, a 200-room hotel and nearly 300,000 square feet of retail space on close to 200 acres on Biscayne Boulevard between 135th and 151st streets. "
This will be a future Homeless or Batted Wives Shelter.
And...
But things didn’t go as planned. The project was delayed by law suits brought by North Miami Beach residents opposing the size of the waterfront development. Initially, Boca Developers wanted to build twin 24-story towers on the site at that time zoned for no more than 15 stories.
The legal battle delayed construction until late 2006 when the developer agreed to reduce the towers to 18 floors.
Those NIMBY types, there are so cute.
The What
Someday this war is gonna end...
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 3:17 PM
Haha, yeah I'm gonna pay $300k for a condo next to an industrial waste dump. Nothing says luxury like cancer at 30...
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 8:15 PM
1:31: I am a current Brownstone reader and I spent time in all those place you mention, except for Battery Park, which was just not on my radar. And no, I was not a drug dealer. And since you are here too, that's two of us.
Posted by: guest at March 31, 2008 9:54 AM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.