Friends' Expansion Making Enemies on State?
As you may recall, IBEC, the developer behind the State Renaissance Court, recently floated the idea of building six multi-million-dollar new townhomes on an empty lot they still own on State Street between Hoyt and Bond; while some people question the viability of the high-end project in this market, the neighbors are generally happy with…
As you may recall, IBEC, the developer behind the State Renaissance Court, recently floated the idea of building six multi-million-dollar new townhomes on an empty lot they still own on State Street between Hoyt and Bond; while some people question the viability of the high-end project in this market, the neighbors are generally happy with the use for the space. But the developer also owns a second empty lot on that block, on the corner of Hoyt, and its plans for it aren’t sitting as well with some homeowners in the community. According to a letter we received, the developer is apparently close to doing a deal with Brooklyn Friends School, which wants to build a five-story, 55,000-square-foot academic building on the site. In order to do this, however, IBEC needs New York State to void the restrictions it placed on the property when it sold the land to IBEC in 2004. As part of that deal, lots along State Street were to be low-rise residential. Here’s how the opposition put it:
A school won’t have the positive impact that housing will on a neighborhood likes ours, rebuilding after years of blight and hemmed in by downtown Brooklyn and Atlantic Avenue to the north and south, and the jail and courts to the west. Unlike a nonprofit private school, residents pay property taxes that support our public schools. Residents patronize local businesses morning and evening, weekdays and weekends, summer and winter. They help keep the street safe at night. Homes make a neighborhood more cohesive and more desirable.
The group thinks that one of the nearby lots on Schermerhorn Street would be more appropriate. Do you agree? The group is reachable at keepstatestreetresidential@gmail.com.
Six More New Brownstones for State Street? [Brownstoner]
Building a school on Schermerhorn will kill any chance of the commercial revitalization of Schermerhorn Street, as it will break the continuity of the retail strip. Presently the only viable retail activity is at State Renaissance Court, but without critical mass, the businesses there (including the desperately needed supermarket) will not survive. The community has grown and evolved beyond the handful of townhouse owners on State Street, and the interests of the new residents (with the two thousand or more apartments coming soon) and the community as a whole must also be kept in mind.
While I have nothing bad to say about Brooklyn Friends, as a resident on State Street, I would much rather have more houses built on that street to ensure that it keeps its beautiful residential appeal vs being an extension of the higher building explosion that happening all over Downtown Brooklyn. State St is the buffer between Downtown Brooklyn and the rest of Boerum and Cobble Hill. We clearly want to protect this environment and ensure that State St does not become another street being eaten by large construction projects.
I live across from a school and like it. No need to have drapes, shades at night …nobody across street to peer in and watch me enjoy porn videos.
When I lived on Schermerhorn the building net to us was a school, now a medical building. One of the buildings across the street was turned into a school also. Never had any problems. (and I was also around the corner from Friend’s. 3 schools in the immediate area, 2 on my block- never any problems.
perhaps it’s something as simple as people not wanting to live near a school? have you ever seen a block when school is let out? gaaaaaaah
*rob*
The argument that the residents of a handful of housing units will somehow contribute more to the local economy than hundreds of students, employees, families and caregivers seems particularly misplaced.
CAVE for sure.
Friends was always the most granola school around. And the most diverse. Most of the kids in the upper school were there on financial aid.
Da kid went there from maybe 1988 thru 1990. School was horrible. Moved from the Heights to PS then to put her in 321, had to get her tutoring to catch up. Might have changed by now.
I understand the process Chris (Your comment at 11:34). But based on the people I’ve been talking to, selling the idea of a school to the community hasn’t gone so well, at least so far. That’s why I questioned the characterization, “the developer is apparently close to doing a deal.”
I am right near this corner. If the choice is between another 8 $2.5 and up million townhouses, and a school with a halfway decent commitment to maintaining its immediate environment, I’d say go with the school. (Also the issue about the school not paying taxes — that’s going to be true no matter where it sets up. It’s not as if the taxes on State Street townhouses go to support only PS 261 or PS 38.)
There is already one school on the next block down on State — the Coy L Cox school which is part of the District 75 special needs system. I don’t think it really detracts from the residential feel of that block.
Schermerhorn would also be a fine place, but obviously the developers in control of the lots there are not interested in floating this. I’d speculate that this is because the developers can build higher buildings on Schermerhorn (I think they can go to 6 or 8 stories on the south side and maybe higher on the norht side) that would be too large for Friends’ needs.
Does anyone know exaclty what type of facility Friends is thinking about here?
Also, how much school can you really fit in 55,000 square feet? Just asking — I have no idea.