Tower Plans for Washington Ave Ruffling Feathers
Though the one-story paper warehouse that used to run from 163 Washington Avenue, just north of Myrtle, all the way through the block to Hall Street was demolished months ago, news of what is planned in its stead has only recently trickled out to nearby Clinton Hill residents, many of whom aren’t pleased with the…
Though the one-story paper warehouse that used to run from 163 Washington Avenue, just north of Myrtle, all the way through the block to Hall Street was demolished months ago, news of what is planned in its stead has only recently trickled out to nearby Clinton Hill residents, many of whom aren’t pleased with the idea of a 16-story tower imposing itself on the neighborhood of three- and four-story homes. We also hear that local politicians aren’t happy with the fact that the plan for the building does not include any affordable housing. Instead, it’s an as-of-right, unsubsidized project. Designed by the ubiquitous Karl Fischer, the current plan filed with the DOB calls for a 177-foot-high structure with 49 residential units. We can certainly sympathize with the neighbors who are less than thrilled with the shadows and competition for parking spaces that this will bring (and those whose adjacent properties have already suffered damage from the demo process); the developer also has done nothing to engage with the community. To play devil’s advocate, though, this could be a shot of adrenaline for the businesses of Myrtle Avenue and help bring some life to what is still a bit of a desolate area between the Clinton Hill Historic District and the Navy Yard. We gather that some people are trying to organize an opposition to the building but don’t have any specific information yet. Anyone have renderings or contact info for the opposition? Update: Anyone not pleased with the current plan may contact buildingtootall AT yahoo DOT com. GMAP P*Shark DOB
I’d have to agree with 8:13. Having been a resident of Downtown Brooklyn for 20 years, including Ingersoll and Walt Whitman Houses, I must say that Myrtle Ave (by Flathbush ave) is indeed ghetto. When crossing the street from the Metrotech side of Flatbush to Myrtle, there is a clear transition, from a nice, clean, working-class business area to a run-down, poverty stricken, crime infested area, of which even falls below the standards of what I’d call a “neighborhood”, deserving nothing more than just a “hood”.
It is about time that this area sees some gentrification! High rise or not, I am excited to see the changes for the better. If you’re really bothered by this, then you can easily save yourself the agony by MOVING. Those in Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and such, won’t really be affected anyway since they are still well away from the area that is being concentrated on the most. Also, cities do grow, and if there isn’t anything left to support the growing population (no new residential areas or high rises to support more people), it would just deteriorate as it has been. I can say this especially after witnessing the fall (and short life) of many of the stores that used to be around, and part of the reason no one would stay or open new businesses was because of the criminalities they were often faced with and the lack of aesthetic appeal of the surroundings.
I really don’t think that this part of Brooklyn would start to look like Manhattan, it would just help bring out the charm of Brooklyn that people have always enjoyed the most. This would just bring back the life that Downtown slowly lost long ago.
We have a decent drugstore now accross from the new Bank of America. Not the size of the typical Duane Reade but then Duane Reade isn’t really a great model for a pharmacy anyway.
8:35 PM,
Who are you kidding?!!!!! Myrtle avenue is completely rocking these days and you are completley wrong. Especially since this stretch of Myrtle is far from the Whitman and Ingersol houses that you say are so bad. Also, there is already TONS of development going on and i can count at least 5 LARGE condo buildings nearly complete on Grand street & Steuben street alone. There is absolutely no need for an 18 story building and there is even less need for you to spew your fearful BS. Go hide under your tree, little man.
As a next-door neighbor of this lot, I can only hope the rezoning happens and the developers are forced to reconsider the scale of the building before construction truly begins. The pace of the project has been breathtakingly slow. The demolition of the warehouse happened about a year and a half ago. They tore the shingles off the bottom half of my row house that was adjacent to a warehouse wall, put up flimsy plywood as a fence, and then…nothing at all for the past several months, if not the past year. (May I mention that during the past winter, the developers didn’t bother to shovel the ice and snow off the sidewalk in front of this lot? Should’ve reported their asses to 311.) I’d already been apprehensive at the prospect of a 5-story building next to my 2-family house, but 16 stories? WTF. The coops and PJs mentioned in earlier comments have at least the virtue of being contained in their own little compounds and while they are quite large, they are appropriately set back far from the streetscape. I can’t think of any block in CH/FG that has such a tall tower right next to small-scale homes. It’s as if Atlantic Terminal was built in the middle of St. Felix. And while Myrtle may seem “ghetto” to some people, the projects are much further down the avenue towards Flatbush and not anywhere near this vibrant part of the neighborhood. Why does development have to mean the Soho-ization of my beautiful Clinton Hill? Aside from the need for a viable drugstore in the neighborhood, I think our community is fairly well-served by the area merchants–I’d never call Myrtle near Washington ghetto. We have a Quizno’s now, for crying out loud. And to Mssrs. Developers: if you think this area can handle such an influx of luxury condos, think again. Unless you have some secret deal with the MTA to improve and extend the G train line, you and every other developer on Myrtle are going to be sorely disappointed at the market. I say we turn this lot into a drugstore, community center or bookstore (or another needed neighborhood amenity) and perhaps allow small-scale development on top.
Walt Whitman and Ingersoil houses are on Myrtle Avenue and they are two of the worst and most violent housing projects in New York City! Please stop the bullshit! Who are you kidding?!?!?!?
And I am indeed a nearby resident! 20 years and counting!!!
I doubt seriously that, for his/her bluster, 5:13 is a nearby resident. No one familiar with the neighborhood would say, “Myrtle Avenue is still the ghetto!”
The effing NIMBYS are taking over!!!!!
“Let’s organize!”
“Let’s protest!”
“Let’s stop this!”
“Let’s stop that!”
PLEASE STFU!!
Myrtle Avenue is still the ghetto! There’s housing projects everywhere and poverty and crime runs rampant. Who are you Nimbots fooling? You guys should be freak’n happy that real estate developers are taking a shot in this nabe and trying to bring it up to some level of respectability! This development and the others on Myrtle will bring about meaningful positive change to the area and most of the residents here, myself included, welcome it!!!
maybe if they build something like this on top of a 3 story box it would be an acceptable high rise
http://inhabitat.com/2006/11/07/urban-cactus-building/
e-mailing buildingtootall will help us organize as a community and speak with a unified voice.
Power in numbers, and all that.