Developers Seek Rezoning for Six-Story Building on North 7th Street Near Bedford in Williamsburg

A group of longtime property owners turned developers is looking to rezone nearly a half block close to the Bedford stop in north Williamsburg to construct a six-story building with a mix of residential and retail.

The rezoning request is for a combination of nine lots located at 138-150 North 7th Street, 154 North 7th Street and 131 Berry Street — a significant portion of the block — according to an Environmental Assessment Statement filed with the Department of City Planning this week.

Just down the block from the main thoroughfare of Bedford Avenue and the Bedford L train stop, this stretch of North 7th Street is already quite busy, with a number of retail stores, including DNA Footwear, 16 Handles, Starbucks, CityMD, the UPS Store and Dunkin’ Donuts on the block.

The proposed building, which will have an address of 146 North 7th Street, will span four of those lots. It will contain 28 total units, with seven of those designated as affordable under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program. Retail will occupy 3,320 square feet on the ground floor, and there will be 14 parking spaces for cars underground.

Rezoning will allow the developers to have retail on the ground floor and have greater density. Despite the existence of retail on the part of the block where they want to build, such as the UPS Store, the current R6B zoning does not allow retail without a commercial overlay.

The developers are Victor Efremenkov, Nick Sklavonakis and Colleen Vitale, the owners of the four lots that will eventually be demolished, along with Tibetian LLC, which owns 131 Berry Street at the corner, currently the home of the restaurant Gran Torino and an open-air market for used clothing and, in the winter, Christmas trees.

Property records show the owner behind Tibetian LLC is Yeshi C. Doma of Tibet Home, a handmade rug purveyor with a showroom in Manhattan.

The proposal also states that development is “expected to occur on non-applicant owned lots,” meaning more development on the block may soon arrive.

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