CB2 Opposing Proposed Development on Atlantic & 3rd
A Boerum Hill developer wants the city to give its blessing to a project that would result in a new building on the spot where Hank’s Saloon, dive of dives, now operates. But not if Community Board 2 has anything to say about it. The developer, R&E Brooklyn, is seeking a zoning variance from the…
A Boerum Hill developer wants the city to give its blessing to a project that would result in a new building on the spot where Hank’s Saloon, dive of dives, now operates. But not if Community Board 2 has anything to say about it. The developer, R&E Brooklyn, is seeking a zoning variance from the city to go quite a bit higher and wider than regulations permit on the corner of Third and Atlantic. Earlier this week, CB2’s land-use committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Standards and Appeals not approve R&E’s proposal, which, at 14,000 square feet, would be more than double the site’s as-of-right floor area. (R&E has info about the planned building up here, though it appears to be out of date.) The building, which would have 12 700-square-foot apartments on six floors, would also be 12 feet higher than zoning allows, as well as cover 10 percent more of the lot than is permitted. R&E has been responsible for other developments in the area like the still-under-construction “Green House” on Nevins Street. The good news for fans of Hank’s in all of this is that R&E intends to offer the bar an opportunity to return to the new building. GMAP
It took me a few minutes of reading to realize that ‘CB2’ wasn’t refering to Crate & Barrel’s cooler little brother of a store. A CB2 store on the Atlantic/3rd site is a good idea…if the CB2 will allow it!
Will any new building be named “Hank House”?
Well if the developer of this building has the cash and the gumption it’s an easy deal. Just hire Sheldon Lobel to represent him in front of the Board of Standards and Appeals and he can’t lose. Sheldon Lobel basically owns the BSA, especially Susan M. Hinkson who was appointed to the BSA by Sheldon Lobel. With that kind of representation at the bogus hearings the BSA holds, this project will easily be green stamped regardless of any opposition by CB2 or any residents of NYC. With this kind of corruption at your disposal everything is a done deal.
I think it would be a good idea to populate this rather barren corner. That lot is tiny, and it is no wonder that they are seeking a variance – which is absolutely their right. It seeems that they are not looking for a variance from the Atlantic Avenue zoning, so we can expect to see a beautiful and contextual building, like the Muehlenberg, for instance.
I don’t work in the industry, so I cannot test this theory, but if what 10:51 is saying is true, then a request to double the allowable size of the building should mean that construction costs have doubled in the past three years, right?
Regarding the RE development on Nevins, that place has been under construction for two years and is not close to being done. While I liked the idea of the green house when I first heard of it, it’s hard to say whether the end product will be good or not. Regardless, I would not like to see construction on the corner of Third + Atlantic take anywhere near as long as the Nevins St. project.
They didn’t buy it planning to get a variance for a larger building. The architect at hearing said they had done several “iterations” of the design,and had originally planned a smaller, 4 story building and that “skyrocketing construction costs” had put the 4 story presumabley as of right building out of the picture and that’s when they started working on a bigger building that could actually be built.
If RE did the Green house on Nevins then I trust they’ll build a beautiful product on 3rd & Atlantic. With all those colorful buildings across the street between 4th & 3rd, this neighborhood is clearly getting better. Property values will continue to increase at a nice clip (5-7% per year) in Boerum hill as there is very little supply
Interesting that the developer is seeking a variance to construct a building that is substantially larger than allowed under the zoning while (see photo) also advertising the site as for sale. Does R+E plan to flip the property with the variance in place, or is this just a search for the proverbial bigger fool?