Renderings, Details Revealed for Prospect Hotel
Last night Community Board 7 met for a preliminary discussion concerning the hotel extension proposed at the Prospect Grand Hall. The eleven-story addition would include four stories of above-grade parking – along with another one underground – with the hotel on top. As building owner Michael Halkias told the crowd: “The cake I bring to…
Last night Community Board 7 met for a preliminary discussion concerning the hotel extension proposed at the Prospect Grand Hall. The eleven-story addition would include four stories of above-grade parking – along with another one underground – with the hotel on top. As building owner Michael Halkias told the crowd: “The cake I bring to you: my parking garage. And the cherry on top, the hotel.” Parking did seem to be on everyone’s mind at the meeting. Business owners and a rep from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce brought up the limited amount of spaces in the neighborhood and the relief the 400 extra spots would provide. But as one CB7 member asked, “How much more traffic will the hotel create?” Because the developers are in very early stages, they were not able to speak definitively on the time frame, environmental impact, or a shadow study. But while the crowd seemed concerned, it wasn’t hostile. (No one brought up the scare tactics used in a recent flier for support.) The hotel got the biggest seal of approval from Irene LoRe, owner of Aunt Suzie’s and Executive Director of the 5th Avenue BID. “Only in the last five years have we seen tourists in Brooklyn,” she said. “There are hotels going up all over Brooklyn… why not support a hotel coming from an institution already in the neighborhood?” Check out a few more pictures of renderings after the jump. IMBY also attended and has pictures of the two homes that would be demolished to make way for the garage.
I still cannot believe that drawings this bad were submitted. At least this poor quality does not disguise or hide a poor design with high quality presentation technique. Usually trees or laughing, good looking people are used to mask a crap building proposal.
The new hotels in Gowanus may be ugly but they did not have to meet or match local standards as most are just cheap, run-down warehouses. But this expansion is next to an existing neo-classical building.
Come to think of it, has there been any new Brooklyn architecture that has been a positive addition?
No good will come of this. Crappy drawing that is very likely in no way the “vision” in reality. And…no one even mentioned the flyer at the meeting? Seems like this Mr. Halkias has put on his “boots made for walkin'”.
Ugh. I hate harping on this issue (although I guess I’m doing it anyway), but the idea that a huge parking garage in the middle of Park Slope is something we should be thrilled about is crazy to me. As IMBY said, it just means that people who could have gotten there by other means will drive instead, just further driving up the demand for parking. I get that people may not want to take the bus to a wedding, etc., but I still think most people can take a cab, carpool, or figure out another way – its a dense city, after all, and thus a bad idea to encourage people to think they can get everywhere by driving. That will just drive demand for more and more parking, until every other building is a parking garage, like in suburban cities like White Plains or New Rochelle. NYC is only going to get denser and more populated, so that’s exactly the wrong direction in which to be moving in terms of how we allocate space.
“Did anyone see the NY1 spot where he says that if he does not get approval he will have to allow “hip hop concerts” (!)”
hip hop concerts rule – what’s the prob?
will look, benson. Awful news from your office, btw.
Bxgrl;
See the last thread on this topic, and you’ll understand my joke.
Hey Action- happy new year. I see you have your own stalker now. Whatever did you do to him? 😉
AJ The numbers (stories, spaces)are non negotiable…
The parking lot will work more or less like this.
Most current GPH events fill up their existing lot of 120-200 spaces pretty fast, the overflow going on to neighboring streets. Apparently they used the municipal lot on 5th ave as well before it was turned into affordable housing.
Local car owners will get to use the lot when not needed by the Hotel or GPH during events. My feeling is that if you build it they will come. If people attending weddings, Balkan Music Festivals, ect know there is plenty of available onsite parking they will drive instead of using mass transit, car pooling, god forbid even bicycles. Not sure how much space will be left for the kind of all day all night parking neighborhood people require and think they will get if they “vote” for this.
The driveways are on 16th, because it would be hard/ugly squeezing in hotel lobby, 400 car parking entrance/exit, and loading dock access on the front side.
I predict that traffic on 16th street will be the biggest issue the immediate neighbors have with the plan.