Site for Glassy PLG Tower Hits the Market
The site once slated for a glassy, 20-story development in PLG overlooking Prospect Park is now being marketed for sale or for joint venture. The still-empty lot had approved plans for 86 residential units as well as retail space, but met protest back in 2008. (Remember concerns about unsuspecting birds smashing into the glass walls?)…
The site once slated for a glassy, 20-story development in PLG overlooking Prospect Park is now being marketed for sale or for joint venture. The still-empty lot had approved plans for 86 residential units as well as retail space, but met protest back in 2008. (Remember concerns about unsuspecting birds smashing into the glass walls?) Now it looks like things have fizzled out. “We completely acknowledge that the award winning plans are ambitious for today’s market conditions and may have to be amended to accommodate a more modest rental project,” said the project’s broker, who also suggested the possibility of repositioning the proposed condo development for a rental product ready by 2013 or 2014. GMAP
This is not a place for high-density housing – medium-density would be just fine, thanks. And none of the buildings you mention sits directly next to an open-cut subway station. The Prospect Park subway stop sits out in the open, with the lot in question directly abutting it. Oro and Toren are both relatively far (see previous discussions here about the cold walk down Flatbush to the Dekalb Ave. stop), while the closest stops to Richard Meier are by the Brooklyn Museum and on the other side of Eastern Parkway. That is another reason a structure of this size is inappropriate for this location.
You’re right about 120 units not changing much, but the price pressure only gets worse if density doesn’t increase. Look at landmarked areas: beautiful links to history and tight lids on housing units. We do need more units and where else to build high tower than on desolate lots near subways? That’s why Oro and Toren and OPP are perfect where they are: at the edge of landmarked low-rise buildings, next to subway stops. It’s antithetical to bemoan the lack of affordable housing and be firmly anti high-density housing.
There have been some successful and not terrible-looking mixed-use buildings recently — see Atlantic Terrace (where 2 people I know who were selected in the lottery refused to move due to its proximity to AY, but that’s another story – I hear they’re on the third round of lottery draws there because so many people have said no to living across from Ratner’s hellhole) or any of the various PACC new builds and renovations. Something like that would be ideal and is my hope. As for the spuriousness of Maly’s other comments, d_h, you are right on – who needs to build fugly rental buildings for the already-bourgeois now priced out of PS, Williamsburg, at al?
“- more “luxury” housing will lessen the pressure on prices in older apartment buildings; how many units would be built in this tower? 120? They would be gleaming and new, cheaper than on the Park Slope side, and would actually bring prices down on unrenovated units in the neighborhood.”
This is what I assumed would have happened in my neck of the woods in North Brooklyn with the huge amount ‘luxury’ rentals coming on the market. Unrenovated units ended up staying the same and the new stuff ended up renting for insane amounts.
120 units probably won’t be a game changer in PLG – this building will probably end up being populated with displaced folks from gentrified neighborhoods looking to get a little more for their money.
“And I understand, hipster, that (thank goodness!) that glass monstrosity is dead; I was responding to Maly’s comments in favor of it.”
Word! Unfortunately I bet that glass monstrosity looks way better than whatever will get built instead. Kinda sad that its either fancy glass condos or shitty rental buildings when it comes to new construction.
Actually, apparently birds haven’t been avoiding OPP: http://bstoner.wpengine.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/02/man_versus_bird.php And I understand, hipster, that (thank goodness!) that glass monstrosity is dead; I was responding to Maly’s comments in favor of it.
The only valid objection is that of the immediate neighbors, but even then, I would think the positive outweigh the negative:
– more “luxury” housing will lessen the pressure on prices in older apartment buildings; how many units would be built in this tower? 120? They would be gleaming and new, cheaper than on the Park Slope side, and would actually bring prices down on unrenovated units in the neighborhood.
– higher residential density near the subway stop is ideal: it creates more retail and supports existing restaurants and shops, more safety, more services for subway riders.
-in this instance there is an empty lot which brings nothing; creating a few affordable housing units with tax dollars is more wasteful than letting private money create high-end units (whether rentals or condos) and remove the pressure on existing tenants.
– for the birds, it seems that if they can avoid OPP, they should be able to fly above this thing too.
it’s not okay for birds to hit the glass walls of a building, but it’s okay to euthanize hundreds of geese 100feet away? tell those opposed to this project to focus on the geese.
i think this would have been a beautiful addition to that side of the park. it would bring much expected amenities. would definitely accelerate the gentrification of the area, but that’s another topic…
errr babs:
“We completely acknowledge that the award winning plans are ambitious for today’s market conditions and may have to be amended to accommodate a more modest rental project,”