Greenpoint Pier Additions Get Controversial
The city announced back in July that it was soliciting proposals from private companies to build a pair of piers on the Greenpoint waterfront, one (on India Street) to service ferries and the other (on Java Street) recreational boats. The plan, however, has been criticized by Councilman Steve Levin as a sweetheart deal designed to…
The city announced back in July that it was soliciting proposals from private companies to build a pair of piers on the Greenpoint waterfront, one (on India Street) to service ferries and the other (on Java Street) recreational boats. The plan, however, has been criticized by Councilman Steve Levin as a sweetheart deal designed to give the developer of an adjacent residential complex extra air rights. It’s not kosher, Rami Metal, a community liaison in Levin’s office, told The Architect’s Newspaper. They should just do India, but [the city] said ‘No, if we don’t do both, he won’t build either.’ They’re so afraid of losing ferry service, they’ve just given in to this guy. Levin’s office estimates that building the second pier will give the developer, Jonathan Bernstein, an extra 40,000 square feet of air rights. Bernstein also wants to demap sections of India and Java Streets and turn them into parkland, which would also mean more air rights for his project. Click through for a plan of the site.
Plan for Pier Floods Greenpoint [Architect’s Newspaper]
Ambitious Plans for Two New Waterfront Piers [Brownstoner]
Renderings from the office of Pelli Clarke Pelli
I was briefed on this RFP and I think Levin has sized it up right. He’s turned out to be a much better councilman than I expected, and hooray for that. However, I doubt this is a fight he’s going to win.
Hi density housing makes sense where there is a good existing infrasturcture – especially transportation. Greenpoint is sorely lacking in subway service although maybe with enought residents, ferry service could become viable.
From the article:
“George Fontas, a Bernstein spokesman, defended the project on the grounds that it had community support, as Greenpointers were clamoring for waterfront access. Neither he nor the city could produce any groups or individuals saying they favored the pier…”
I told you they were coming for you, ditto!
Yes, much of what is proposed here is already allowed under the rezoning of 2005. But what the developer proposes (and the City seems all to eager to facilitate) is yet another super sizing of development. Instead of building something the size of the Edge or Northside Piers (which is what 2005 allows), the developer wants even more density (and will probably need height and other waivers to make it all work). So once again, the 2005 rezoning (which the residents and Greenpoint and Williamsburg thought was too big to begin with) becomes the starting point for negotiations. The only difference between this and Domino is that this COULD happen without any public review (if they don’t need height waivers, it is all as of right).
Remarkably, project like this and Domino will make the northside towers look downright quaint!
“fewer” people, bxgrl. No one is less for adopting a cat.
Jessi – it is too late – unless the city re-zones it. Unfortunately a huge portion of the residents here don’t have voting rights (myself included) so who is going to listen to us?
I hadn’t considered that the towers could act as breakwaters for the inevtiable tsunami disaster.
I am for more high density on the waterfront, but please let’s do something other than isolated high rise slabs. Try something different in Greenpoint. Just got back from Portland and Seattle where there are some very pleasant non-highrise mix of waterfront developments. The isolated generic towers are lame, but easier for developers to conceive.
Unorganic high rise blocks high rise blocks have been less than impressive in Williamsburg and LIC. Lets mix and match a bit in GP.
wow, that is one BAD rendering. (top)
Personally I worry that without high density housing, there will be less people to adopt cats. On the other hand, I hate to see Brooklyn turned into mini-Manhattan.