Clinton Hill Bar Hot Bird Has Been Demolished to Make Way for Planned 29-Story Tower

Photo by Craig Hubert

by
2

Hot Bird, a former late night-staple in Clinton Hill, has been razed.

The bar, once known for its large outdoor area and banning of children, was taken down along with the entire side of the block on Atlantic Avenue between Clinton and Vanderbilt Avenues, which included a car wash and auto-repair garage.

550 clinton avenue

550 clinton avenue

Demolition permits were filed in March. What will eventually take its place is a 29-story Morris Adjmi-designed skyscraper with the address of 550 Clinton Avenue. New-building permits were filed later the same month.

550 clinton avenue

The new development will share a tax lot with Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew, located down the block at 520 Clinton Avenue. The Romanesque-style church opened in 1891 and was designed by prolific church architect John Welsh.

Jeffrey Gershon of Hope Street Capital is the developer, and the project will transfer 60,000 square feet of air rights from the church to the new development.

brooklyn development 520 clinton avenue

Rendering by Morris Adjmi Architects via New York Landmarks Preservation Commission

Even though the planned building will not be located in a historic district, the proposal went in front of the LPC because of its connection to the church. The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a revised plan for the site, which includes restoring the church, in March 2018.

Next door to the future development is the site of a former freestanding 1850s house at 532 Clinton Avenue, which was which was demolished at the end of 2018. The owner also owns the brick building in Downtown Brooklyn with a connection to the abolitionist movement that is currently the subject of protests over the owner’s plan to demolish it.

[Photos by Craig Hubert unless otherwise noted]

Related Stories

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

What's Happening