Housing Over the BQE? Could Be
Part of Mayor Bloomberg’s plan for squeezing more housing units out of an already-crowded city includes building decks over rail lines and highways. Of particular relevance to Brownstone Brooklyn is a nine-block stretch of the BQE that currently cuts a deep channel through Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. “A platform could be constructed over the…
Part of Mayor Bloomberg’s plan for squeezing more housing units out of an already-crowded city includes building decks over rail lines and highways. Of particular relevance to Brownstone Brooklyn is a nine-block stretch of the BQE that currently cuts a deep channel through Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. “A platform could be constructed over the below-grade section of the BQE to create nine new blocks of housing reconnecting two neighborhoods,” said a mayoral panel. We haven’t had time to fully digest what such a move would mean for the character and connectedness of the two sides of the highway. What do you think? What would it mean for the properties that currently overlook the expressway?
‘Rail’ Big Housing Plan [NY Post]
I live on the western side of the BQE and I agree with Serge. A park is much more economically feasible and would do great things for our neighborhood. All you really need are two exhaust vents, don’t build any housing there because the structural framework will be so costly and bulky without a proper foundation to sit on.
The BQE trench is an open wound to Cobble Hill, Carrol Gardens, and Columbia street. The trench needs to be covered up with either buildings or a park.
The trench is deep enough to make covering up the highway a bit less taxing.
Looking forward to hearing reports of the first hot bolt dropping through someone’s windshied during construction.
Wha? You mean the BQE isn’t landmarked?
Outrage…
not landmarked – the land mark area ends on the eastern border of hicks street, right where this would begin.
goodbye views from brownstone rooftops in cobble hill.
ummm, the city really needs housing not parks. parks will simply increase property values for mostly affluent “south brooklynites” in the area. covering the BQE will be a rudimentary engineering task and the least of potential barriers to this kind of project. for all of you dreamers who want a park: move.
I just don’t understand all the people who complain about the polution of housing over the BQE. Some of the most expensive realestate in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Height by the promenade, hangs over the BQE, and the some of the most expensive realestate in Manhattan is adjacent to the West Side Highway and the FDR. Cleary clean air is not a priority for people who live in New York City. I also don’t understand the idea of having to build more housing because of a projected gazilion more people in X number of years. If you build more housing then more people will come. If you build more roads then more cars will come. It is a very basic correlation. I understand the need for more affordable housing but then but then stop selling all the current affordable housing to big developers?
All this ill-informed debate is making me giddy! This reminds me of an undergraduate discussion section! Keep going, kids! This is all quite fascinating!
(no, seriously)
isn’t the area landmark? so they couldn’t put a high rise?