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]
Air quality is worse almost anywhere in Manhattan. The BQE is close to the water, so there is usually fresh air blowing in. This is among the windiest parts of the city.
If R Moses didn’t create this infrastructure, how the hell would people get from one place to another? Public transportation can not be designed to suit the needs of every individual the way personal autos can. Given a choice, people don’t want to rely on the MTA, etc. Support congestion pricing, if anything.
Beware, beware, beware!
It sounds great until they hand pick a developer to do whatever he wants to your neighborhood — and if you don’t like it you can cry to Shelly Silver or sue.
I used to live in Cobble Hill Towers, which is the red building in the forefront of the picture, on the –erroneously named, as so many have pointed out–“Cobble Hill” side. Certainly putting buildings there would cut down on the noise. But what would it do about the air quality? Would the dirty air vent out to somewhere else?
Yes, the apts in Cobble Hill Towers are noisy and the air quality is terrible, but they did have great views. Even on the third floor, we could see the water and Manhattan. It would be a shame to be looking into someone else’s living room, instead.
The BQE was built in 1953-54. 1953 was when several blocks of Brooklyn Heights, including the Columbia Heights house where the Roeblings oversaw the construction of the Bridge, were demolished to make way for the highway. The rest of the Heights was spared, but just barely.
I think this map inadverdently shows how seriously the Manhattan-based bureaucracy takes the project: they mis-label the neighborhood names. They do not even know where Carrol Gardesn is!
I think we should take it as a clue.
I believe there was an article a year or 2 ago about the terrible air around the apartment buildings built over I-95 just after the GWB. That type of issue can probably be dealt with by good design. Thus the big question is what will be built and how? It might be great. It might be a mess.
Sounds good BUT didn’t the Atlantic Yards start as a way to bridge two neighborhoods….I fear the infrastructure price of building on top of the BQE would be so high, only very tall and dense housing would justify the cost….the same rationale as for the Atlantic Yards. Before Marty wets his pants in excitement the issues of scale, density, per centage and no eminent domain use should be established. I live in and love Carroll Gardens, and would love to see the BQE covered, dynamited or flooded, but not a the price of having AY in my backyard.
Development here sounds great. Hopefully am mix of housing and parks/public space. We know it will be green.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn-Queens_Expressway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_moses
Robert Moses was a force of nature and a gift to our city and state by providence. New York (and other areas, as they followed NY’s lead) would be in the dark ages without a visionary like him.
When was the BQE built? Does anyone know?