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]
the layout of them map is a little off. the division between CH and CG is not east and west. it is north and south and the division is between Kane and Degraw
this plan had been discussed for years. I have heard discussions about a park going there, housing, and more. maybe this time it will happen. makes sense. who wants to hear or see nothing but traffic. would have to be very very very structurally sound.
This makes perfect sense when you consider how the BQE and other submereged roadways like this split up neighborhoods. Upstate, in Rochester, an entire downtown area was severed by a submereged expressway loop that gets less traffic than a dead end street. “The Inner Loop” cut off the city from the city. Literally by cutting a trench between it and the residential areas surrounding the downtown area, and then gradually by forcing you to get into the city most easily by car. Robert Moses helped this out.
Regardeless of how much use a roadway like this gets, they still sever areas, and ideas to cover them and bridge the difference wherever possible make total sense.
Cobble Hill is north of Carroll Gardens though. I think the statement was confused.
Potential to undo the damage that was the scourge of Robert Moses? I’m all for it…conditionally…
Word. We looked at a lovely place in Carroll Gardens but it was just a few doors down from the expressway, and even though you couldn’t really see it from the street (not like in Ft. Greene where it looms up on a big ugly overpass), I just couldn’t get comfortable with the air quality issue.
9:44 is correct. Cobble Hill is north of Carroll Gardens. The area west is “Carroll Gardens West” to the old timers it is Red Hook as is Carroll Gardens or South Brooklyn. But then again the real estate agents keep changing the boundaries.
A 2035 study on the cancer death rate from those living directly above the BQE should be quite interesting
Doesn’t bother me. Would increase property values, take away an eye soar, and potentially create affordable housing options.
On with the plan!
Yes, Halden. Think the writer got their neighborhoods confused. Should have said it separated Cobble and Carrol from the Columbia Waterfront and Red Hook, or something to that effect.