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A company wanting to build an out-of-context low-income independent living facility for seniors on a lot at 86 Lefferts Place that runs through the block to Atlantic Avenue has residents up in arms. The company, CNR Healthcare, is trying to get the block rezoned from R6B to R7A to enable them to build the center under Section 202 of HUD only a couple of years after the entire area was downzoned to prevent something like this happening. The juxtaposition would be particularly jarring given that the new six-story building would be plunked down between the landmarked yellow house at 70 Lefferts place and the old green house at 96 Lefferts Place. Ouch! According to residents who’ve tried to work towards some kind of compromise, the company has shown no interest in working with the community to create a more palatable alternative, opting instead to push for a rezoning. The whole thing sounds pretty darn shady to us and we hope that there will be some politicians who stand up and oppose it. In the meantime, you can express your opposition to this spot-rezoning proposal by signing this petition. GMAP P*Shark


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  1. Polemicist you put together a well balance augment ‘cept ” The vast majority of your community residents contributes nothing to society”. Not everyone in the “hood’ is on “Public Assistance”. I work ; ^ },

    Every thing else is spot on!

    “I have to say, I am very grateful the collapse of our economy is continuing at a pace far worse than I ever imagined. You people are so astoundingly selfish, I can say with certainty building housing for elderly people with truly nothing is going to be the least of your troubles. You all will reap what you sow and I have no sympathy for any of you.”

    This is what’s wrong with the Mutant Asset Bubble– Greed, Denial, Selfishness and Delusion and America very some is going to get her Ass kicked.

    The What

    Someday this war is gonna end..

  2. Polemicist,

    R6B zoning encourages low-rise buildings with greater lot coverage. With the lower FAR of 2.0, R6B typically produces shorter, four story row houses or apartment buildings as typically found in Clinton Hill. Furthermore, R6B districts limit the maximum building height to 50 feet and street wall heights to 40 feet. R6B was adopted to protect historic neighborhoods from unscrupulous developers who have no regards for common scheme, contextual development in Clinton Hill.

    Developments in R7A district have a maximum base FAR of 3.45, which could be increased up to 4.60 with the provision of affordable housing pursuant to the Inclusion Housing Program. The R7A contextual height limits, including a maximum base height before setback of 65 feet and a maximum total height of 80 feet would apply to all new development.

    The CNR project will have an affordable housing component so the maximum FAR is 4.60. The 86 Lefferts lot size is 165′ x 119′ or 19,645 sft. This means that the developer can construct a building that is 90,321 sft. CNR aims to acquire the adjacent lot at 96 Lefferts 58′ x 123′ or 7,134 sft which permits a 32,816 sft building. Bear in mind that CNR would have to demolish the 1854 Greek Revival villa that presently sits on the property. Taken together, CNR has the opportunity to build on a lot of 223′ x 123′ or 27,429 sft which will allow them to build a facility that is 126,173 sft!!!

    Who in their right mind can argue that this humongous monstrosity is in any way appropriate for a residential brownstone street? I think some people need to have their head examined.

  3. Leffertslodger:

    You are proof as to why democracy is, always has been, and will continue to be a failure. The uncomfortable truth is the majority of the residents of your “community” exist entirely as paid voters supporting a plutocratic political class bent on your enslavement. The vast majority of your community residents contributes nothing to society, just as these elderly people contribute nothing due to their age.

    None of you has any right to claim any influence over your “community” as none of you built it, and the majority of its residents produce nothing of value in exchange for the money that presently maintains it. Authority does not come from existence despite whatever indoctrination you have received to the contrary.

    In any event, it is a moot point. When the welfare checks stop coming and the government can no longer pay their employees to do nothing, and the housing projects crumble before your eyes – the prosperity you have enjoyed due to 3 decades of usurious bubble economics will rapidly crumble. Grandma will be the least of your troubles.

  4. Polemicist – again non-profit does not mean not profitable. Non-profit developers DO make a profit. Go on http://www.guidestar.org and you can look up the salaries of top executives of a multitude of non-profits – even CNR. This is America! These guys would not be this aggressive with this project if it was not lucrative for them. We have to stop laying down and let big corps do what they want with our communities. Then when our communities start to go in decline – we wonder “what happened!” This is a democracy. We decided wanted we want for our community – which was supported and endorsed by all of our political representatives – so why are should we let someone who is looking to turn a profit just come and undo what we worked hard to implement. I don’t think this is unreasonable.

  5. Polemicist, we are in favor of senior housing, we are not in favor of changing our zoning laws for our entire block.

    And I appreciate the correction on building heights and did recant my incorrect statement about them earlier.

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