South Slope Officially Downsized
South South Slopers are celebrating their victory yesterday, as the City Council (above) voted unanimously to approve the downzoning of South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights. The big question marks now are what happens to the two Isaac Katan 12-story buildings on 15th and 16th streets and the Robert Scarano “Minerva” building. Any guesses? A…
South South Slopers are celebrating their victory yesterday, as the City Council (above) voted unanimously to approve the downzoning of South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights. The big question marks now are what happens to the two Isaac Katan 12-story buildings on 15th and 16th streets and the Robert Scarano “Minerva” building. Any guesses?
A New Era Has Begun [South South Slope]
I don’t get Eryx**’s rambling at all. Downzoning is going to keep people from selling (drive prices up) and moving to Florida but they would leave in droves (and drive down prices) if highrises were gonna be built because they would ruin the area? Hard logic to follow.
Don’t worry – put money in bank and save and prices will come down.
And folks – so-called affordable housing has become less affordable/much more expensive everywhere – not just in your little neighborhood, borough, or city. Its everywhere in the metro area as well as plenty of other metro areas. And upzoning or downzoning south slope isn’t going to move the prices in that area compared to whole metro.
And Iceberg – move to Texas already. Every person in his/her right mind believes in zoning – its just what should be the zoning should be is the disagreement.
NYC is always about the next best thing. All you cry babies who didn’t buy in the early 90’s now feel like you are priced out of the market. Brooklyn’s suddenly hot and you ar not. I am a super with a high-school education and I own my home. The people who are buying in the Slope are people who are leaving the city, selling their tiny one bedrooms coops/condos for a cool million + and buying a big brownstone for the same price. I’m not moving and am planning to procreate at an alarming rate. Move to a red state Yuppie scum
Take leave of NYC Excreetus. It’s overrated and rents are cheaper in the flyover states where you will be more comfortable with your white sheet crowd. Try to avoid the double-wides in tornado alley though. Shalom.
Yeah, this is total bullshit.
I live in the South Slope and I was praising a future where the ghetto trash would sell their wretched homes and move to Florida. Now, they will stay forever.
I’m also a renter who will probably never be able to afford to buy a house in the neighborhood. I wanted to buy into one of the midrises that would be going up on Fourth Avenue. But now, I’m stuck.
I tell you, the City Council is filled with fools. Why do I continue to live in this ridiculous city.
16th Streeter,
I’m not in favor of untrammeled development, and, living farther up in the Slope, the zoning issue is not much of my business. But I don’t see the reasoning for saying the downzoning is important for preserving affordable housing. The small houses in Greenwood Heights, like those in the Slope, have been getting less “affordable” all the time. I have no idea whether building the 12-story monsters would have brought any more affordable housing to the area or not. But I can’t see how the downzoning will make those old houses any cheaper. If anything, it will drive up their value, since housing stock in the area will be limited, and the light in backyards, etc., will be preserved.
I’m usre there are lots of good reasons for the downzoning but I don’t see how affordable houses can possibly be one of them.
I grew up in one of three Greenbelt Towns in America, Greendale, Wisconsin to be specific. Those first homes built in the late 1930’s during the Great Depression where nothing more than unadorned cinderblocks on cement slabs. Built as starter homes for new families, they are the heart of the Village of Greendale. Over the years, homes have been built surrounding these “Originals” with greater square footage and increasingly more expensive price tags. In recent years, million $ Mc Mansion style homes have been built. These “Originals” have been protected for all these years against additions, extra stories, built on garages, and aluminum siding salesmen. They still remain a viable Starter Home for young families and senior citizens on fixed incomes. They are also, in their simple dignity, the source of a great renaissance for the Village as people come from all over the U.S. to understand a part of our history when things were not as abundant as they are now.
The simple homes of Greenwood Heights are important for the same reason. People have been given a chance to own affordable homes, and raise a family and be a part of a neighborhood community for generations. A community where developers are not interested in building affordable homes, just luxury condos.
South Slope and G.H. community has allowed many new developments to be built on its side streets. It wasn’t until 7,9, even 12 story projects were being proposed that its citizens began organizing and protesting what it feared would become the norm. There is some truth to the statement that if only the Dept. of Buildings had enforced its policies maybe we wouldn’t have such monstrosities as 266 22nd Street towering above the other homes on the block. Like most cancers many people don’t pay attention to the warning signs until it’s to late. Who can’t see the value in protecting one’s own light and air? This down zoning will protect our neighborhood while still allowing for new growth. The people who saw the warning signs early and took action saved the life of this community.
The height of new construction doesn’t bother me nearly as much as how uggggggly most of it is.
i sense one of those massive zoning blowouts about to take place, with the minions of Ayn Rand racing to the barricades
Iceberg, the comparison w/ gas is misplaced, b/c ultimatley Govt is responsible for the infrastructure that supports housing (police, sanitation, fire, schools, roads, transit, etc…) as well as the citizens quality of life – therefore Govt needs zoning to ensure that development takes place in a manner that allows for the reasonable distribution of those services, not to mention overall quality of life.
A developer who doesnt have to figure in these macro issues will (appropriatly) develop to maximize his ROI – this may very well conflict with Governments macro responsibility therefore zoning must be used to establish a workable framework.
I certainly would agree that Govt intervention (not zoning) in the marketplace, in the name of affordabiliy has been one of the major contributors to the lack of affordability in NYC – but (intelligent) zoning is absolutly essential to ensure a workable, liveable city.