529 Empire rezoning request from commercial to mixed-use
"In the portion of the rezoning area that is proposed to be rezoned from R5/C1-3 to R7A/C2-4, the proposed action would enable a proposal by the applicant to develop a mixed-use building, with accessory, below-grade parking, on four lots fronting on Empire Boulevard and owned by 529 Empire Realty Corporation. The development as proposed by the applicant would include approximately 68 dwelling units (68,727 sf), approximately 66 spaces of accessory parking, 24,289 sf of commercial space and 21,572 sf of community facility space. The development would be constructed on Lots 66, 74, 75, and 76 on Block 1311 (the “project site”). The proposed building would have approximately 114,588 gsf of new development."
I personally think this is a great idea. Not much is going on in southeast CH.
Comments
Readers, 529 Empire is between Brooklyn and Kingston, and is presently being used as an Empire Kosher Supermarket.
It'll be interesting to see if and how the opposition in the comments materializes.
It looks like a classic battle is in the works; One where people assume that an individual's loyalty to the "community" trumps other interests.
Throughout the world, the battle plays out based on income, hue, religion, language, nationality, etc.
If the property owners are a member of the community now, they might be effectively ousted from it if they are perceived as building a development which brings integration/diversity into the Frum Zone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frum
And it is part of why I am optimistic that the property owner will get due process during the upcoming battle.
I.E. Even if Community Board 9 is full of people who want to maintain the community's present mix and the present supermarket, the CB has limited powers to deny or grant a variance.
The larger community (i.e. NYC) gets to ultimately decide what may be constructed on this site, through entities such as the Department of Planning and the Board of Standards and Appeals.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/bsa/html/home/home.shtml
I would hate for a property owner's rights to be denied on the mere basis that the community liked the property's present use.
As I understand the history, decades ago people wanted to preserve the neighborhood's low density row houses and were able to get large swaths of the area downzoned accordingly.
This included houses that built "large" before zoning existed, and houses that had illegal work done on them to make them large after zoning existed.
Often, these kitchens are then put back in after the sale.
Let's allow their neighbors who didn't put extensions on their home because "that would have been illegal", to now do so.
Let's get some taxes out of the deals.
In short, I am in favor of a small upzone for "off Empire", and a big upzone for Empire itself.
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140812/crown-heights/friday-rezoning-meeting-irks-observant-jews-others-who-cant-attend
Although a non binding meeting, this is still a big scheduling error.
On the positive side, the meeting may be a little more productive: One side of the debate (whether true or not, local jews are believed to be strongly in favor of upzonging) may be so out numbered that a rukus does not ensue.
Note: I would make the similar comment if the meeting was held in such a way that the side that opposes upzoning could not attend.
Will people find a way to work themselves into a frensy if most of the people they imagine to be their opponents are not present? We shall see.
"There is a change in LOCATION
Meeting this Friday 8/15/14 at The Full Gospel Assembly at 6:00 p.m. located at 836 Franklin Avenue between Union and President Street."
Apparently there is more than one location of the Full Gospel Assembly?
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140815/crown-heights/controversial-rezoning-forum-relocated-leaving-many-dark
I'll try to drop by a little early to spread around some Brooklynian cards. If it appears like it is going to be a variety of crazy that I am in the mood for, I'll stay.
...but no promises.
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140817/crown-heights/empire-blvd-forum-focuses-on-affordable-housing-zoning
Jewish guy: "At first I was angry that it was going to be held on a Friday, when lots of people who supported the up zoning couldn't attend. I was afraid they would block it. Now, I think they should have every meeting on a Friday."
In other words, he is no longer rankled.
While zoning plays a big role, I wonder if they understand just how profitable self storage units are: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/08/24/self-storage-reits-cash-in-on-hot-real-estate-market/