85 Eastern Parkway to get an additional 8 stories
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    As seen above, the building is presently six stories. It has filed an application to receive an additional 8.

    8 + 6 = 14 stories. This will make it about as tall as nearby Turner Towers, 135 Eastern Parkway. I believe this property is zoned for that height, so no variance or special permissions will be required.

  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Here's a visual of the surrounding area

    This is a rental building, covered by rent stabilization, so I am interested in seeing how they handle/compensate the present tenants. 

    My guess is that the building will need to be vacant for about 2 years while this project occurs, and that all of the apartments will be renovated while the mechanicals are upgraded....In order to obtain the benefits from merely doing an "alteration" (as opposed to new construction) this may be an instance in which they merely keep the façade.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Today's building alteration has been brought to you by the number 8, and the letter X.As in, this property is zoned 8X.http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/zone/map16c.pdf.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Link to the plan documents in the process of being reviewed by DOB:http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=4&passjobnumber=320825862&passdocnumber=01&restore=1
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    An analysis by a friend who lives in Turner Towers (135 Eastern Parkway):

    "The owners of 85 Eastern Parkway have filed a permit application to add eight stories to the six-story building, for a total of 123 feet. I thought folks might be interested in how that is possible and its implications for all of us who live above the roof line of neighboring buildings.The north side of Eastern Parkway (as well as the area around GAP) is zoned R8X. This zoning district allows construction of buildings with a floor area ratio of 6.02, and a maximum height of 150 feet. An FAR of 6.02 means that the building's floor area can be six times the size of its lot area. The lot area occupied by rear yards, side yards, courts, or setbacks is added to the buildable area, which is why a building with an FAR of 6.02 can end up being much higher than six stories. On top of that, an owner is allowed to purchase the excess development rights of neighboring buildings and to transfer that additional "bulk" to his property, which allows him to build higher than he would otherwise be permitted. This is probably what the owner of 85 Eastern Parkway did, because he was only allowed to add three more stories "as of right." 

    The Meier building at the corner of Plaza Street bought air rights from buildings on St. Johns Place to reach its height limit.The bottom line here is that we are surrounded by buildings that have surplus development rights and, in a market like ours, those rights are very valuable. Once 85 begins construction, other buildings might see fit to add to their footprints. Since such developments require no city approval, other than of the building plans, there is nothing that can be done to stop them from doing so."

  • bkchickiebkchickie
    Pretty impressive statement about real-estate values around here if, after buying out a building full of rent-stabilized tenants, renovating, and adding eight stories to an existing building a project is STILL profitable.Impressive, or just downright scary.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Yes, on all counts.

    I'd be interested in learning how much $ the apartments are presenting renting for, and if the owner can "successfully" (a loaded term) document that the "coming alteration" results in capital improvements that can be legally recouped from the apartments.Will they be enough to get the rents above the rent stabilization cap ($2500)?If they are, the owners will be under no obligation to buy out the present RS tenants; they can just be presented with their new rent and told to call a moving company if they can't pay it.
  • ehgee
    The expansion, according to that article, will cost a bit over $3M, or $81,275 per new unit.I imagine they will sell for rather more than that, and that's the price we pay for restrictive zoning.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    One can track the decisions of the DOB in this matter via this link:
    http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=4&passjobnumber=320825862&passdocnumber=01&restore=1

    The application was apparently initially submitted incomplete, but now the DOB is reviewing it. As stated by my friend above, if this plan is approved, several of the nearby buildings could "grow taller".
  • jarvis
    Yup - my building on Lincoln btw Under and Wash applied to go higher too. The city rejected the application, though. There was also that building on the North side of St. Johns near the corner of Under that did this a few years back though they only went a story or two up. Writing's on the wall..
  • vidya57
    The contractor for the proposed addition to 85 Eastern Parkway said that the owner has no plans to vacate the building during the work. However, it is very difficult to imagine the work being done while tenants are living here without it being dangerous, noisy and just awful. Does anyone know the address of the building on Lincoln Place where the proposed addition was rejected, why it was, and when that happened?
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    sorry vidya57, I don't know anything about the Lincoln place building.

    However, I can add that there is now a drilling truck exploring the front garden area of 85 Eastern Parkway.

    Presumably, the DOB requires this before they grant approval for projects. The drill determines where bedrock begins and therefore how many stories the existing foundation could support?
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Someone has begun posting flyers on the poles and mailboxes that line this block of EP, to voice their concerns over this project.

    The flyer encourages people to call DOB.

    DOB isn't going to be able to approve or disapprove this project based on public opinion.
  • mishaps
    The flyer also encourages people to call Eric Adams and Tish James, who can certainly put pressure on the DOB based on public opinion, though.
  • bkchickiebkchickie
    whynot_31 said:

    Someone has begun posting flyers on the poles and mailboxes that line this block of EP, to voice their concerns over this project.

    The flyer encourages people to call DOB.

    DOB isn't going to be able to approve or disapprove this project based on public opinion.



    I'm not sure I have an issue with the proposed new height of this building.  Eastern Parkway (along with the other major arteries) is where the taller, bigger buildings SHOULD go.  Brooklyn needs more housing, and I find the idea of this proposal (yes, the devil is in the details) much more aesthetically pleasing than the finger buildings in Williamsburg.

    Just my $.02.  Don't want to start a gentrification debate.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    I'm pretty indifferent about it.

    I'm just kind of amazed that people think this is something that is subject to public opinion, or politicians.

    We have an established system of zoning and property rights.   The DOB will determine whether this proposal complies.
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Press: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140410/prospect-heights/eastern-parkway-residents-fear-7-story-apartment-building-addition

  • whynot_31whynot_31
    Residents living in the building have created a website which documents the work so far:


    Note:    They seem organized to the degree that their site will have more up to date coverage than Brooklynian.    
  • whynot_31whynot_31
    The proposal to increase the size of the building has been withdrawn: http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=2&passjobnumber=320825862&passdocnumber=01

    However, this may stem from the DOB requiring the building to remedy existing violations before it will review and approve a major addition.

    These conditions are presently being worked on, and time will tell whether:

    -they are significant enough to free the building from rent stabilization rules.

    -the owner will increase the size of the building under an As Of Right process.
  • bkchickiebkchickie
    Related, I saw one of those well-digger type trucks in front of one of the Plaza Street East buildings a few months ago.

    I thought I read somewhere on Brooklynian that the city was requiring some kinds of boring tests to check on soil stability.  Is it being done borough wide, or just when a property owner requests it?
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