Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Just when you thought all of Greenpoint had been developed...


From Crains:

A slumbering giant of a project is about to reawaken on the banks of Newtown Creek in north Brooklyn. Park Tower Group is set to unveil its latest plans for a huge 22-acre development at the northern tip of Greenpoint at a public meeting Monday.

The plan calls for 5,500 apartments spread among as many as two dozen buildings, including 10 luxury towers of 30 to 40 stories. Planning for the development began more than a decade ago and pre-dates the contentious Williamsburg-Greenpoint rezoning that spawned a building boom and thousands of new apartments. After the 2005 rezoning, Park Tower spent a number of years honing its plan along more than a half-mile of waterfront. But just as the developer was preparing to build, the recession hit.

"It's been challenging for anything to occur, but now the market is very strong," said Park Tower Vice President Al Bradshaw.

The developer hopes to break ground on the first tower sometime in December or January. Beginning in June, the plan will have to go through the six-month public-review process. Financing has yet to be secured, although Mr. Bradshaw said he is "in advanced discussions with a number of lenders."

The public review has little to do with the towers, which could be built as of right, thanks to the rezoning, and has more to do with modifications to the original plan. Park Tower will incorporate a city-owned parcel and build as many as 431 affordable-housing units the Bloomberg administration promised to add as part of the rezoning. This is in addition to nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing already planned for the site.

The site must also be re-rezoned because Park Tower has agreed to provide space for a school, which the city would build. The open space also is being reconfigured to better deal with potential storm surges, including raising the public promenade.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I gotta say, they are going to have some views and they don't have to worry about anybody building in front of them.

Anonymous said...

I always love to see these idyllic architects' computer renderings.

Those buildings look mighty close to the water's edge flood plain.

Maybe an animated tsunami wave should be overlaid on this drawing, to show a condo buyer, what he's in for during a hurricane Sandy type event.

Anonymous said...

Wall of overpriced glass and steel boxes blocking the neighborhood from the river.

Anonymous said...

Blocking the view of olde tyme Astorians living in shoddy ancient low slung shit boxes?

Did they think that their "paradise" would last forever?

This Euro-trash should have moved 18 years ago.

Now it's too late. The high rise hipsters have them trumped.

Anonymous said...

Even living next to one of the worst superfund sites in the country is dangerous.

I simply do not understand how a city that considers itself so informed stands idly by while 5000s are placed in harms way with no infrastructure while they cut the waterfront off from the community.

Gives you an idea of what is in store for Queens - yes even your sacred north east Queens.

Anonymous said...

the east river shoreline need to be developed. Now, this might not be the best quality one can hope for, but what can you do.

One thing i always liked about Chicago, is taking a boat down the river and having towering buildings on both sides. This is something New York can emulate.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
the east river shoreline need to be developed. Now, this might not be the best quality one can hope for, but what can you do.
---------------------------------------------------------
Infrastructure be damned. Right?

Anonymous said...

Even living next to one of the worst superfund sites in the country is dangerous.

I simply do not understand how a city that considers itself so informed stands idly by while 5000s are placed in harms way with no infrastructure while they cut the waterfront off from the community.

Gives you an idea of what is in store for Queens - yes even your sacred north east Queens.


Sorry, buddy...not happening in northeast Queens. No tower people moving in. No waterfront development. Most of the coastline is zoned for single-family houses ONLY. The small portions that are zoned multi-family can have a maximum of three-story townhouses.

Anonymous said...

The "sacred" northeast (as you call it) is way too far from the crappy overcrowded west. It would take 60-100 years 'til it sees a little change in population density.

You're continued jealousy of the northeast's softer quality of lifestyle, remains quite obvious.

YAWN!
Keep on beating your dead horse....that Astoria, Dutch Kills, LIC, Hallets Cove will ever be down zoned.

This has become Manhattan East, fella...with its bustling density. Get used to it...or move.

And please stop trying to put the northeast into the same leaky boat as LIC. You're boring us, Mr. Johnny one note.

Few take notice of your ramblings on this subject.

Anonymous said...

You're the one who's in the "tower", buddy...living in the ivory tower of your own mind...busily spinning images from your sequestered thought processes.

One might even call you one of those "tower people".

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