The big news to come out of developer Billy Stein’s appearance at the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association meeting last night wasn’t even fresh: architect Robert Scarano has been off the job at 360 Smith Street since December. Mr. Scarano, who had designed the early versions of the 360 Smith Street structure that we named the Heavy Metal Building, had become a lightening rod for criticism of the building. He has been replaced by Armand S. Quadrini of KSQ Architects, who also replaced Mr. Scarano on a job at Carroll Street and Fourth Avenue in Park Slope. The working name of the project, which will still rise to 70 feet, is Oliver House. According to a GL Correspondent, Mr. Stein told a large group that included a significant number of reporters, that the change had been a costly one to make. (Mr. Scarano had produced a number of versions of the design for the building as recently as the fall.)
Local blogger Pardon Me for Asking wrote of the new design, which includes a glass tower at the entrance to the Carroll Street subway station that:
last night’s meeting actually felt like the community was speaking with one voice. And this is what we all seemed to agree on: Mr. Stein’s redesigned building for 360 Smith Street looks better, much better. But there is quite a lot of room for improvement.
One resident we spoke with said that “the proportions are mega sized for these narrow streets” and called it “a monster-sized facade on Smith Street.” Elements of the building would actually rise higher than 70 feet with mechanical equipment on the roof. (One architect estimated up to 85 feet.) A building of that height is allowed under current zoning because of an arcane definition of some very narrow streets as being “wide.” Construction is slated to start very soon, both to avoid any zoning changes that might occur and to allow the building to qualify for a 421-a tax abatement before changes in that program take place in June.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 9:28 am
What an ugly, horrible thing. How will they protect the trees? I hate it. HORRIBLE. I can’t speak..
2 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 12:37 pm
yes the improvements were strictly cosmetic
the building hasn’t really changed much since the bad ole heavy Metal Days
and the new architect is what? Scarano’s new best buddy?
3 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 1:39 pm
amazing how some members of ‘the community’ prefer the ugly plaza and disgusing looking ‘democracy wall’ over this new building which will provide homes for many families – that can’t afford a brownstone.
The irony is the meeting last night took place in a building that those in opposition would also be against because it is too tall.
Unbelievable that these bunch of morons are now architecture critics.
4 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 1:57 pm
OK. I can speak now. Why oh Why are all these squeeze boxes considered good? Do they give the developer 3 choices? Like, The Good Design, The Bad Design and the But Fuck in Paris UGLY design?? I, I just do not understand. Why is it so big? Where is our plaza? How will the trees be protected? Will the new tenants like living above the entrance to the F train? or will they have private firehouse poles that they can jump on and slide down to the platform? Please trim it, cut, it. Help me. I’m dying from bad design…help..me..no..fiberboard siding…glass..towers…h.e..lp.
…me. OK, that was totally crazy, but, really what IS IT SUPPOSSED to BE??? Thanks.
5 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 2:15 pm
reasonable development is a good thing
bad development is a bad thing
and overdevelopment (as in overkill and cranking too many people into too tight a space already) is an evil thing for neighborhoods
it does the OPPOSITE of any true good for a neighborhood and totally stresses everyone out in the process
but it seems that some will always defend the big developers who so like to cram as much in to a small space as MUCH density as is possible over the little guy who owns the house next door who has lived there all his life with his wife and kids and that is his real “home”…
who knows why??
probably cause they are married to the big guy themselves in one darn ole way or another…it’s just too obvious by now isn’t it?
6 Anonymous // Feb 12, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Just make it look more like its neighbors, Is that too much to ask? Not a disneyland replica of a row house, but, something in feel and scope. Ok, the plaza is just a cement patch with a few trees but there is sky and sun. And this building will not “provide” anything. Except perhaps a tunnel collapse. Those poor families will have to BUY an apartment like everyone else. Just make it look better. Or. is this it? No way of changing it? THIS is it?
7 Anonymous // Feb 13, 2008 at 7:45 am
How can he get away with this?????
He made the building larger than the first presentation, by nearly 10ft. He increased the apts. from 43 to 49. He stole a few feet from the plaza , when he is not entitled to an inch and he took advantage of an old ruling called “wide streets” , when Second Place and Smith St. are neither. WHERE IS GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE???????????
8 Anonymous // Feb 28, 2008 at 12:06 pm
To the person who thinks the project will provide more affordable housing to families: Which ‘families’ are you talking about! Those units will amount to just more high-priced ‘housing’ to accommodate the influx of rude, self-important, and, oh yes,wealthy,’families’, that are overcrowding and turning this neighborhood into another strip-mall. These ‘families’ by the way, are the ones that have already bought most of the brownstones in this area, driving the prices up.