The rezoning that put the wheels in motion for the development of Brooklyn’s Park Avenue four years ago covered most of 4th Avenue between President and 15th streets, allowing for the construction of 12-story residential buildings on the thoroughfare. What was left out of that rezoning is now set to join the higher-rise party. One […]

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The City Planning Commission heard a lot of statements yesterday about the proposed zoning text amendment for Carroll Gardens that would redefine a number of streets for zoning purposes as being narrow and reduce the size of future new buildings and additions to existing ones. Nearly three dozen people spoke at the hearing, most in […]

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The City Planning Commission is holding a hearing on the Carroll Gardens Zoning Text Amendment on Wednesday (June 4). The measure, which would redefine the neighborhood’s narrow streets from “wide” to being “narrow” for zoning purposes, limiting the density of new buildings and size of additions to buildings, has won strong support at every step […]

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The prime areas of rezoning interest in Gowanus will be the area around the Gowanus Canal itself, where some of the biggest projects might someday rise. City Planning envisions a canal that will someday have a 40′ foot wide public esplanade on both side (a Sponge Park has also been proposed independently) and buildings rising […]

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The long awaited proposal for rezoning Gowanus should be revealed tonight in a community meeting in Carroll Gardens. It’s an “update and presentation” by the Department of City Planning on the next phase of the Gowanus Land Use Framework for the Community Board 6 Land Use Committee. The meeting will take place at PS 32, […]

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There’s another public scoping meeting coming up for the Draft Scope of Work for the “modified rezoning project” for Coney Island. This is because there’s a revised Environmental Assessment Statement based on the change in size of the city’s “parkland” for an amusement park from 15 acres to 9 acres. The session will be held […]

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The “narrow streets” zoning text amendment for Carroll Gardens, which was approved by Community Board 6 last week has been approved by Borough President Marty Markowitz. The amendment, which has attracted some opposition in the neighborhood, but even stronger support, would change an old definition in city zoning documents that considers very narrow streets to […]

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Close watchers of the Williamsburg development scene will recall the two Karl Fischer towers that had been planned for the corner of Grand and Driggs Williamsburg. One site is currently a big hole where a rather spirited game of beat the downzone had been going on until it was hit with a Stop Work Order. […]

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The next step in the Carroll Gardens “narrow streets” zoning text amendment process (it was approved by Community Board 6 last week) is a hearing before the City Planning Commission. The City Planning hearing will be coming up on June 4. The change must be approved by the City Council as well.

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Lost in all the drama surrounding the bitter fight over the liquor license of Union Hall in Park Slope was another important local measure that was up for a decision by Community Board Six on Wednesday night: the “narrow streets” zoning text amendment in Carroll Gardens. That text change would redefine a number of very […]

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The next phase of the long process of rezoning Gowanus will start on May 29. That’s when an “update and presentation” by the Department of City Planning on the next phase of the Gowanus Land Use Framework will take place. The meeting will take place at PS 32, which is located at 317 Hoyt Street, […]

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Yesterday’s Court Street Fair in Carroll Gardens found the new South Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance with a booth and groups handing out information about a proposed zoning text change that would redefine a number of streets in the neighborhood as narrow ones, reducing the height of potential new developments and buildings. (The very narrow streets are […]

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So, what’s this Carroll Gardens “narrow streets” zoning text amdendment thing all about? Several groups in Carroll Gardens have prepared the equivalent of an FAQ about the text amendment, which is now moving through the public review process. It’s been posted by the CORD group among others, but we’re also presenting it here.

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With Community Board 6 having approved the zoning text amendment to change a number of streets in Carroll Gardens from being officially “wide” to “narrow” and, therefore, changing the density and height of what can be built, a review process is underway that is creating some strong opinions in the neighborhood. While there is a […]

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[Right photo courtesy of Brooklyn Streets] After nearly a year of public debate, work has started at at 360 Smith Street, now known as Oliver House. The digging has been going full tilt this week and is proceeding quickly. We’re tempted to joke that the building will be completed by next week, but it won’t […]

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It’s been an eventful, if not tumultuous month or two, for the Gowanus Canal and Gowanus. Last week, the Hudson Companies was picked to develop the polluted Public Place site. Earlier, Toll Brothers unveiled their plan for a big Gowanus development and their intention to leapfrog the city planning process. A new gallery opened on […]

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The CORD group in Carroll Gardens brought a letter writing effort in support of a proposed zoning text amendment to redefine narrow “wide” streets as narrow ones to the subway plaza at the Carroll Street Station over the weekend. The letter seemed to be getting a good response from passersby as we looked on. It […]

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We’re not certain there is any organized opposition to the zoning text amendment that will redefine a number of narrow Carroll Gardens streets as being, in fact, narrow rather than “wide,” but residents aren’t taking any chances. They’ve started a letter-writing campaign to show their support to Planning Chair Amanda Burden, Brooklyn Planning Director Purnima […]

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We hadn’t checked on the site of the Karl Fischer “Monster Tower” at Grand Street and Driggs Avenue, which had been the scene of an earlier demolish & dig frenzy as the controversial neighborhood downzoning was being considered. Apparently, the city slapped the site–which has had an astounding 44 complaints phoned in against it–with a […]

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Opponents of the recently enacted Grand Street rezoning, which would limit buildings in a 12-block area around Grand Street in Williamsburg to 40 and 50 feet, have filed a lawsuit challenging the plan. The more low-tech approach to the battle is illustrated here via photos sent along by Miss Heather. One alleges that there would […]

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The issue of turning the “wide streets” of Carroll Gardens back into narrow ones for zoning purposes will come before the Land Use and Landmarks Committee of Community Board 6 on Thursday, April 24. The meeting will take place at 6PM. Here a bit from CB6 about it: Presentation and review of proposed Zoning Resolution […]

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Of all the odd zoning quirks in New York City, one of the strangest is the definition of some of the very narrow streets in Carroll Gardens as being “wide.” This is because the gardens in front of the homes are counted as part of the street for zoning purposes. And so, streets barely wide […]

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Opponents of the controversial rezoning of 125th Street in Harlem, which has been bitterly criticized by some community residents, have turned to an obscure provision of the City Charter to try to derail it. The Harlem rezoning would allow up to 2,500 new apartments in the dozens of blocks that it covers and for buildings […]

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It’s been so long since meetings were held last year to talk about the Gowanus rezoning framework that it’s almost easy to forget what was being discussed. In that sense, the discussion about the Toll Brothers Gowanus proposal has served to refresh the memory a bit. At the meeting in Carroll Gardens last week, members […]

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For all of the intense reaction to the Toll Brothers proposal to build a 447 unit development in Gowanus, the project would not be far out of line with what the city is likely to propose for the neighborhood. The outlines of the city’s plan won’t be known for a bit, but buildings of 10-14 […]

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