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A group of residents and community groups said yesterday they intend to sue to stop development of a planned 23-story luxury tower at 626 Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The suit against New York State Housing Finance Agency and developer Hudson Companies Inc. contends that more than $72 million in public funds were approved for the development without a “proper environmental impact study as required by state law,” according to a press release sent out by the group.

“The building in Prospect Lefferts Gardens would be in the midst of a neighborhood that is otherwise largely comprised of six-story or smaller buildings, and would present serious economic and environmental issues for the historic neighborhood,” the release continued.

The group includes the Prospect Park East Network, Flatbush Development Corporation, Flatbush Tenant Coalition and Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association, among others. The group plans to hold a press conference to announce its lawsuit Thursday at 11 am in Chester Court.

The development by Hudson Companies is as-of-right, which means it complies with all existing zoning regulations and does not need any special permits or variances.

Rendering via Hudson Companies


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. We need a real PROGRESSIVE-DEMOCRATIC fight on land-use issues in this city. The developers own the process and get away with what ever they want. There is no counter balance of community power in the whole process. Suits are all that are left for communities to correct wrong doings.

    And what can we expect with a new mayor? It looks like deBlasio’s friend and funder, Toll Brothers VP, has already asked him to streamline the City Landuse Process to make it easier for developers.

    The people who makeup the communities of this city need to push back. It is time landuse policies in this city reflected real community democracy. Development must be made to follow the law, and the law must be strengthened to allow for community approval of development, only then will communities get development agreements that serve the people of the city and not corporate share holders of development companies.

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