LPC Urges 'Do Over' for 73 Pineapple Street Plan
The Landmarks Preservation Commission isn’t going to give Rush Brook Partners a free pass to construct a controversial new building at 73 Pineapple Street in Brooklyn Heights. The LPC, which reviewed the developer’s plans yesterday but stopped short of formally voting on the proposal, had grave reservations about the project, and LPC Chairman Robert Tierney…
The Landmarks Preservation Commission isn’t going to give Rush Brook Partners a free pass to construct a controversial new building at 73 Pineapple Street in Brooklyn Heights. The LPC, which reviewed the developer’s plans yesterday but stopped short of formally voting on the proposal, had grave reservations about the project, and LPC Chairman Robert Tierney urged the architects to restudy the project in a ‘major way,’ according to LPC spokesperson Elisabeth de Bourbon. The commissioners said the proposed building would be out of context with the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, with the chief objection being that it calls for too many floors to be built relative to its overall size. There isn’t anything about the building that I could agree on, said Commissioner Margery Perlmutter. I would just have to say ‘do over.’ Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee, the Brooklyn Heights Association and the Historic Districts Council are all opposing Rush Brook Partners’ plan. Now that a rejection of the building as it’s currently planned is more or less certain, we’ll have to see how the developer responds to all these misgivings in its next round with the LPC.
73 Pineapple Street In Front of LPC Tomorrowy [Brownstoner] GMAP
CB2 Nixes Foreboding Pineapple Plan [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
And a follow up to 3:58 – those orange & blue barricades in the lower R corner of the picture are covering up and giant & dangerous sidewalk collapse – separate from the road collapse. Something is seriously wrong with the structural integrity of the ground over there…
I live a few doors down, and the street directly outside this gated-off site is continually collapsing. I know that sounds odd, but about a month ago, I came home to find a car with one wheel stuck in the gigantic pothole, which the DOT filled in a couple of days later, and this process has happened at least 3 times since then. It was a giant hole last night, and filled in this morning! I wonder if the site has anything to do with the road collapse?
Anyone know who the architect for this project?
Follow up to 11:33.
The redevelopment strategy of rental units is at odds with the price that was paid. Massey Knakal had this on the market for $6.7MM. I am not sure why current owner ended up paying $7.4MM. Even at the lower number a developer is almost forced into a redevelopment “for sale” condo scenario. At least that strategy would have provided a little more capital for improvements which would end up, hopefully, allocated to design and material costs.
I think the desire of the LPC, CB2 and BHA is that any new structure be both contemporary and contextual. This requires a good deal of care and skill in both the design and construction phases of a project. While I don’t believe it is necessary to hire a star architect (especially in this case) in order to wow the governing entities I do believe it makes sense to hire an architect that has significant and successful experience working in landmarked districts and one that is effective in managing both the permitting and construction process. Considering that the redevelopment strategy by this owner is rental units, they have allocated only $4MM (approx.) for all hard cost improvements and their carrying costs have just gone up due to this setback I don’t have a lot of faith that an appropriately designed and constructed project will ever come to fruition.
9:39: BHA has been clear from the beginning that they don’t need it to be what’s similar to what exists now. Modern is fine. Just good modern, not crap.
If you’re going to go contemporary in this location, then think big. Get a great architect involved and try to convince LPC that this building will add to the architectural landscape. Don’t waste everyone’s time with a 8-foot-ceiling’d Fedders special.
The number of skilled craftsmen around today who can build something similar to what exists in Brooklyn Heights today is very small.
It is not economically feasible to build something comparable in this day and age.
I don’t understand why a developer wouldn’t even make an effort to put something nice here. Surely it’s a desirable location that would command high resale or rents.