Landmarks Rejects Plan To Turn Courtyard Into Garage
[nggallery id=”21543″ template=galleryview] The Landmarks Preservation Commission still doesn’t like the Pinnacle Group’s proposal to turn Riverside Apartment’s courtyard ino a 134-car, two-level parking garage (for rendering of the proposal, click here). Landmarks spokeswoman Lisi de Bourbon wrote us, “The [Tuesday] hearing took about 2 hours, and the vast majority of people who testified opposed…
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The Landmarks Preservation Commission still doesn’t like the Pinnacle Group’s proposal to turn Riverside Apartment’s courtyard ino a 134-car, two-level parking garage (for rendering of the proposal, click here). Landmarks spokeswoman Lisi de Bourbon wrote us, “The [Tuesday] hearing took about 2 hours, and the vast majority of people who testified opposed the propject. The Commission said the proposal needed to be substantially reworked, but took no vote. The Commissioners said that the apartment complex represents a significant improvement in affordable housing during the last decade of the 19th century. They said allowing the garage to be built in its proposed form would dishonor the spirit and socially conscious intent of the complex. What sets the complex apart from earlier tenements is that it occupies only half of the lot its built on to maximize light and air into the apartments. The garage would derogate from the purpose of the building, depriving residents of open space. No date was set for a return.” Riverside tenants have accused the landlord of planning to turn the building condo (which Pinnacle denied) and of planning to profit by sharing the garage with Brooklyn Bridge Park-goers. For Landmark’s decision on the BAM Cultural District streetscape improvements, click on the jump…
Preservationists Scuttle Brooklyn Heights Garage [NY Sun]
Garage Plan for Heights Building Rears Its Head Again [Brownstoner]
Of BAM, de Bourbon wrote us, “This proposal was unanimously approved by the Commission. It found that the circular dark gray paving set within a metal ring was evocative of manhole covers, which are found all over the city’s steet, and would distinguish the area as a historic district and draw pedestrians to the cultural institutions within it. The Commission also said the streetlights would work to demark the limits of the district without calling attention to themselves and that the sidewalk and distinctive paving represent a minimal intrusion.”
the apts should go market-rate rental (no condos)
According to sources a revised plan may just be presented at the June 18 meeting of the CB2 Land Use Committee. This time it is all underground, FORCING THE DESTRUCTION OF TREES, and still a travesty to AT Whites vision. The new plan has a higher ceiling and will stack the cars, ensuring attended parking. Valet parking in affordable housing???? I don’t get it.
The hearing was a wonderful example of renters and homeowners rallying around a common thread, historic preservation. Luckily in this case the history involved tenants from the start, so for once they had a chip in the game, and played their hand well. The addition of expert witnesses from all over the city formed a formidable alliance of owners and renter. The diversity, while not so much in race, but just class was mentioned by LPC as being unusual.
The garage plan was only rejected as was submitted with one of the stories above, and one below ground. The LPC did say they would consider a completely underground version of the plan, which of course would destroy all the 50+ year old trees that tower above the six story structure and require a complete excavation of the original garden.
I don’t think this story is over yet. The owner had a 9 Million dollar mortgage in 2002 when he purchased the building, and just last year he took out a 19 million dollar mortgage. So, he needs to do something other then rent out 150 rent controlled or regulated units if he is to repay his mortgage. BTW, very little of the 10 million he “made” in 2007 seems to have been spent on maintaining the building, and none has been spent restoring the courtyard as a DHCR ruling has mandated.
I will admit it was an elegant design, for a parking garage. For the unfiltered BS go to http://www.riversideapartmentsgarden.com/
However, it’s kind of like putting a penthouse on top of a nuclear reactor, sure the view may be good, but …
For once, I think we have a bitter owner out there. How times have changed over the last year…
It wasn’t elegant. (elegance; grace and refinement in appearance.) And if the process is political, this project should have been approved. The attorney for the project is a former city councilman and the lead designer was a former member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Too bad. It was an elegant design and the community could have benifitted a lot.
I can never figure out the landmarks commission’s decision making process. It is entirely political I guess.