The Times Catches Up on Dock Street
A little late to the party, The Times finally gives some column inchage today to the Dock Street story. To summarize: After community resistance in 2004, Two Trees went back to the drawing board on its plans for a mixed-use building just to the north of the Brooklyn Bridge between Front and Water Streets. It…
A little late to the party, The Times finally gives some column inchage today to the Dock Street story. To summarize: After community resistance in 2004, Two Trees went back to the drawing board on its plans for a mixed-use building just to the north of the Brooklyn Bridge between Front and Water Streets. It returned last year with a design that shifted the tower portion further away from the bridge and, in a brilliant political twist, included space for a badly needed public school. Now public opinion on the 335-unit project is split roughly into three groups: Those who firmly oppose the project on the grounds that it is out-of-context and infringes on the historic Brooklyn Bridge; those who support the project for the school and for the added residential density it would bring to the neighborhood; and those who feel somewhat ambivalent, but think it’s probably okay. With Community Board 2’s recent vote in favor of the proposal, it now heads to the Borough President’s office later this month as the next step in the ULURP process.
Is a New School in Brooklyn Is Worth Blocking the View [NY Times]
CB2 Gives Thumbs Up to Dock Street [Brownstoner]
CB2 To Vote Tonight on Dock Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Dock Street Moves Forward — Second Vote on Saturday [Brooklyn Paper]
Full House, No Vote at Dock Street Hearing [Brownstoner]
How Does Dock Street Stack Up? [Brownstoner]
The Next Step for Dock Street [Brownstoner]
DOE: It’s Time to Examine Dock Street [Brownstoner]
Two Trees Plans Mixed Use Building Next to Bridge [Brownstoner]
Dock Street Plans (Marina and All) Go 3D [Brownstoner]
Dock Street Protesters: 20% There on Signatures [Brownstoner]
The article errs when talking about the bridge-facing frontage. Two sides of the lot face the bridge, not one. In 2004, the 17 story section faced the bridge 149 (south) by 64 (west). In the current plan, the 18 story section faces the bridge 200 (west) by 55 (south). If anything, the current plan disrespects the bridge even more than before. The part of the tower closest to the bridge (southwestern corner, along Front St) is approximately 95 feet away from the bridge in the current plan. In 2004, the closest part was the southwestern corner, along Water Street, and it was approximately 110 feet from the bridge. And yet, City Council would still not approve the building, even though the closest part of the tower was moved from 70 to 110 feet away. In addition, the lower part of the building was 88 feet high in 2004, and now it is 95 feet high. See the 2004 zoning resolution here (page 18 states the 149 foot figure):
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/cpc/010646.pdf
This project BEGS for disapproval.
I think we’ve beaten this one to death now.