DUMBO Rezoning Passed (Without Much Fanfare)
Unlike the rezoning of Coney Island, the rezoning of DUMBO occurred quietly (heck, we only mentioned it in passing), reports the Brooklyn Eagle. Last week the area in question, 12 blocks along Jay and Bridge Streets formerly zoned for industry, manufacturing, and commercial use, was reassigned for mixed-use, contextual zoning, which allows for both manufacturing…
Unlike the rezoning of Coney Island, the rezoning of DUMBO occurred quietly (heck, we only mentioned it in passing), reports the Brooklyn Eagle. Last week the area in question, 12 blocks along Jay and Bridge Streets formerly zoned for industry, manufacturing, and commercial use, was reassigned for mixed-use, contextual zoning, which allows for both manufacturing and residential buildings. (See City Planning’s overview here.) While the rezoning occurred without the kind of uproar reserved for Coney Island, there has been some controversy. The DUMBO Improvement District supports the changes, for example, but the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance opposes them, partly due to the height of the rezoning district. (As we posted here, CB2 also recommended against the rezoning back in April, but Brownstoner readers were overwhelmingly in favor of it.) Council Member David Yassky, a longtime supporter of the change, had this to say: The DUMBO rezoning has been a long time coming and will help create both residential and commercial development so this great neighborhood can fully realize its potential.
DUMBO Rezoning Passed Amid Mixed Reviews [Brooklyn Eagle]
CB2 Recommends Against Residential Rezoning in Dumbo [Brownstoner]
Public Review for Dumbo Rezoning Begins [Brownstoner]
Planning Reveals More Deets About Dumbo Rezoning Plan [Brownstoner]
Post-Landmarking, Dumbo Rezoning Talk Begins [Brownstoner]
As a former employee of the Department, I feel obligated to say that it is much much easier to post on a message board that not a lot of in depth thinking occurs than it is to create a rezoning with affordable housing and light manufacturing incentives at once. Throw it appeasing artists and historic preservationists and accommodating landowners who’ve waited twenty years for ROI, and achieving consensus is not easy.
I ran the hell away from DCP because it is a bit of a trainwreck, but I assure you that there is plenty of thinking going on.
Heer, heer! Snark 😉
Brownstoner article posted (without much spellchecking).
tybur6- maybe I’m wrong but it seems that might be asking too much of the city planning departments. That would mean a real forward looking plan with an emphasis on in-depth thinking and analysis- which seems sorely lacking in our fair city these past few years.
Does anyone know… Are there any restricted (perhaps city-owned) buildings that require the tenants to perform specific functions? i.e., lease contingent on occupant to perform light manufacturing?
My brother’s company in boston has such a lease. Rather than $65/sq ft in a similar building, he pays $30/sq ft… with the above caveat. It seems like a fairly successful program to keep manufacturing and similar commercial companies within the city limits (and support the local suppliers and so on down the chain)
I ask because I always here about various rezoning efforts, but nothing about related economic development ‘devices.’ Other than tax breaks (a la TV & Movie filming), does NYC dabble in such things? Efforts to actively *shape* the economic activity of the five boroughs?