Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Re-Zoning Challenge: From the Comments

from an anonymous commenter to yesterday's post:

"What urban planner in their right mind recommends (aka facilitates) a potential 8-story bldg. on a narrow side street like 40th or 41st St. that would also block the view from the park? Only possible explanation: A behind-the-scenes property owner(s) with plans to build such a monstrosity & the connections to manipulate the planning process. If there's another explanation, we want to hear it & you can post it here."

Well?

Update: One answer, from lostingreenwoodheights:

"8 story buildings are not allowed on the side streets. Do your research before spreading false info. Higher density R6A and R7A is only for 4ht Ave and 7th Ave. Lower density "contextual zoning" (a matter of opinion) is R6B on the side streets."

9 comments:

Kevin said...

I'm not familiar with the width of 40th and 41st in particular. I walked past them many times when I would use the 36th station, but never payed any special attention to them. So I can't talk to width, just height. My question, how tall is the new high school? I live in the south part of SP so I have not counted lately, but I recall it being pretty tall. I have a hard time thinking that more building in that height range would kill views if they were put in eye shot of the park.

I really wish I had the time to go to CB meeting to voice my support of developers and advancement. A no demo order on sound buildings? I think our neighborhood could bear to tear down structurally sound but economically infeasible to update buildings like the one I live in to build new, taller, higher occupancy buildings. The fight should not be to save insignificant, short, run of the mill houses. The fight should be to maintain Sunset Park as a affordable place were families and immigrants may live.

I am willing to give up my skyline views from my apartment to see new large building that house large numbers of families at low prices.

Michael Comeau said...

8 story buildings would be ridiculous. That would be as high as the Church, if not higher. The view from the park would be ruined.

lostingreenwoodhts said...

8 story buildings are not allowed on the side streets. Do your research before spreading false info. Higher density R6A and R7A is only for 4ht Ave and 7th Ave. Lower density "contextual zoning" (a matter of opinion) is R6B on the side streets.

Sunset Park Autonomous Zone said...

"I am willing to give up my skyline
views from my apartment to see new large building that house large numbers of families at low prices."

Developers just don't do this. The new large buildings will be for incoming people with money. The so-called "affordable housing incentive" is always used to bring in new construction but do any of these new condos that are being put up in Brooklyn have anything other than market rents? Too high for this neighborhood.

And if it isn't Mr Greenwood Heights. Always insulting people's intelligence. I'm sure you know everything, we just have to trust you more. Thank you and the rest of the non-Sunset Park residents of CB7 for NOTHING!!

BestViewInBrooklyn said...

SP Auto Zone:

I'm pretty sure that R6B does keep the stories lower. The idea of our 4th Avenue looking like northern 4th Avenue makes me very uneasy, however.

I'll try to post up a cool PDF that someone sent to me. It shows the impact on the views.

tom murphy said...

Dear Zone:
Advise: Don't be rude to someone who just might be a rocket scientist. Aaron knows a lot more than you, facts, that is. You , of course, must rely on your biases and invective.
Dear BVIB:
See my post from Tuesday.
It might help you.

--Tom Murphy

Friends of Sunset Park said...

To Lost in Greenwoodheights- Looks like anonymous did his/her research. After reading all posts I needed to point you (all, in fact) to the map of the proposed re-zoning that appears on City Planning's website: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/sunset3.shtml. Click on the link & then click on the map to enlarge. You'll see that R6A is proposed for several sidestreets: 40th+41st/5th-6th Aves; 61st/4th-5th; 58th-6oth/3rd-4th. Look hard and long and believe your eyes. Thank you to anonymous for posting this observation.

By the way, several months ago FoSP confirmed the proposed R6A zoning on sidestreets with the Brooklyn Office of City Planning and they thought it appropriate.

To BViB- Pls post our comments when you post the "cool" PDF.

Friends said...

The Sunset Park High School is 5 stories tall, not 7 or 8 and it seems pretty tall.

Kevin, you can't truly believe that you, as a working stiff, could afford one of the newly-built condos. Also, you may personally be willing to loose the view from Sunset Park, but no one individual has the right to decide if others should also loose their access.

lostingreenwoodhts said...

"Look hard and long and believe your eyes."

I did, and you are correct...except the height is false, R6A does not allow for 8 stories. My guess is the R6A was placed in due to the old commercial overlay which has businesses mid-block on those streets.

That will also be changed, so no laundermats mid block on a residential area, with the lessening of the commercial overlay from 150' to 100', part of the reason (I assume) the R6a is there. So I stand corrected.

There has been SO MUCH misinformation during the rezoning hearings I jumped to the conclusion it was false, my bad.

As far as being "outed" as a CB7 member, thanks. Once again energies of other wasted by blaming folks who volunteer to serve the community, regardless of where they are from in the community board's district.

But that seems to be the M.O. for the groups who choose to continually drive regional, economical and ethnic divisions within our community. Keep up the good work.