Brooklyn's Progress
June/July 2005

The New York City Council approved the department of City Planning’s rezoning proposal, as modified by the Council and the City Planning Commission (CPC), for nearly 200 blocks in the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods, which will bring new life to Brooklyn’s waterfront.

The plan, which would create 54 acres of parkland and new and affordable housing, was overwhelmingly approved by the City Council on May 11.  The vote removes the last hurdle to the most ambitious redevelopment effort in the city in decades and fulfills Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s commitment to “bring new life to our long neglected waterfront.”

This far-reaching plan to reclaim Brooklyn’s East River waterfront will create new open space, including a continuous public esplanade and a 28-acre park and provide opportunities for development of nearly 10,800 units of much-needed housing including approximately 3,500 units of affordable housing for a range of incomes.

Affordable Housing
The plan breaks new ground by permitting an “inclusionary” zoning bonus in medium-density neighborhoods outside Manhattan in exchange for building affordable housing. The Inclusionary Housing Program approved by the CPC, coupled with use of city housing finance programs, and the administration’s commitment to developing affordable housing on publicly controlled sites, constitute a powerful strategy for the development and preservation of affordable housing in Greenpoint-Williamsburg.

In response to concerns raised by the community and elected officials during the public review process that began in October 2004, the CPC modified the original proposal to exclude from the rezoning several blocks with predominantly industrial uses in the upland neighborhoods, reduce permissible building height adjacent to Greenpoint’s historic district, and provide for a mechanism to create a body to oversee and maintain new open space created under the plan.

"Today these communities are one step closer to achieving their long-standing desire for access to and along the East River waterfront in largely vacant areas abandoned by manufacturing uses. This comprehensive plan supports the Bloomberg administration’s commitment to redeveloping the waterfront for housing, including affordable housing, as well as the Mayor’s promise to support industrial firms,” said Amanda M. Burden, City Planning Commission Chair. “The unique character of the existing inland neighborhoods will be protected by the new zoning.”

The program also promotes the preservation of existing affordable housing throughout Greenpoint and Williamsburg by allowing developers a bonus in exchange for purchasing existing buildings and maintaining affordable rents. Current residents of the community would be given preference in the lottery to rent or buy at least half of the affordable homes and apartments facilitated by the affordable housing program.

This Inclusionary Housing plan was developed in collaboration with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Housing Development Corporation, as well as housing professionals and advocates. HPD is also planning the development of affordable housing on publicly owned sites in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, where it will be possible to target special needs such as senior housing and reach higher percentages of affordability.

HPD Commissioner Shaun Donovan said, "In response to concerns raised by the City Planning Commission and members of the local community, we have significantly enhanced affordable housing on publicly-owned sites in order to increase the number of overall affordable units in the rezoning area. We are committed to addressing affordable housing needs and believe that these zoning changes, together with the use of public sites and the range of our affordable housing programs, will provide ample opportunities for affordable housing for current and future residents."

Olympic Volleyball Planned
The plan also embraces NYC2012's Olympic bid plans for beach volleyball and aquatics venues between North 7th and North 14th Streets on the Williamsburg waterfront. The park would encompass the Bayside Fuel site at the Bushwick Inlet, the location of a proposed TransGas power plant. The City continues to vigorously oppose the plant proposal, which is before the State Siting Board, in favor of the proposed waterfront park, which would complement adjacent residential development.

In areas currently characterized by a mix of uses, the proposed mixed-use zoning would permit a variety of residential, commercial, and light industrial activity, recognizing that Greenpoint-Williamsburg's vitality is grounded in these patterns. Areas containing concentrations of industrial facilities and jobs, including the Brooklyn Brewery, Acme Smoked Fish, and numerous other local businesses, would remain zoned for manufacturing, prohibiting new residences in these areas. In addition, the Commission approved modifications to the original proposal to retain manufacturing zoning on 13 blocks in Williamsburg, because of a significant concentration of industrial jobs in this area.