Tensions ran high, Thursday evening, at St. Francis College for the Empire State Development Corporation’s public hearing on two proposed residential buildings at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The modification of the ESDC’s project plan approved in 2006 was being questioned as well as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to develop buildings by the tony Brooklyn Heights waterfront; a project tailored to include 117 units of affordable housing for low- to middle-income families as part of de Blasio’s strategy to raise the city’s affordable housing stock.
“This is a neighborhood that has seen a lot of development over the last few years, a lot of new residents moving in,” said Brooklyn Heights Council Member Stephen Levin. “We have a local elementary school that is at 140 percent capacity and a wait list of 50 kids that are zoned kids, this year, in addition to strains on our other infrastructure; traffic, transportation, sanitation, and this would have a cumulative effect on all of that. This was all studied ten years ago. If you look at a picture of Downtown Brooklyn ten years ago it wouldn’t look anything like it looks today. It would have very little resemblance. You would see the Williamsburg Savings Bank building and that would be about it. It’s very different today and all of that is residential development.”
The lawmaker voiced his belief that this is probably not the best course of action to take. “It comes to the rationale of the development; it needs to pay for the park. The other developments are yielding more revenue than they were originally predicted to yield. So there’s a shifting rationale,” he said.
While Levin pointed out the shift in rationale is beneficial, he questioned how private companies and ports around the world in other countries are able to maintain their piers in the most cost efficient ways.
“We need to support the park for future large development. This city is growing and public land should be for community benefits,” said Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who represents the Downtown Brooklyn area including the park. “I do want to make it clear though, if there is to be housing, affordable housing should be included.”
Velazquez acknowledged that fact that she did not always support housing in the past, but “conditions have changed dramatically,” she said. Velazquez proposed a robust analysis of the potential environmental impact of the proposed development, “we need to have a real conversation about development in the area, especially now,” she added.
Build Up NYC, an alliance of workers committed to good jobs that sustain the middle class, is making a major push to build the towers on Pier 6, which will include 30 percent affordable housing.
Build Up NYC member Stephen Yearwood, 67, pointed out that rent is going up all throughout Brooklyn and many people who have been living here for years cannot afford it. “People who work in New York should be able to live in New York. The people being hired to build these buildings can’t even afford to pay rent, they can’t afford to pay health insurance, that is why we need affordable housing.”
The organization supported the General Project Plan (GPP) modifications, approved by Community Board 2 earlier this month, which allows for affordable housing at Pier 6, a reduction in the size of the development, the inclusion of community space and a 75-seat pre-k facility.
The ESDC is expected to rule on the GPP modifications in early September. Once the ESDC has made its recommendation, the proposal will go before the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation Board.
