As to the architect, I certainly hope he can come up with something similar to the below, from their portfolio:
Friday, February 8, 2013
About That Tower to Be
As reported just hours ago here (see below), Hudson Inc. filed plans to build a 23-story tower at 626 Flatbush w/the firm Rogers Marvel doing the design. No reason for histrionics or pulled muscles yet, but needless to say this would be a massive change to the Flabenue and environs. I suspect they're throwing out the number 23 in an effort to arrive at a compromise that still gives them lots of units. 23 stories may one day be the norm along Flatbush (could the farms of 19th Century Breukelen ever have imagined today's 100 unit apartment buildings?), but for now it would be too tall too soon, in this blogger's opinion. It would tower over everything in an uncomfortable manner, like Shaq next to Prince. Something a bit taller than Patio Gardens would be more reasonable. How big is 23 stories? Well, another building by the same developers down in Dumbo looks like this:
That apartment building, J Condominiums, also exists among lower rise structures as along Flatbush. You can see the contrast.
As to the architect, I certainly hope he can come up with something similar to the below, from their portfolio:
As to the architect, I certainly hope he can come up with something similar to the below, from their portfolio:
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12 comments:
Clearly, where one currently lives and how much one will be personally impacted by the erection of a 23-story residential tower has a lot to do with how well it's received. While I don't expect there to be as much community opposition to this building -- in comparison to the original glass tower that was first proposed for Lincoln Road -- I'm definitely not welcoming this new build at all. Like you, CF, I think 23 stories is way too tall a structure for this part of the Flabenue. Especially since I can now look out my rear windows and see some of the glories of the Flabenue! LOL. Well, compare that visual delight to living in the hulking shadow and invasive sight lines of a gigando residential tower. Nope, sorry. I prefer the steady stream of flashy characters strolling down the street. As such, this is one major change coming to the newly-emerging PLG that does not float my boat. Honestly though, I would probably regard it all with less malevolence if it weren't poised to land in my own backyard. :-(
It's amazing how much double sides complaining people around here are engaged in. Most want PLG to have more businesses and residential options and stuff like you can get most places in Brooklyn in 2013 yet every time we get news that someone wants to bring something new and exciting to PLG the people aren't happy with it. Folks we can't move forward if we don't embrace the MAJOR change we need Around here so that criminals aren't comfortable just shooting people when they please- like at 7pm in a car on a residential block! More condo and market rate development brings working people to a neighborhood and pushes out the criminals. This is what's happened all over Brownstone Brooklyn but not here because we aren't all unified in supporting and promoting these types of projects!
New construction was definitely not the reason for the gentrification of neighborhoods like Park Slope, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, etc. - condos came much later and are few and far between. What did contribute, in addition to people buying and renovating townhouses, was the influx of a different class of renters - we are seeing it here, slowly, but most of the rental building in the neighborhood are so poorly maintained as be quickly deserted by new renters, who tend to move on as soon as they can.
PS - I love Jay Condo, and it honestly doesn't look that shocking from ground level. And, of course, what the image above barely shows is the Manhattan Bridge, cutting right through DUMBO, so there is already a much taller structure in the area (as well as several other tall condo projects), so it isn't that out of place there (I think it would look fairly ridiculous on Flatbush, however).
Here's a link to a Curbed article on another Hudson Brooklyn project, much closer to home than Jay Condo, and some discussion of their past involvement with HPD and inability to secure funding thereby (sound familiar?)- seriously, does HPD want to help with affordable housing or not? A LEED-certified building here in PLG would definitely be very cool!
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/02/07/a_tale_of_two_buildings_on_caton_place_in_windsor_terrace.php
Babs, thanks for the link. Glad the other buildings' people are not developing the site.....btw, at the bottom of that Curbed page is a link to "Alchemist's Lincoln Road Store Has Zaha Benches, Foam Walls." PLG is hip? No, it's haute fashionable. (And moving to Miami.)
To Anonymous at 2:11, I don't support it because it's not in character with the other structures in the neighborhood. Not everyone here wants the "change" that you so desperately want. Yes, I want better amenities; yes, I want the criminals to go. But not wanting a towering structure that blocks sunlight doesn't mean I don't want those other things. I am ok with gradual change; I don't need the MAJOR change that you want. If you *really* want those things so badly, why don't you move to one of those established neighborhoods that have what you want? We aren't unified because we don't all want the same things.
Very well-stated, Happy here!
Wow, Happy here, you sound like the police always telling us to move elsewhere if we don't like crime. I happen to know many, many good and socially-aware people who love this neighborhood, but would just prefer nicer rental stock and a few more amenities. I've been here over eight years and love my neighborhood and my neighbors, but I would also like to be able to go to a really decent sit down restaurant, shop for healthy food nearby (though that's coming and I can't wait), and have a glass of good wine in a civilized environment (and, no, I don't consider the LPT scene civilized, either in terms of the wine list or decor/ambiance). Are these MAJOR changes? I don't think so, and yet they haven't happened yet. I do think new and better housing stock is required here (although 23 stories is definitely a bit much, I think we are all agreed on that) and Hudson is just the kind of developer we'd like to see IMO.
Babs, you are entitled to want what you want, and so am I.
That said, the point of my post was specifically about Anonymous saying "we" aren't all unified in supporting and promoting these projects, and I gave my reasons for it. WE don't all feel the same way. And if you read, I also want all those other things, but that doesn't mean I also want a towering structure. I am Happy Here, and I don't want or need the major change. That's not to say I want NO change, but some of us are just content, therefore will not jump on the "we need change to this neighborhood SOON" bandwagon. I am perfectly ok with it changing in it's own time.
In regards to comparing me to the police telling anyone to move, that's obnoxious, and since I am not the person whose job it is to protect you from said crime, not a good analogy. But in general, yeah, if you really ARE unhappy about things where you live, then perhaps you should move to where those things are that you want. Many people move for exactly that reason. Just don't point the finger at anyone who is happy with the way things are. Maybe it's not them, maybe it's you.
And since you want to tell me what you think about me, I'll tell you what I think about you: you sound like someone who twists words up if you don't agree with them, and an instigator. This is not the first time I've seen you be like this, and I'm sure it's not the last. All I will say is, I've said all I need to say. You can take it and twist up again any way you want. I am done with the discussion.
I'm posting for the first time on this thread FYI to avoid being said I'm one of the same people who posted earlier. I am thrilled about this building. Once more I am baffled by the NIMBYs What kind of "context" are you going to protect on this stretch of mugly Flatbush Avenue? The building it replaced is not historic. It was an ugly newish medical building. Just up a ways on Flatbush Ave the Patio Gardens buildings stand at 17 stories tall. Flatbush Avenue is way behind your house and across the train tracks, Celledee. It is not going to impact you or your house. You not wanting to gaze at a new tall building rising up behind the even uglier apartment buildings around it as you listen to the loud rumble of the train sitting in your backyard just isn't something to base a protest on. Sorry, I don't intend to be mean, I'm just being a realist here. The city wants to improve Flatbush Ave. Look at the huge investment being made in the Loews Kings theater just down the avenue. Now THAT building is historic and worth preserving To protect truly historic areas and protect the single family covenant you need to allow new development and allow for higher density housing. Period. Telling NYC they can't allow more people to move to the city is not going to fly. And how NOT environmentally correct is it to encourage suburban spread vs building upward in the city? There's nothing intellectually consistent about the NIMBY anti-big building thing to me.
Wow, Happy, you just took the discussion to a very nasty place - far beyond what is reasonable. We're all glad you're done with the discussion.
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