Last week, the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association called for a 50-foot height limit on new developments in the 'hood. This was spurred on partially by the new six-story "glass thumb" at 11 Second Place, at the corner of Henry Street.
It seems that neighbors are disgruntled at the out-of-scale height of the new building, something the developers probably aren't too concerned about, as a look at the prices the building's condos have fetched show: According to Brownstoner, units there were priced from nearly half a million dollars all the way up to $1.3 million, and sold like hot cakes.
But lately the Department of City planning has been receptive to down-zoning, as long as there's a tradeoff nearby for larger developments. Case in point: the northern edge of Sunset Park (or the South South Slope) between 15th and 24th streets along Fourth Avenue. Residents in that neighborhood protested all the large-scale developments going up, and the D.C.P. listened. A height restriction was impose on the streets late last year, while increased scale--up to 12 stories--was allowed on the avenue itself.
Now that the call for height restrictions has gone out, though, look for developers to accelerate any plans now on the books, as they race the clock before anything happens. Impending height restrictions always are an impetus to get that building built before the down-zoning takes effect. (The Brooklyn Paper pdf file)
-Matthew Grace
