Southern Brooklyn Experiencing a Bonafide Skyscraper Boom

A lot of noise has been made of the potential skyscraper boom in Manhattan. Very quietly, however, Brooklyn has also become a target for a series of skyward development plans.

1 minute read

January 21, 2015, 6:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Southern Brooklyn is undergoing a veritable building boom. In addition to the small infill projects planned in Brighton Beach and Borough Park – two of the last remaining neighborhoods in the city where single-family homes can be redeveloped en masse – we saw a pair of permit filings late last year for bonafide skyscrapers in Sheepshead Bay and Bath Beach," reports Stephen Smith.

But wait, there is another skyscraper on the way: "Now, comes a filing for an even taller building: an application was submitted today to construct a massive 40-story, 430-foot-tall tower in Coney Island, at 532 Neptune Avenue (also known as 2851 West 6th Street). The project would bring a small mall’s worth of new retail space to the neighborhood, topped by 544 new apartments. If built, it would be by far the tallest tower south of downtown Brooklyn."

The article includes a lot more details, in typical New York YIMBY style, about the development. The main attraction of the potential development, according to Smith, are the 544 new housing units—added to what is already one of the city's most affordable neighborhoods.

Friday, January 16, 2015 in New York YIMBY

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

6 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation