It seems like one step forward and two steps back for a proposal to develop two residential towers at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
"A plan to construct two residential towers at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, a priority for Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, has cleared two hurdles but is about to face a new, multi-pronged legal challenge," reports Sally Goldenberg.
Goldenberg details the political debate that led to the vote of approval by the board that oversees the riverfront park earlier this week. Adding to the political intrigue are donations by the developer of the project to the election campaign of Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose fundraising operation is under federal investigation. The article includes verbatim accounts of exchanges of the board hearing that led to the approval.
"Following the vote, an attorney for the Brooklyn Heights Association said he intends to file a lawsuit to block to project," reports Goldenberg in shifting the focus of the article to next steps. The legal controversy surrounding the project focuses on the project's revenue estimates, because a "plan for the waterfront area stipulates that residential development could only be constructed to pay for maintenance needs of the park." Also potentially t odds in a lawsuit are questions about the contract for the builder, RAL Development Services, the project's study into impacts on infrastructure, and the level of below market rate units included in the project.
FULL STORY: Lawsuit expected as controversial housing plan clears vote
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How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
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San Francisco Slow Streets Bucks Citywide Trend, Reducing Injuries by 61 Percent
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How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities
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Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research