Brooklyn Bridge Park Project Gains Key Approval—Lawsuit Expected

"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.