Miami, Brooklyn is coming to Greenpoint. And it aint’ perty.
Did you know we are lacking in community here? In his recent State of The City 2013 address, Mike Bloomberg announced plans for “creating a ‘new community’ in Brooklyn – Greenpoint Landing – with more than 5,000 new homes, parks and open space, a marina, a public school and shops.”
5000 new homes! At two people per household, 10,000 people means a population increase of about 25% in Greenpoint. Is that sustainable?
I see a whole lotta big buildings. Where is the open space?
Back in November Curbed reported the first “NIMBY” protest against, “Park Tower Group’s proposal for 10 residential towers on 22 acres of the Greenpoint waterfront. The megaproject will include 4,000 apartments in 30-to-40-story buildings, a new East River marina, a seasonal putting green/ice skating rink, and a pedestrian bridge designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.”
How will this impact businesses, mass transit, infrastructure, open spaces and the character of the neighborhood?
And more importantly what hipster is responsible for this?
Is Greenpoint Landing part of your vision for the neighborhood?
No no no! Why not let this neighborhood develop organically instead of forcing it to happen? The quaint feel is what attracted me to this neighborhood in the first place. Not too thrilled about having every “yupster” thats found a new “cool” place to live infiltrate our neighborhood like they did Williamsburg. Sigh..
Another reason why Brooklyn sucks, as if there weren’t enough reasons already…
I would like to thank everyone on Franklin St, Ashe, Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint Ave, Jen G of Greenpointers, This Jon guy who pops up in my comments, ALL of the great coffee shops, Beer stores, Beer Bars, Bad/Good and Great Pizza shops, NYShitty and other blogs that take photos of cool places, The Hipsters, Nerds, Townies, Ferkles, Goths, Metal Heads, Yoga Heads, Zombie Lovers, Immigrants, Offset Printers, Bookmakers, Book Stores, Birders, Hicks, Polish people & for making Greenpoint an awesome enough place that the powers that be see it fit to put an end to it.
How proud of our King Bloomburg would that iconic money hungry racist Robert Mosses be? I say very proud. Manifest Destiny any one?
Anyone in NYC sick of being pushed out of there neighborhood yet?
I think this could be good if implemented correctly, North Brooklyn desperately needs an increase in housing supply to keep the rent of non luxury buildings from rising as ridiculously fast as it has been. That said there are a few things a project like this would have to ensure before i would support it.
1) absolutely no parking garages, the last thing i want to happen to greenpoint is what happened to LIC. Brooklyn needs less cars not more.
2) more G trains, at rush hour the G train is pretty much at capacity so an 25% population increase would not work well.
3) less $3,000 a month 2 bedrooms apts and more $1000 a month studios or small one bedrooms. The developer will make the same amount per square foot but it will keep these buildings more diverse and from feeling like they are just invading the community with a new economic class.
This isn’t going to happen overnight!
It’s easy to complain about rising rents and changing demographics – but if these development(s) happen – it has the potential to create a lot of wealth (dirty word?) for both the new and old guard in the neighborhood.
Five or ten years ago, would northern-Greenpoint businesses like Ashbox, Troost, Milk & Roses, Eastern District etc have been successful much less remotely viable? ‘Hipster’-esque successful businesses that are paying rent to (presumably) the neighborhood old guard – not quite sure how this is a bad thing. It’s easy to be critical, say, of the CVS and Duane Reade on the Williamsburg waterfront (and truthfully the overall aesthetic of the developments) – but try telling the owner of the wine bar, liquor store, and dry cleaner down there that the city would be better off without these towers…
Even with more frequent G trains and the coming-soon Franklin/Kent bus route – Greenpoint is still one transfer away in everyone’s minds, and it’s going to take a while to overcome that. And those of us who live here can still take advantage of secrets like walking over the bridge to the 7 train. Therefore, hopefully, the neighborhood will still retain some of its unique character while continuing to develop in a way that improves everyone’s quality of life.
Most importantly though – is not selling ALL the land for private development – and developing the greenway/pier/park/dog run system that the neighborhood desperately needs. While the private developers may bitch and moan, the government needs to develop a plan and stick to its guns about requiring open space and pedestrian friendly streetscapes.
I watched the State of the City with horror and disgust. Bloomie’s ‘new community’ will, once again, exclude and displace the very people who make Greenpoint a great neighborhood. Of the housing units proposed, only 20% is proposed as affordable housing. We don’t need more luxury development. We need to shore up existing infrastructure. Support small businesses (um, despite what City Hall says, I see tons of young entrepreneurs in Greenpoint being displaced by high rents. Where is the help for them?), punish bad landlords who prey on tenants, maintain green space…the list is endless. Stop glossing over neglected and underserved neighborhoods with fancy new buildings. What creepy magpie culture is City Hall reveling in?
WE HAVE A SAY! Assuming this will go through the City’s Land Use process, the development proposal will come before the community board many times, then to City Planning. Also, Levin will have a big say in shepherding this through to City Council. There will be hearings and committee meetings, etc. We have to show up and horse trade with the developers and the city. 20% affordable housing is not enough! What about rent protection of all the small businesses? WHAT IS OUR COMMUNITY BENEFIT? What is the timeline to implement those benefits, and who will hold the developers/City accountable when they don’t deliver or dilly-dally?
The ray of hope is that we only have 10 more months of this administration left. Hold the fort, neighbors!
This project was already approved by the community board and city planning commission. Active members of the community overwhemingly voted in favor.
This went through the land use process in 2004, and was approved in 2005.
You guys are all low life haters. who love
rent control and wellfare. im happy greenpoint is growing to be a beautiful place and all the haters wll have to leave
I grew up there and it was a stinky dump then and will remain so for yet some time, but have at it!
The hipster responsible for this is a major developer known as George Klein – Park Tower Group. Change is not so bad — I have been a resident here for over 25 years and there are definitely improvements we now have because of the rezoning– we never had any real (safe) access to the water until about 7 years ago. What’s wrong with improvements? The history of NYC is the history of a city in constant change. With the addition of 4,000 units, they will most certainly have to improve the G.
as a Brooklyn born city planner and urban activist – living and working for decades far away (in Italy) from my beloved borough, I’m again and again shocked and angered by King Bloomberg’s “Robert Moses aka Le Corbusier” continuing approach to destroying viable neighborhoods. BK doesn’t need glass and steel towers, 1000’s of upscale condos and urban marketing lingo … it needs sustainable jobs (manufacturing, artisan crafts, creative economy, etc.) in mixed zoning areas based on each communities’ aspirations, capacities and plans. Brooklyn from “once upon a time” updated and activated. Good Luck Greenpoint! and Mr. B – fuggeddabboudit!!
Besides the obvious fact that the new buildings will not benefit those who already live in the ‘hood (I don’t suppose current residents will have first priority for the brand-new apartments), what could possibly go wrong with building huge residential buildings on a Superfund flood zone?
It looks like, according to the plans, it’s self-sustainable so they could just build a giant wall around it and give it its own ferry dock, and we would never have to deal with it. I’m sure some kids would paint some pretty stuff on that wall so every time we go to the ice cream shop up on Commercial we’ll have something nice to look at.
All one need do is look at Downtown & see what Bruce RATner put together & you’ll get an idea of Your Tax $$$s at work!-The Mayor is nothing more than a schill for Developers who promise the moon & deliver Cheese!
and none of these new homes will be affordable to the people who will be kicked out of this neighborhood by the new developments. Bloomberg seems to despise (and certainly has a healthy dose of disdain to) people who have don’t have millions in the bank…
I lived in WB for 2o years. I witnessed what Bloomberg did to that ‘hood and feel awful seeing the images of this new development planned for GP. For anyone interested in a stroll back through WB’s history after the rezoning…..I made a film, “Gut Renovation”, which is playing at Film Forum March 6-12.
http://www.filmforum.org/movies/more/gut_renovation
bloomberg can go away fast enough.
If you really think about it, it’s all Dash Snow’s fault.
Happy I left greenpoint six years ago. The rents doubled and neighborhood already has too many annoying people. Seems it will just get progressively worse, only worth a donut trip.