Williamsburg, NY – The Community Board 1 Land Use Committee voted against the $1.2-billion redevelopment of the old Domino Sugar factory on Tuesday night, the first public rejection of the project as it enters the eight-month review process for a rezoning along the Williamsburg waterfront that would allow a multiple-skyscraper project that is larger than the law currently allows.
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The 5-3 vote is merely a suggestion to the full community board, whose vote on March 9 is itself merely advisory to Borough President Markowitz, the City Planning Commission and the City Council, all of which have a say on the proposal.
But the rejection was a stumble for the Community Preservation Corporation, which seeks to rezone the old refinery site from manufacturing to residential in order to build a 2,200-unit waterfront complex with multiple skyscrapers.
In exchange, the developers promise publicly accessible waterfront open space and a far higher-than-required rate of affordable housing.
But even that affordable housing became a source of controversy, as board members complained that CPC has only committed to maintaining the below-market-rate rents for 15 years at the site. Other panelists complained that there is limited public transportation to the area, whose population is expected to boom.
“The bottom line is, we need proof that this is really needed,” said committee Chairman Ward Dennis. “We’re all for affordable housing, but we want permanent affordability — it’s a must for something we’ll sign off on.”
This is a very attractive and valuable property and they were going to waste the opportunity to develop higher quality residential development and instead waste the space on low-income housing. Its good that the local community voted down this poorly concieved proposal.
permanent affordability = perpetual slum
it was voted down because the developer told Vito Lopez who wanted to get involved that he should stay out of this project, vito told his buddies on the board to vote it down.
The whole entire waterfront in williamsburg should be rezoned. Its all polluted and if it was rezoned, it would be a beautful thriving place. Instead, these dumb community folk want “affordable” housing (slums)
Bloomberg will do the right thing and make a legacy for himself by changing the face of williamsburg for the better. REZONE THE WATERFRONT!
lets leave the dictator {bloomberg} out of this the community needs real low income housing. housing that has more then one bedroom,
I don’t know what you mean by Community but if you mean the Jewish Williamsburg community then its absolutely not important to you its not something you need. You are very well off with a 8th floor 1450 sq ft $600,000.00 little condo. your community didnt welcome the Gredge and the Shafferes. so why give them anything else?! pay up your nose and block everything good in the community.