Another MONSTROSITY at 7th Ave & 42nd St.

Someone using the moniker "metadoc" asked via SPAN-announce "how a 7-story monstrosity (height & aesthetics) has been approved for that site", and the question reached our radar screen. Thank you for asking the question and various "hows", related on many levels, are listed here:

1- Check parameters of NYC Dept. of Buildings permit approved for this site to confirm that what is being built is what was approved. Building in excess of/contrary to what has been approved is commonplace in NYC, and Sunset Park, especially.

We will also look at what was "approved" and report as soon as we have any news, but don't rely on us, exclusively. This is every Sunset Parker's fight! Learn the ropes!, the developers certainly have.

2- If possible, try to find an architect with NYC zoning expertise to look at what was approved to verify that it is legal to build such a structure. In recent history, many approved plans throughout NYC were found to be "inconsistent" with zoning law & various other laws affecting construction methods.

3- All else being equal & legal(which doesn't mean adequate, appropriate, beneficial, sustainable, aesthetically acceptable, etc.), it also means that the type of building to which you refer will become the norm on 7th Avenue if 7A zoning guidelines are approved as part of the "re-zoning Plan" now under consideration by the Planning Department & the NYC Council. Aesthetics, architectural compatibility, sustainability, etc. are not regulated, however ugly, over-scale, intrusive structures are encouraged by government's decidedly attitude of mistaking progress with greed and avarice, and ignoring a neighborhood's opinion and concerns, each and every time while pandering to outside interests (read: questionably-acquired CASH).

4- Since there isn't a Demolition Ban (no demolition of structurally-sound structures) now, nor will there be as part of the proposed Re-Zoning, most, if not all of 7th Avenue will be razed to build similar buildings. These units will marketed and sold to others who, like the developers, have questionably-acquired CASH to hide. Consequently, all working-class & lower middle class folks in Sunset Park will eventually be displaced by outside interests. By the way, real estate is not the only place where ill-gotten CASH is buried, we suggest you take a careful & thorough look at political campaigns. Don't forget- Elected and Appointed officials are the ones conceiving and approving/disapproving zoning and construction laws.

Last, but not least, please consider sending us your photos & on-going commentary for posting on this blog.

Be well and, always, FOLLOW THE MONEY...

Hiding the cash, one monstrosity at a time...

Pictures from Brownstoner.com- September 22, 2008

Commentary from SunsetPark-Brooklyn-Matters

This sad scenario has played out on 6th Avenue & 54th Street (exact address to come). This block has now been hit twice by greedy and tasteless owners (see blue awning to stage-left/your right of new building). Unfortunately, this facade teardown & additional floor would be legal under the proposed R6A re-zoning, the commercial overlay or commercial use of the 1st floor would not be allowed. These unscrupulous owners will continue to deface block after block even if all they gain is 1 or 2 more housing units into which they'll dangerously pile up many times the allowed number of people. As to devaluing (in dollars) adjacent properties, it hasn't been the case. There are so many other morally and aesthetically-bankrupt buyers whose need to hide ill-gotten cash is so dire that property values won't suffer. Housing prices in Sunset Park (Flushing , Manhattan's Chinatown or other cash-rich enclaves, for that matter) haven't decreased as in other parts of NYC or the nation. What will suffer is the racial, ethnic, generational and economic diversity of Sunset Park that we so want to preserve, as well as it's architectural and aesthetic context, of course, . If this abuse continues, only buyers looking to hide cash from questionable sources will occupy Sunset Park. This an occupation, folks- and it's being enabled by our own governmental agencies: Buildings Dept., DEP, Dept. of City Planning, City Council, and so on. We wonder what the reaction would be if the above monstrosity was attempted on the Mayor's block or next to the homes of the City's Commissioners or Council Members. Legal or not, would it be allowed to go on? We wonder.

WHAT WILL YOUR BLOCK LOOK LIKE IF THE PROPOSED RE-ZONING PLAN IS APPROVED? LOOK UP YOUR BLOCK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

HAVE YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS CHECKED OUT THE DEPT. OF CITY PLANNING's

PROPOSED REZONING PLAN

FOR THE SUNSET PARK BLOCK WHERE YOU LIVE OR HAVE YOUR BUSINESS?

1. GO TO: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/sunset3.shtml
2. CLICK ON THE MAP TO ENLARGE VIEW
3. LOCATE YOUR BLOCK AND JOT DOWN THE PROPOSED ZONING DESIGNATION(S)
4. LOOK-UP THE DETAILS ABOUT EACH DESIGNATION ON THE SAME PAGE AS MAP.
5. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO CATEGORIES R6A, R6B, R7A.
6. AFTER YOU CHECK YOUR BLOCK, LOOK AT THE AVENUES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS & WRITE TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE DAILY NEWS, COUNCILWOMAN SARA GONZALEZ, BKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ, CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHRISTINE QUINN, MAYOR BLOOMBERG, STATE SENATOR ERIC ADAMS, STATE ASSEMBLYMAN FELIX ORTIZ- JUST DON'T STAY SILENT.
7. FOR EXAMPLE- R7A IS BEING PROPOSED FOR 7TH AVENUE.
8. NYC Zoning Handbook:

   Residential Districts: R7A

   ---

   R7A districts provide greater lot coverage and lower height and setback regulations than R7 districts. Typical buildings are bulky, six- to eight-story apartment houses that are compatible with existing buildings found in older neighborhoods. R7A districts are mapped along Woodhaven Boulevard and sections of Rockaway Park in Queens.

   The FAR in R7A districts is 4.0. The street wall of a building must be located within a mandated front wall setback area of eight feet on a wide street or 15 feet on a narrow street. The maximum building height is determined by the building envelope which may not be penetrated by the building. The building envelope is controlled by the intersection of front and rear sky exposure planes that rise according to a specific ratio. The Quality Housing Program is mandatory in R7A districts.

   • Schematic Illustration (7-story R7A Quality Housing building)←click on orange letters to reveal drawing

   • Typical R7A Development (photo)←click on orange letters to reveal photo

   Basic Data

   R7A: General residence district

   Maximum FAR: 4.0

   Maximum lot coverage:

   Corner lot: 80%

   Interior or through-lot: 65%

   Maximum front wall setback:

   Wide street: 8 feet

   Narrow street. 15 feet

   Minimum lot area per DU: 169 square feet

   Maximum DUs per acre: 258

   Required parking: 50% of dwelling units

   Quality Housing Program: Mandatory

THIS PLAN MUST BE SCALED BACK: 6 STORIES ON SIDE STREETS OR 7-8 STORIES ON 7TH AVENUE IS TOO TALL. ALSO, THE NEW TALL BUILDINGS ARE EXPENSIVE CONDOS THAT SERVE THE PURPOSE OF A TAX HAVEN. THESE ARE NOT APARTMENTS FOR WORKING CLASS OR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO REPORT THEIR INCOME. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS TO WORKING & LOWER-MIDDLE CLASS FOLKS WERE LOST LAST YEAR IN NYC BECAUSE OF THE DEMOLITION/BUILDING BOOM OF THE PAST 2 YEARS.

WAKE UP, SUNSET PARK! SPEAK-UP BEFORE WE LOOSE THE VIEW FROM THE PARK, OUR BEAUTIFUL ROW HOUSE STREETS AND OUR HERITAGE AS A FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY. WHAT HAS TAKEN OVER 170 YEARS TO BUILD IS BEING DESTROYED IN 1 DECADE.

Dear Anonymous-

Anonymous said...

There's no R6A on the side streets... (see full comment on "Look up your block")

In fact, R6A is proposed on 41st and 40th Streets (5/6) closer to 5th. and it was confirmed with the Brooklyn Office of the Dept. of City Planning

Link to the map- http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/sunset3.shtml

and you'll see that R6A has also been proposed for:

58th, 60th, 63rd and 64th Streets (3rd /4th Ave) and 61st St. (4/5 Ave)

GUESS THE ALARM IS ON! We await Anonymous' response...

LOOK UP YOUR BLOCK ON THE PLANNING DEPT'S PROPOSED REZONING PLAN MAP

HAVE YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS CHECKED OUT THE DEPT. OF CITY PLANNING's

PROPOSED REZONING PLAN

FOR THE SUNSET PARK BLOCK WHERE YOU LIVE OR HAVE YOUR BUSINESS?

1. GO TO:  http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/sunset3.shtml
2. CLICK ON THE MAP TO ENLARGE VIEW
3. LOCATE YOUR BLOCK AND JOT DOWN THE PROPOSED ZONING DESIGNATION(S)
4. LOOK-UP THE DETAILS ABOUT EACH DESIGNATION ON THE SAME PAGE AS MAP.
5. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO CATEGORIES R6A, R6B, R7A.
6. AFTER YOU CHECK YOUR BLOCK, LOOK AT THE AVENUES.
7. COME TO THE HEARING AT BOROUGH HALL AT 5:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH

FOR EXAMPLE-NYC Zoning Handbook: Residential Districts: R6A

---

R6A districts differ from R6 districts primarily in greater lot coverage and modified height and setback regulations. These typically produce six-story apartment buildings designed to be compatible with existing buildings found in older neighborhoods. The R6A district is mapped primarily in Brooklyn and Queens; Prospect Park Southwest in Brooklyn is a typical R6A street.

The FAR in R6A districts is 3.0. The street wall of a building must be located within a mandated front wall setback area of eight feet on a wide street or 15 feet on a narrow street. The maximum building height is determined by the building envelope which may not be penetrated by the building. The building envelope is controlled by the intersection of front and rear sky exposure planes that rise according to a specific ratio. The Quality Housing Program is mandatory in R6A districts.

• Schematic Illustration (6-story R6A Quality Housing building)

• Typical R6A Development (photo)

Basic Data

R6A: General residence district

Maximum FAR: 3.0

Maximum lot coverage:

Corner lot. 80%

Interior lot or through-lot. 65%

Maximum front wall setback:

Wide street: 8 feet

Narrow street: 15 feet

Minimum lot area per DU: 227 square feet

Maximum DUs per acre: 192

Required parking: One per dwelling unit or 50% of dwelling units if grouped

Quality Housing Program: Mandatory

THIS PLAN MUST BE SCALED BACK: 6 STORIES ON SIDE STREETS OR 7 STORIES ON 7TH AVENUE IS TOO TALL. ALSO, THE NEW TALL BUILDINGS ARE EXPENSIVE CONDOS THAT SERVE THE PURPOSE OF A TAX HAVEN (READ- PLACES TO HIDE CASH), THESE ARE NOT APARTMENTS FOR WORKING CLASS OR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO REPORT THEIR INCOME. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS WERE LOST LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE DEMOLITION/BUILDING BOOM OF THE PAST 2 YEARS.

WAKE UP, SUNSET PARK! SPEAK-UP BEFORE WE LOOSE THE VIEW FROM THE PARK, OUR BEAUTIFUL ROW HOUSE STREETS AND OUR HERITAGE AS A FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY. WHAT HAS TAKEN OVER 170 YEARS TO BUILD IS BEING DESTROYED IN 1 DECADE.    

(click anywhere on the announcement to enlarge)

Please see Calendar Item 3 on this just-received hearing announcement from the Brooklyn Borough President's Office. Sunset Park's ULURP-Uniformed Land Use Review Procedure- is moving unusually fast which means each of us must stay involved throughout this process and make our thoughts and wishes known to the powers that be. It is our neighborhood, It is our quality of life, It is Our Future that's on the line (read: yours, mine, our children, their children and their children's children)- please get involved! It's not a done deal, far from it. See you on the 10th! 

Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201

-corner of Court Street-

Starting at 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Community Room, First Floor

Go to the Dept. of City Planning's Website-

Sunset Park Rezoning Proposal

http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/index.shtml

and become familiar with the process + it's many ramifications

Preserve, Protect, ,Prevent! Sunset Park is OUR Neighborhood.

Following is a notice urging everyone from 25th Street to 62nd Street to analyze the Rezoning Plan that the NYC Dept. of City Planning has proposed. We, the people who live in Sunset Park are the ones who should have the Final Word on the outcome. Please share all this information with your neighbors & friends living in the affected areas. Multiple LINKS are provided to the Planning Dept.'s Sunset Park proposed plan.

__________________________________________________

DEAR NEIGHBORS, SUNSET PARK WILL BE RE-ZONED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER & VERY SOON. IF WE DON’T LEARN ABOUT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND VOICE YOUR OPINIONS, WE MIGHT NOT LIKE THE IMPACT OF THESE CHANGES. TO VIEW THE CHANGES AS PROPOSED BY THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING, GO TO: http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/index.shtml

(THE PLANNING DEPT’S WEBSITE IS TRANSLATED INTO A MULTITUDE OF LANGUAGES- SEE LOWER LEFT-HAND SIDE OF EACH WEB PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS) YOU’LL BE ABLE TO ENLARGE THE “BEFORE & AFTER” MAPS FOR EASIER VIEWING AND GET A GOOD IDEA ON WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. READ CAREFULLY- NOT ALL THAT’S BEING PROPOSED IS BENEFICIAL TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE RESIDENTIAL & LOW-DENSITY QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD; THERE ARE TOO MANY LOOPHOLES AS THE PLAN STANDS NOW. SOME OF THOSE LOOPHOLES MAY IMPACT PROPERTY VALUES & THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY OF SUNSET PARK WITHOUT NECESSARILY INCREASING THE PRODUCTION OF OR PRESERVING EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR MIDDLE & WORKING CLASS PEOPLE. PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME & BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS. THE CHANGES WILL DEFINITELY HAVE AN IMPACT ON ALL OUR LIVES; LET’S MAKE IT A GOOD IMPACT FOR THE NEAR FUTURE AND FOR YEARS & GENERATIONS TO COME. TWO (2) PUBLIC COMMENT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED: WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2009- 6:30 P.M Public School 169- 4305 7TH AVENUE +

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2009- 1:00 P.M at OLPH School Auditorium–

6TH AVENUE ( 59TH / 60TH STREETS. SPEAK NOW OR LIVE WITH THE REGRET THAT YOU DIDN’T SPEAK YOUR PEACE WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE. ALSO, ATTEND INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS AROUND SUNSET PARK ___________________________________________________________________________

A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS NOTICE WILL BE POSTED AT OR REQUESTED THROUGH: http://sunsetpark-brooklyn-matters.blogspot.com

NYC Department of City Planning-Brooklyn Borough Office:

16 Court Street, 7th Fl.

Brooklyn, NY 11241-0103 Tel. 718-780-8280 Fax. 718-596-2609 NYC Zoning Glossary- http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/zone/glossary.shtml

Sunset Park Rezoning Overview- http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/index.shtml

http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/sunset_park/proposed_zoning.pdf

http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/zone/zmapupdates.shtml