Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Boss-backed Broadway Triangle rezoning advances
The city’s contentious plan to allow residential development inside the largely commercial “Broadway Triangle” was rubber-stamped by the City Planning Commission on Monday, as commissioners said that the project’s ends — affordable housing — justified the sometimes ugly means that were involved in drafting the plan.
The commission voted 11-1 for the rezoning — which promises 1,851 new apartments, 850 of them pegged at below-market rates — despite months of protests over the city’s decision to grant development rights to two politically connected groups. Commissioners said the urgent need for affordable housing trumped complaints from a coalition of 40 community groups that claimed that the community’s voice was not heard in the rush to give control to the two non-profits.
“Affordable housing is an ongoing need in this city [that] I need to support,” said commission Vice Chairman Kenneth Knuckles.
Other commissioners said the rezoning would also encourage the construction of contextual low-rise buildings, create open space and boost local economic development in a dour area bounded by Broadway, Flushing and Union avenues.
Opponents say they were snubbed by the city when no-bid contracts went to the United Jewish Organization and the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, two groups tied to the borough’s Democratic Party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D–Bushwick).
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/42/32_42_wy_broadway_triangle_moves_ahead.html
The commission voted 11-1 for the rezoning — which promises 1,851 new apartments, 850 of them pegged at below-market rates — despite months of protests over the city’s decision to grant development rights to two politically connected groups. Commissioners said the urgent need for affordable housing trumped complaints from a coalition of 40 community groups that claimed that the community’s voice was not heard in the rush to give control to the two non-profits.
“Affordable housing is an ongoing need in this city [that] I need to support,” said commission Vice Chairman Kenneth Knuckles.
Other commissioners said the rezoning would also encourage the construction of contextual low-rise buildings, create open space and boost local economic development in a dour area bounded by Broadway, Flushing and Union avenues.
Opponents say they were snubbed by the city when no-bid contracts went to the United Jewish Organization and the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, two groups tied to the borough’s Democratic Party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D–Bushwick).
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/42/32_42_wy_broadway_triangle_moves_ahead.html
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