Court Dismisses Community Group’s Case Against Pierhouse Development

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – The New York State of Appeals Court dismissed Save the View Now‘s case against the developers of the Pierhouse complex on Wednesday, December 27.

The community group, fighting to preserve views of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, filed a lawsuit against the Park and Toll Brothers, the developers of the Pierhouse development, according to Brownstoner. The development located at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 includes the “eco-luxury” 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (60 Furman Street) and the Pierhouse condos (90 Furman Street).

Problems arose when the Pier 1 project was almost done, according to Joanne Witty, who has worked on the development of Brooklyn Bridge Park for nearly two decades and penned Brooklyn Bridge Park: A Dying Waterfront Transformed. Due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy along the waterfront park, bulkheads containing the mechanicals and generators for 1 Hotel had to be placed up on the building’s roof—exceeding by 30 feet a 100 feet height cap agreed upon years earlier between the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation and the Brooklyn Heights community in an effort to preserve views of the Bridge from the Promenade.

Save the View Now filed a lawsuit against the developers in April 2015 over the increased height of the hotel, arguing that the 30 additional feet partially obstruct views of the Brooklyn Bridge, The Real Deal reports. In June 2015, the NYS Supreme Court dismissed the case, ruling that the group missed the four-month statue of limitations in filing its lawsuit, according to Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Save the View Now filed an appeal in October 2017, according to the Eagle, which the NYS Appeals Court ruled against last week.