Modern 4-Story Bank Building To Make Way For 20-Story Residential Tower

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – The glassy four-story building that formerly housed an HSBC branch on Montague Street may soon be demolished to make way for a new 20-story residential building with ground-floor retail.

The Brooklyn Community Board 2 Executive Committee voted unanimously on Monday evening to support the Land Use Committee’s prior recommendation to approve the demolition of 200 Montague Street for the new development.

Built in 1960, according to Property Shark, the landmarked 200 Montague is part of the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District which was designated in 2011. The modern building had two stories added in 1968 and the curtain-wall facade added in 2006 by HSBC, according to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Development firm Midtown Equities purchased the building from HSBC Bank for $25 million in 2007 and plans to build a market-rate tower with 121 rental units and ground-floor retail space. The new building, designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, would feature 26 studios, 57 one-bedrooms, 26 two-bedrooms, and 12 three-bedroom apartments, Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported.

Carlton Gordon of CB2’s Landmarks & Land Use Committee noted that the Brooklyn Heights Association voiced some concerns regarding the design of the new building’s facade during the February 20th Land Use Committee meeting, but the committee ultimately voted to approve the application with 8 in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention. He added that the project includes an affordable housing component which will be located off-site on Myrtle Avenue.

The 200 Montague Street project will be presented to NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday, March 5. See the presentation here.