Popular Fruit Stand May Be Demolished For New 4-Story Building

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – A popular produce market housed in a one-story building at 181 Atlantic Avenue may soon be demolished to make way for a new four-story mixed-use development.

On Monday evening, the Community Board 2 Executive Committee voted to recommend a Certificate of Appropriateness application to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.  The applicant is requesting to demolish the landmarked commercial building—located in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District between Court and Clinton Streets—in order to build a four-story residential building with ground-floor retail. The CB2 Land Use and Landmarks Committee previously approved the project at its February 20th committee meeting, voting 8 in favor, 0 against, and 2 abstentions.

The applicant owns the building as well as the existing grocery store at the site, Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable, and plans to replace the market with a new one, CB2 District Manager Robert Perris explained at Monday’s meeting. Another nearby produce stand, Pacific Green Gourmet, closed last November.

181 Atlantic Avenue was erected in 1930 and measures 2,050 square feet, according to Property Shark. The NYC DOB permit application filed in December 2017 indicates that the proposed building would feature approximately 2,300 square feet of commercial space, 4,800 square feet of residential space, and six apartment units. The new building’s design includes concrete masonry units, brick, pre-cast metal cornices, and cast stone lintels.

Plans for 181 Atlantic Avenue will be presented at Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 5.