Department of City Planning

DCP Study Says Reasons For Storefront Vacancies Are “Complex and Varied”

As the mayor pushes for a storefront vacancy tax, the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) last week released “Assessing Storefront Vacancy in NYC,” a report examining retail trends and storefront vacancies across the city “in the context of shifting technology, economic forces, and consumer preferences.” The agency surveyed retail

community

Meet Karen Blondel: Fighting For Justice Within NYCHA And Beyond

RED HOOK/GOWANUS – Karen Blondel is a familiar figure to anyone who has attended the countless Gowanus rezoning meetings over the years. The bold, outspoken advocate can command a crowd as she did in February during NYC Department of City Planning’s (DCP) rezoning open house. Leading the activist group,

Announcements

DCP To Present Gowanus Draft Zoning Feb. 28 At PS 133

GOWANUS – The NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) will follow up last week’s Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal open house with a formal presentation at 6pm on Thursday, February 28 at PS 133, William A. Butler School, 610 Baltic Street (at 4th Avenue). Unhappy with the open house format of

Bushwick

A New Plan For The North Brooklyn Industrial Zone, But With Concrete Answers To Come

The North Brooklyn Industrial Zone study area (Via Department of City Planning)This week, representatives from the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) visited North Brooklyn’s Community Board 1 to talk over their bold vision for creating jobs through zoning changes to the North Brooklyn Industrial Business Zone (IBZ)

Central Brooklyn

Department Of City Planning Releases 2018 Zoning Handbook

The NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) has released the 2018 edition of its Zoning Handbook, a practical guide to help the public “understand zoning rules that govern our growing City.” Via www1.nyc.govThe DCP has rewritten the Handbook in an effort to “provide a fuller picture of the

community

Gowanus Community Gathers To Discuss Rezoning Framework With City Agencies

GOWANUS – The PS 32 gymnasium was packed Wednesday evening for an open house where community members from Gowanus and the surrounding neighborhoods could learn about and comment on the NYC Department of City Planning‘s (DCP) “Gowanus: A Framework for a Sustainable, Inclusive, Mixed-Use Neighborhood.” Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study Framework

community

Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study: A Collaboration With The Community

Gowanus Canal (Photo by Nathan Haselby)Business owners, residents, and local community groups gathered Wednesday afternoon to discuss the initial plans for the industry and economic development of the Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study. Launched in October 2016, the Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study’s mission is to work with the community

Business

The Rise Of Office Buildings In Gowanus? Quirky Zoning Rules Could Be Changing

148 3rd Street. (Photo via Google Maps)A building that will contain both office and manufacturing space is planned for the banks of our “Lavender Lake,” — a somewhat unusual development project for the area. The 13-story, 68,000 square-foot structure will likely appear on a vacant lot, located at 148

bay improvement group

De Blasio’s Affordable Housing Plan Could Cause A Parking Nightmare

Mayor Bill De Blasio’s affordable housing initiative is coming to Sheepshead Bay — and some community leaders worry the plan could cause a parking nightmare in the neighborhood. On Tuesday, October 13, officials from the Department of City Planning (DCP) will present a set of zoning proposals to Community Board

buildings

New Renderings Detail 1809 Emmons Avenue, Where Condos Will Replace El Greco

Rendering of 1809 Emmons AvenueThe developer behind 1809 Emmons Avenue, Rybak Development, released new renderings of the planned 7-story mixed-use development this week, showing off the space that will likely replace El Greco Diner. Rendering of 1809 Emmons AvenueThe renderings were distributed at last night’s Community Board 15 meeting

15 lafayette avenue

Residents Rally Against City’s Planned Sale Of Fort Greene Lot For $1

Image courtesy of Jonathan Rose Companies.Fort Greene residents and citywide housing and homeless advocates rallied against the city’s planned sale of 15 Lafayette Avenue to developer Jonathan Rose Companies for $1, filling the lobby of the Department of City Planning’s offices, where a meeting with the Mayor’

City Planning

Hamilton’s Application For An Outdoor Café Goes Before City Planning Tomorrow

Photo via Hamilton’s Georgia Read, the owner of Hamilton’s (2826 Fort Hamilton Parkway), let us know that they have their final meeting at the Department of City Planning tomorrow, January 7, for the approval of their rezoning application – which, if given the ultimate green light by the City

athena salavantis

In Middle Class Dyker Heights, $5 Million “Mansion” Up For Sale

Courtesy of House-N-KeyA solid brick tower with some windows could be called many things but the word mansion hardly tops of the list. Plopped in a low-rise neighborhood, this “mansion” is now on sale for $5 million. Located on, 1366 70th Street, the house has a roof-top deck that offers

asians

Once Shunned, Chinese Population Booms In Bensonhurst And Dyker Heights

(Source: Howard WeissWhen Asian immigrants, mostly from China, began immigrating to Dyker Heights, the local Italian residents were unfriendly to the new community and resisted the move, according to an article in Voices of NY. As we recently wrote, a report completed by The New York City Planning Department notes

Citi Bike share

42nd Annual International African Arts Festival Brings Discussion and Culture to Fort Greene

https://vimeo.com/70147558 (Video by Anna Teregulova) The 42nd annual International African Arts Festival took place in Fort Greene last week, so we took out a video camera and tried to take in as much of the fun as possible. At P.S. 267, across from Commodore Barry Park,

brooklyn mass transit

How Safe Are You In The Subways?

A portion of the ceiling crumbled onto the 18th Avenue N train platform this morning. Repairs for the station are not scheduled until October 2014. (Photo by Brian Hedden)THE COMMUTE: I’m not talking about crime, but rather the other type of safety. Will the subway derail? Will a

Department of City Planning

More Objections To Removing The Roundhouse

Yesterday we posted about how the 77-year-old roundhouse that sits just off the tip of the Manhattan Beach peninsula is going to be removed. The roundhouse has been a navigational aid that longtime sailors in our area have relied on. The mariners in our community are very against its removal.

City Planning

Waterfront Plan Presented at CB Meeting Tonight

Community Board 15 is featuring a speaker tonight from the Department of City Planning to give a presentation on the “Comprehensive Waterfront Plan.” Originally published in 1992, the waterfront plan is a framework for the citywide reclamation of the waterfront, guiding land use decisions along New York City’s shoreline