Tuesday, October 28, 2008

BSA Hearing Today!


The BSA hearing for 131 Second Place/360 Smith Street/Oliver House was held today.

The BSA announced it will be issuing a decision in late November.

CORD

Sunday, October 26, 2008

ANOTHER BSA HEARING THIS WEEK FOR 360 SMITH STREET


NEWS FLASH for "131 Second Place"
(aka 360 Smith Street/aka Oliver House) : BSA HEARING AGAIN THIS TUESDAY 10/28/2008!

Here we go again. Another BSA Public Hearing is upon us. Will it be the LAST?????
.....PLEASE COME AND FIND OUT WITH US.

Naturally, we are also calling on
ALL of our elected officials to PLEASE come and support us as well. See you all there!

Q. WHEN is the next PUBLIC HEARING BSA for 131 Second Place/aka 360 Smtih Street/aka Oliver House?

A. This Tuesday, 10/28/2008, at 10:00 AM.

Q. WHERE is it?

A. The Public Hearing Sessions are held at 40 Rector Street, 6th Floor, Hearing Room (E), New York, NY 10006

Is the public allowed to attend and to speak?

A. Yes and YES! Please COME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT and/or speak your mind! (Three minutes allowed for speaking)

Guidelines for Hearing Attendees at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/bsa/downloads/pdf/zoning_resolution/guidline_for_hearing_attendance.pdf

Q. Where can I find out more about the 10/28/2008 PUBLIC HEARING on the BSA website?

A. http://www.nyc.gov/html/bsa/downloads/pdf/2008/up_coming_lineups/october_28_2008.pdf

Q. Who can I call for more info at the BSA?

A. Tony Matias, Appeals Examiner, BSA, 212-788-8752.



See you Tuesday!

CORD

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Walk Against Over-Development this SATURDAY!/ Party to Follow!

Brooklyn Walkathon!! Walk Against Over-Development!
with: Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn!

DATE: This Saturday, Oct. 18

WHERE:
The walk will commence in front of Bob Law's Seafood Cafe (637 Vanderbilt -- btwn St. Marks and Prospect Place) and conclude with an after party including free food and live music (to be announced) at the Brooklyn Lyceum (227 4th Avenue at President Street).

TIME: Registration for walkers will start at 5:15pm in front of Bob Law's Seafood Cafe, and the walk will take place from 6:15 - 7:30pm.

Your support and participation are more important than ever as we approach the completion of the fifth year in the fight against Atlantic Yards and for responsible, democratic development. Sponsor a Walker Today!

After Party With Delphine Blue & The Atomic Grind Show
*

This Saturday, October 18th, Come out and Walk to Raise Funds for the Legal Fight Against Ratner's Faltering Atlantic Yards Plan.

Due to the brutal economy, widespread community opposition, pending lawsuits and Ratner's own mismanagement, the developer cannot possibly build the project he has promised these last five years. Still, he continues his devastation of Prospect Heights and swallowing hundreds of millions of public dollars in the midst of this recession. And he does this with New York State's support. That is amoral, and it's gotta stop.

Thats why we need YOU to participate in the Walkathon

And after the walk, come to the party at the Brooklyn Lyceum, Featuring:

*The global sounds of legendary New York City club and radio DJ Delphine Blue
A live set from The Atomic Grind Show "mixing rock, jazz, country and other musical styles with carny attitude" (TimeOutNY).

All walkers and donors get in free. For those not walking or sponsoring walkers, entrance is a $20 donation.

Now for those of you who aren't registered for the walk or haven't yet sponsored a walker:

If you are unable to join the Walkathon you can still show your support by sponsoring one of the walker teams or an individual walker.
It's quick and easy:

Just 4 Quick Steps to sponsor one of the walker teams with an online donation:
1. CLICK HERE.

http://www.dddb.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeam.asp?ievent=286142&lis=1&kntae286142=1FD93FF60F3341DF96C8D40C897EA7C6

2. Select a team to sponsor.
3. Finally click "General Team Donation."
4. Make your donation.

Also, if you know somebody walking you can sponsor him or her with an online donation by CLICKING HERE.

http://www.dddb.kintera.org/faf/search/searchParticipants.asp?ievent=286142&lis=1&kntae286142=1FD93FF60F3341DF96C8D40C897EA7C6

If you are planning on walking and raising funds from sponsors, please register today and send out your requests for sponsors with our easy to use online tool at:

www.dddb.net/walkathon



Tuesday, October 14, 2008

TOLL BROTHERS PROPOSAL STINKS

This article is published in:
CRAIN'S NEW YORK BUSINESS this week (also at newstands this week)

TOLL BROTHERS PROPOSAL STINKS
by Matthew Sollars

"An ambitious plan to redevelop two blocks along Brooklyn's fetid Gowanus Canal is drawing the ire of local residents who worry that the proposal is moving too quickly and contains buildings that are too tall.

"Toll Brothers has asked the city to rezone the blocks to allow mixed-income residential buildings, two of which would top out at 12 stories. The national real estate developer argues that the project conforms with a 25-block rezoning the city proposed in May.

"Why is it necessary to have buildings so tall that they dwarf the historic core of Carroll Gardens and show no respect for the nature of Gowanus?" asks Triada Samaras, co-founder of Coalition for Respectful Development. She also contends that the Toll Brothers plan should be delayed because the broader rezoning hasn't been finalized.

"This site can and will set a precedent for what is to follow there," Ms. Samaras says.

"Last month, the land use committee of Community Board 6 deadlocked on whether to rezone the two blocks, primarily over the height issue. The board has until mid-November to vote or propose changes to the developer's plan.

"Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will then hold hearings. The plan will go to the Department of City Planning for approval next year and on to the City Council.

"Bob Zuckerman, a member of Community Board 6, acknowledges local opposition but insists that the area would benefit from the 140 units of affordable housing that Toll Brothers has pledged to include. And, like many residents, he believes that the canal won't be cleaned up until the adjacent land is developed." (M.S.)



http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081012/SUB/310129952/1134/FREE

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Architects, John Hatheway and Chris McVoy, present an alternative to the Toll Bros development

IN THE SLIDE PRESENTATION BELOW*, two local architects have created an attractive, intelligent, and respectful alternative to the MONSTER SIZED ( 12 stories ) buildings Toll Bros wants to develop along the Gowanus canal. This presentation was also made at the recent CB 6, and CGNA meetings.

Architects John Hatheway and Chris McVoy suggest the construction of lower buildings while keeping the residential square footage unchanged.

Their idea respects, to a far greater degree, the context and integrity of the Gowanus Canal area, and surrounding Carroll Gardens. Their presentation clearly demonstrates, with several red, dotted lines, how massive and oppressive a twelve story high structure would appear in our low rise neighborhoods.

Both Carroll Gardens and the Gowanus are made up of two, three, and four family houses giving it both its low- rise and historical character. Furthermore Toll Bros is requesting a spot re-zoning ahead of the coming re-zoning planned for the Gowanus and CG and is thus PREMATURE.

We should all support this idea and require the city official and CB6 to reject the Toll Bros offending rezoning request.

(*Press the little, white, triangular button in the middle of of the image to begin the presentation. Click a second time to enlarge the image).














Also See Curbed.com: "War of the Renderings: Toll Bros. & Carroll Gardens Fight It Out
At Curbed.com Thursday, October 9, 2008, by Robert

Monday, October 6, 2008

CGNA Meeting Tonite: 360 Smith St and Toll Brothers Presentations

This evening at the CGNA meeting the following presentations will be made:

Architect, John Hatheway will discuss the BSA case progress on 360 Smith Street/aka 131 Second Place/aka Oliver house

Architects, John Hatheway and Chris McVo,y will be doing their Toll Bros presentation; the same one that we have started featuring at the CORD blog.

WHAT: CGNA Meeting
WHEN: Monday Oct 6, 2008
WHERE: Hannah Senesh Community Day School,
342 Smith St (entrance mid block between First and Second
Places)
TIME: at 7:30 PM.

CORD

Friday, October 3, 2008

CB 6 Should Reject Toll Brother's Applications for Rezoning and Special Permit


Hello!

On the left is a picture of the Toll Brothers
Proposed Zoning of the Gowanus Area for
their development project. (Click on the image
to enlarge). It graphically depicts the enormous
volume they favor for our area in the very
near future and which they are requesting
AHEAD of the scheduled re-zoning

for our neighborhood.


Should they Toll Brothers be given a green light AHEAD of time?
You be the judge!

CORD has obtained the entire presentation/testimony given by
two prominent, local architects
at the recent, public CB 6 meeting
regarding the very same
TOLL BROTHERS
proposed development project.

They both strongly advise CB 6 to reject the Toll Brothers request for a spot re-zoning ahead of the eventual re-zoning that is being planned
for this area currently.

Here is the very beginning of the presentation. We will be featuring this testimony in sections in the days to come. Please pay close attention to what these two architects are saying and please write to us at cgcord@gmail.com to let us know your feelings about the Tolls Brothers' spot re-zoining request!

"CB 6 Should Reject Toll Brother's Applications for Rezoning and Special Permit"
by Chris McVoy and John Hatheway, September 25, 2008

  • DEIS is incomplete- it does not provide analysis needed
  • Toll Brothers Application Premature-It sets a precedent before re-zoning of the Gowanus
  • has been analyzed, reviewed, and approved
  • Proposed 12-story scale dwarfs the Gowanus Canal and towers over Carroll Gardens Historic Core
  • 7-story alternate design, in scale with the context, could provide for similar area and affordable housing
THE DEIS is incomplete including:

LAND USE AND ZONING: CB 6 stated:

".......the scale of the project is overwhelming compared to the surrounding built environment....the cumulative impact from individual large-scale development projects
would load additional strains and stresses onto infrastructure and community
facilities that would ultimately result in unacceptable levels of service.
Somehow, a cumulative analyis must be pefromed, if not by this applicant, then separately by the City itself.

THE DEIS DOES NOT PROVIDE THIS CUMULATIVE ANALYIS."

(Much more to come on this blog, including pictures, graphs and diagrams
all presented at the last public, CB 6 meeting on 9/25/2008.)

Thank you and..... Stay tuned!
CORD

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

CG CORD IS featured in amNewYork Thursday, Oct 2!

Hello! Carroll Gardens CORD is being featured in the NYC Daily Newspaper:
amNewYork on Thursday, October 2, 2008!



"
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn: City Living among old and new"|Special to amNewYork Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

"Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn: City Living among old and new""As the F or G train transitions to the elevated tracks after leaving the Carroll Street station, the first thing many straphangers notice are the unusually expansive gardens sprawling out in front of the surrounding brownstones....(edit)

"This unique layout originated in the mind of Richard Butts, who in 1846 envisioned an elegant neighborhood with spacious yards and narrow streets....(edit)

"These 'gardens' -- along with the Revolutionary War veteran Charles Carroll -- would later be the inspiration for the naming of the area during a period of revival in the 1960s....(edit)

Later, in a section called, "THE BUZZ", CG CORD is featured!

"When asked what they love most about their neighborhood, many residents cite Carroll Gardens's historic charm, low-rise buildings and peaceful tree-lined streets....

"Unfortunately, new real estate developments have started to eat away at the area's history and character....

"Developers are attracted to our proximity to Manhattan and old-world charm," said Triada Samaras, co-founder of CORD (Coalition for Respectful Development), a local group that has pushed for landmarking and downzoning.......

(SEE LINK THIS FOR ENTIRE ON-LINE ARTICLE):
http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-city1002,0,5039159.story?page=8)

There is a CG photo gallery at http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-carroll1002-gallery,0,5528198.photogallery

AM NY is distributed daily at all the subway stations and is also available on-line at: http://www.amny.com

CORD

Oliver House Developer Lobbies Councilman DeBlasio and more news....

These three big stories affecting Carroll Gardens and close by need no other introduction:



(1) From: www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com

"Oliver House Developer Spending Big Bucks To Lobby Councilman Bill DeBlasio"

(edit)
...
"It only took two more clicks on my keyboard to land on New York City's very own government page. And there, I found the connection. Bill Stein has hired Arzt's lobbying firm to 'target' our very own Council Person Bill DeBlasio. The subject? Land Use. Since the beginning of 2008, Stein has paid $35,000 for those services."
(See PMFA blog for complete story)

(2) From: Develop-don't destroy BROOKLYN
http://www.developdontdestroy.org/php/press/080929ESDCdenied.php

"Court Rejects New York State's Effort to Dismiss
Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Case"

Ruling is a Major Setback for Bruce Ratner's Proposed Project and the
Empire State Development Corporation

Property Owners and Tenants Will Get Their Day in Court Next Year

BROOKLYN, NY— A State Appellate Court* panel has rejected the Empire State Development Corporation's (ESDC) motion to dismiss Goldstein et al. v. Empire State Development Corporation—the Atlantic Yards eminent domain lawsuit filed by nine property owners and tenants with properties in the footprint of Forest City Ratner's foundering megaproject proposal. The case was filed on August 1st of this year"....(edit) (See link above for complete story)

(3) From www.curbed.com

"Gowanus Bombshell: Whole Foods Sinks Into Toxic Muck?
"

"The Gowanus Whole Foods is toast. That's the report today from Brownstoner, which says that the store "will never happen" per "a source with close connections to the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the government agency that needs to sign off on the clean-up of the polluted site before any building can begin." The grocer has gotten permits from the Department of Buildings for foundation work and has even said that an announcement would be coming about the store moving forward, but it could be that the sinking economy combined with the cost of cleaning up and prepping the contaminated site has killed the store. " (edit)...
(See Curbed for complete story)

CORD HISTORY:

With the "Protect Our Homes" petition, CORD was formed in May, 2007. This petition arose as an overwhelmingly negative response to the coming of the over-sized 360 Smith Street Development at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place (Aka Oliver House; aka 131 Second Place). This petition, which had well over three thousand signatures, led to a new zoning text amendment in summer of 2008.

To: Our Elected Officials, Community Leaders, The MTA:
(MAY, 2007)

We the undersigned Carroll Gardens homeowners and residents, are appalled by the "as of right" ruling which allows owners and developers to erect buildings in our neighborhood with no regard to the impact they will present to our quality of life and the value of our homes........

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?crlgrdns