CPC Resources Inc.’s New Domino project at the former Domino Sugar plant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Image Courtesy: Rafael Vinoly Architects
The City Council approved developer’s modified proposal for 2,200-unit mixed-use project. On July 29, 2010, the City Council approved CPC Resources Inc.’s modified proposal to build a 2,200-unit mixed-use project on Williamsburg’s Domino Sugar plant site. The 11.2-acre site includes the Domino Sugar parcel located along the East River waterfront between Grand and South 5th Streets and a smaller upland parcel across the street between South 3rd and 4th Streets.
CPC Resources will redevelop the landmarked Domino Refinery Building, demolish the Bin Building, and construct four buildings on the Domino parcel and one on the upland parcel. The Rafael Viñoly designed project will provide four acres of public waterfront, ground floor retail space along Kent Avenue, four underground parking garages, and nearly 100,000 sq.ft. of office space. CPC Resources intends to market 30 percent of the project’s 2,200 apartments as affordable.
During the project’s public review, residents and elected officials opposing the plan argued that the development would be too dense and would not create enough affordable housing opportunities. The City Planning Commission approved the proposal, but reduced the height of the site’s northernmost building, which is designated for commercial use, in order to mitigate its potentially adverse effect on nearby Grand Ferry Park.
After the Council’s Zoning & Franchises Subcommittee hearing, CPC Resources agreed to reduce the height of the two mid-block buildings from 40 stories to 34 stories, and to provide shuttle bus service to and from the Marcy Avenue subway station. In return, the Council restored the commercial building’s height that the Commission had cut. The modifications were sent back to the Commission for review. 7 CityLand 85 (July 15, 2010).
At the Commission’s July 12 review session, a representative from the Department of City Planning stated that, under the Council’s modifications, CPC Resources will be allowed to redistribute the 44,000 sq.ft. of floor area cut from the tops of the mid-block buildings to the mid- and low-rise components of certain buildings on the site. The Council also restored the height reduction imposed by the Commission on the commercial building bordering Grand Ferry Park. Planning’s representative explained that the shuttle bus service will begin once the upland parcel’s building, which is being developed first, reaches full occupancy. The Commission found that the modifications did not raise any issues that required additional environmental review and sent the proposal back to the Council.
The full Council unanimously approved the project.
Review Process:
Lead Agency: CPC, FEIS
Comm. Bd.: BK 1, Den’d, 23-12-1
Boro. Pres.: App’d in part
CPC: App’d, 13-0-0
Council: App’d, 46-0-6
Council: New Domino (July 29, 2010).