Rezoning area and project site. Image credit: CPC.
New development will include both residential and commercial uses. On August 8, 2018, the City Planning Commission approved a rezoning application by Quentin Plaza LLC for 1881-1883 McDonald Avenue in the Homecrest neighborhood of Brooklyn. The proposed zoning map and zoning text amendment will facilitate a new mixed-use building. The rezoning area is bounded by Avenue P to the north, East 2nd Street to the east, Woodside Avenue to the south, and McDonald Avenue to the west.
The rezoning area is currently mapped as an R5 zoning district, a residential area with a maximum Floor Ratio Area (FAR) of 1.25 for residential uses and 2.0 for community facility uses. The maximum street wall height is 30 feet and a maximum building height of 40 feet.
The proposed rezoning to an R7A district with a C2-4 commercial overlay district will allow for a mix of community facility, residential uses, and commercial uses. Residential uses in Mandatory Inclusionary Housing designated area have a maximum FAR of 4.6 and an FAR of 4.0 community facility uses. The MIH buildings with qualifying ground floors, where the finished floor of the second story 13 feet or more above sidewalk level, have a maximum height of 95 feet or nine stories. The maximum allowable base height of 75 feet. A 15-foot setback is required above the base.
The proposed rezoning will facilitate an approximately 50,000-square-foot mixed-use building. The ground floor retail space is 6,500 square feet and the residential space is 43,500 square feet. The building will have 35 dwelling units with 11 of the units as permanently affordable units. The building will have a maximum height of 83 feet and a maximum street wall height of 63 feet.
The applicant requests to designate the rezoning area as an MIH area mapped with Option 2. Option 2 requires that 30 percent of residential floor area be allocated to housing units affordable to residents with household incomes at an average of 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). No more than three income bands can be used to average out to the 80 percent, and no income band can exceed 130 percent of the AMI.
On May 22, 2018, Brooklyn Community Board 15 voted 27-6 in favor of the application.
Brooklyn Borough President held a public hearing on May 30, 2018. On July 2, 2018, the Borough President issued a recommendation to approve the application. The Borough President issued the condition that prior to considering the application, the City Council obtain commitments in writing from the developer, Quentin Plaza, LLC, that clarify how it would memorialize the extent that it would: utilize a combination of locally-based affordable housing development nonprofits to serve as the administering agent, and having one or more such entities play a role in promoting affordable housing lottery readiness; commit to Connecting Residents on Safer Streets (CROSS) Brooklyn coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement curb extensions as part of a Builders Pavement Plan and/or as treated roadbed sidewalk extensions, with a developer commitment to enter into a standard DOT maintenance agreement for the intersection of McDonald Avenue and Quentin Road with the understanding of DOT confirming that implementation would not proceed prior to consultation with Brooklyn CB 15 and local elected officials; explore additional resiliency and sustainability measures such as incorporating rain gardens, blue/green/white roof treatment, and/or solar panels; and retain Brooklyn-based contractors and subcontractors.
The City Planning Commission found the proposed rezoning to be appropriate. The Commission found the commercial uses on the ground floor will help activate McDonald Avenue while elevating the residential component of the building above the elevated F subway line. Also, the Commission is pleased that the project will be the first MIH area mapped in Community District 15.
1881-1883 McDonald Avenue (C 180029 ZMK).