Brooklyn Community Board 1

Synagogue eliminated residences to obtain variance

Synagogue had sought approval of eight market-rate residential units as part of new synagogue and yeshiva. BSA granted a variance to Congregation Somlou, permitting a four-story synagogue with a yeshiva and a single accessory apartment for use by a rabbi at 245 Hooper Street, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Somlou initially proposed to construct a five-story building with eight market-rate residential units, requiring variances for floor area, height, setback, lot coverage, and rear yard size. Community Board … <Read More>

Owner withdraws Greenpoint variance application

Owner sought to convert industrial building to residential units. 202 Meserole LLC, owner of a three-story building located at the corner of Jewel Street and Meserole Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, sought a variance to convert the 15,960-squarefoot building into 17 residential units.

In its BSA application, Meserole represented that the building was structurally incapable of supporting as-of-right manufacturing because the building was originally intended for residential use, and consequently had low ceilings and no freight … <Read More>

Council flip-flops on Sanitation garage

Council granted 21-month lease for controversial Williamsburg garage after heated debate. The Department of Sanitation, with a last minute compromise, obtained Council’s approval to extend its Williamsburg garage lease at 306 Rutledge Street for 21 months.

Williamsburg’s Community Board 1 and local residents had opposed any extension of Sanitation’s lease term at the Rutledge street location. Despite complaints that Sanitation blocked parking spaces and washed trucks along the street and sidewalk, the Planning Commission granted … <Read More>

Sanitation lease limited to 2 years

Controversial garage given short-term lease by Commission frustrated with garage’s continued problems. The Department of Sanitation sought approval for the continued operation of its Brooklyn District 3 Garage at 306 Rutledge Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Sanitation has operated this garage under a long-term lease with the private owner since 1945. Even though it is located in Brooklyn’s Community District 1, the garage primarily serves adjacent District 3. With its last lease, granted … <Read More>

Water taxi dock approved

Dock to be located on the East River next to the Schaefer Landing luxury building. The Planning Commission unanimously approved an application by the Department of Parks and Recreation for the construction of a water taxi dock in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The dock is to be located on the East River adjacent to the waterfront esplanade of the Schaefer Landing luxury apartment building, west of Kent Avenue between South 8th and South 11th Streets.

The floating … <Read More>

New building approved after two-story reduction

Four-story building will have 27 new dwellings. BSA approved a use variance, allowing the new construction of a four-story, 27-unit residential building with 14 underground parking spaces in an Ml-2 zoning district on the corner of North 7th and Berry Streets in Williamsburg. The building site, comprising two lots totaling 15,840 sq.ft., contains a former garage and a vacant one-story structure previously used as a food processing facility.

The original application, which sought a six-story … <Read More>