Savanna’s plans for DoBro rental tower hit snag

CB rejected proposed zoning change

<em>141 Willoughby Street in Downtown Brooklyn (inset: Christopher Schlank)</em>
141 Willoughby Street in Downtown Brooklyn (inset: Christopher Schlank)

Officials on Wednesday rejected zoning changes needed to clear the way for Savanna’s planned 49-story luxury apartment tower in Downtown Brooklyn.

Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee threw out zoning changes that would have allowed the developer to increase the size of its planned apartment building at 141 Willoughby Street, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported. Board members were disappointed that the project didn’t include plans for a school or improvements to local infrastructure.

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The zoning changes would have lifted a deed restriction on a small park nearby that belongs to the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Savanna planned to pay the city $4.8 million for the property, which has 47,718 square feet of air rights. The proposed project would span 420,000 square feet and have 270 apartments, 81 of which would be affordable. The company bought the property for $28 million in January 2014. [Brooklyn Eagle]Kathryn Brenzel