Brodsky plows ahead at St. John the Divine site

The Brodsky Organization is moving right along with a development next door to the St. John the Divine cathedral, despite community opposition to the developer’s contractor pick.

Metal sheds on a block-long 113th Street parcel between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive, which the firm leased from the church for 99 years last year, are reportedly coming down to make way for two rental buildings, West Side Rag reported. Brodsky recently hired Breeze International for the demolition work. That move drew criticism from neighborhood politicians, who raised questions about Breeze’s reputation in light of previous allegations that the firm may have ties to organized crime, as previously reported.

Existing plans call for the construction of 428 market-rate apartments and 87 affordable housing units in interconnected 14-story structures, West Side Rag reported. Brodsky does not yet have building permits for the site, officials told the blog.

The project is the second residential development going up on the property, home to the world’s largest Gothic-style cathedral. The church is under consideration for landmark designation. [West Side Rag] — Angela Hunt