Shade Creates Shadow of Doubt for Empire Boulevard Rezoning

Concerns about shade are hindering a potential rezoning of a site in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights.

Residents came out in force to a recent public hearing regarding a proposal for 73-99 Empire Boulevard, Brownstoner reported. The hearing was held by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is days away from making a recommendation on the project.

About a year ago, Bridges Development Group submitted preliminary plans for a 13-story, 250,000-square-foot mixed-use building on the long-neglected corner lot. The proposal required rezoning from commercial to mixed commercial and residential.

The redevelopment of a single-story garage on the site would give way to a 145-foot-tall building with 261 residences, about a third of which would be designated affordable. The project also includes 98,000 square feet of commercial space, some of which would be occupied by a grocery store.

In the public hearing, however, much of the focus was on how the development would fit into the character of the community and the potential for it to cast shadows on local play areas for children, including the Jackie Robinson School basketball courts, Community Park Triangle at Sullivan Place and Franklin Avenue.

Fears of gentrification were also made clear by opponents who feared the project would not be affordable to local residents. Members of the community heckled the developer’s representative during the hearing and one resident took issue with the description of “urban decay” on the site.

Community Board 9 already rejected the rezoning proposal — almost unanimously — and Reynoso is set to deliver a recommendation at the end of next week. From there, the City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and vote before the City Council weighs in.

The project is in the purview of Councilmember Crystal Hudson, who has thwarted projects in the neighborhood before; City Council often falls behind the local member on zoning votes. Without a rezoning, the developer would turn towards building a two-story commercial building.

— Holden Walter-Warner