Development Du Jour: One Brooklyn Bridge Park

1.

When exactly is this whole BB park thingy supposed to happen? Like everything else it's been talked about for years, but I haven't seen anything going on.

2.

Awesome! I wish I had millions of dollars so I could live there.

3.

OOOOOOOOO LA LA! Sooooo Purty!

4.

The immediate location is somewhat isolated (which is actually a good thing) surrounded by the best brooklyn neighborhoods (particularly brooklyn heights, dumbo, and cobble hill). This building is going to do very well....

5.

Sloper, the Port Authority just turned over the property to the development corporation in May. Environmental remediation will start this summer, with a start of construction thereafter.

6.

I wouldn't want to have one of the units that will have to face right out onto the BQE, though.

7.

This is a terrible thing. What is a condo tower doing inside of a public park anyway? It doesn't belong there. Public parks are for everyone, and should not be used as some rich person's lawn and private yachting marina. THis is the first time private housing is allowed inside of a public park. Think about having a 30 story building next to the great lawn in Central Park. Why does Brooklyn get shafted again? Why don't we deserve a real great park on the water with access for everyone without having to give away precious public land to wealthy condo owners? They can raise money to pay for the park by setting up park friendly things like restaurants and cafes, a pool and skating rink that people can pay for - not private housing. It is just wrong!

8.

Park person is right. Build condos somewhere else and keep the water for everybody to enjoy. This really stinks. Isn't there some Conservancy organization watching over this? Don't tell me they want condos!

9.

Awe, you guys are just jealous. Why wouldn't you want to live inside a park? Have someone else take care of your lawn while you sip pina coladas and watch the little ones play, all at the expense of the mayor... sounds like a sweet deal to me!

10.

Hey Park person, that building exists already. And it will be contributing millions in maintenance so a really great park can be built, so that everyone can enjoy it. The additional towers are another deal, and not really welcome, but the building that exists now (as shown on the website) seems like a no brainer.

11.

Two questions:

1. The other proposed towers are opbiously missing from the map on the website. Are those supposed to be located south of 1BBP? Anyone have any details?

2. (Apologies if it's obvious, I haven't spent much time in the area.) How are you actually supposed to get to this development, if it's across the BQE from the subways, brooklyn heights, etc?

12.

Access is pretty easy; Joralemon Street goes all the way down there, as do Atlantic Ave and State St (I think).

13.

park person, please tell me how a skating rink would subsidize a multi-million dollar park? a restaurant? the building is already there, so let them subsidize it. but i agree about the bqe. the "other" apartments virtually are on top of the thing.

14.

Let's get the facts right on this. 1. 360 Furman Street now renamed One Brooklyn Bridge Park exists at 14-15 stories. It will rise to 20 stories - truly an aberation vis a vis the surrounding 3-4 story buildings 2. There are 2 additional 20 to 30 story high rise towers to be built just south of this monstrosity - blocking the views down Atlantic Ave -at the very spot that was supposed to have been the grand entrance to a public park, 3. there is an additional building at the foot of Joralemon, just north of One (or 360 Furman, the exisiting building that will grow higher) that is also planned to grow higher and fatter to accomodate yet more housing. And this is just the south end of what was supposed to be a public park. The revenue projections from the original park plan had multiple sources to fund this park. These funding sources were vetted by professionals and they did include a pay to play rec center. If you care to understand the financials and how a rec center will contribute to supporting a real park you only have to see how the new Y on Atlantic rakes in over $5 million each year in additional/supplemental monies. They charge $90 per month and are now up to over 6000 memberships. You do the math. The other revenue generators for the original park were off site parking facilities (this "park" has only 1100 spaces and not one dime goes back to supporting the park....who do you think will occupy those spaces? With 1240 lux housing units you figure it out, grasshoppers); an event venue for outdoor concerts and theaters, multiple cafes and restaurants and of course the Empire Stores. Fundraising, like the Central Park Conservancy, was also in the original plan. Now everybody has gotten lazy, have decided that rich folk deserve to own our parks (to protect it, some Heights people suggest- "their" park). Let's not forget that the marina from the original plan was a small feature at about 50 berths. It is now up to 180 berths, adorning the condo buildings and contributing exactly ZERO to the "park's" maintenance. Luxury condo towers lining our shores is bad, from Greenpoint to Red Hook and the real estate developers among us should be the first to fight it.

15.

A Watchtower building sold for $200 million? Ever hear of a Watchtower soup kitchen? While it's true that Jehovah's Witnesses will take care of their OWN members (and like to generate a lot of positive publicity by doing so), they do not contribute anything to "worldy" charitable organizations. Meanwhile, the Watchtower has become a tax-free multi-billion dollar entity that controls and consumes the lives of its members. My family has given tens of thousands of dollars to the Watchtower over the years, yet my brother and sister live in poverty. My brother actually quit college (following the cult's mandate) when he became a Jehovah's Witness. That was over thirty-five years ago and yet he and my sister are still going door to door telling everyone the end is "near." Shame on the Watchtower for being a parasite on the backs of families!

Brenda Lee, "Out of the Cocoon: A Young Woman's Courageous Flight from the Grip of a Religious Cult" www.outofthecocoon.net

16.

#14 - Are you saying that the public will not have access to the portions of the park where the building are to be located or are you simply concerned that the condo owners will 'feel' like the park is theirs? If the concern is simply at matter of snobbery, then I really don't see what the big deal is.. as long as I have the same access rights to the park as they do.

On another note... did the empire stores fall out of the plan? I haven't heard anything about this project in ages.

17.

Brenda,

Why don't you keep personal comments out of this discussion of urban development. Who cares if your grown brother made a personal decision that you don't approve of? Maybe you are using the proceeds of your bashing book to get your brother and sister out of poverty? Or are you conversly not helping your OWN? And would you being saying the same of all the poor people who are of other faiths and are actually required to give money (which the Witness are not required to do - there isn't even a collection taken at services and no tithing) whose organizations spend billions on ornate buildings or worship, etc. I bet you troll the internet looking for every mention of the Witness's to make comments and promote your book. Save it for the talk shows.

$200 million is not an large amount for the location and building size, especially considering how much the property will be worth once it becomes part of the grand park idea. As for adding the floors, I am very disappointed about that. Vertical space in that area is important for interest. This is beginning to remind me of what has happened on Florida coastline. Older buildings are bought an immediately heightened until the views which make that area famous can only be spotted down side streets.

18.

Brenda,

Also by the way Brenda, Witnesses do give to charity organizations. We just do it on an individual basis. We also help many people we meet in our communitites. We just do not broad cast it, because we are not looking for the credit. Glad to clear up a misconception though.
Delleen

19.

This is a park as Borough Park is a park. THERE IS NO PARK, there are only apartment buildings and their landscaping. The present plan shows two 20-story towers south of the already existing building at 360 Furman; the small former Conservancy Building off Joralemon will grow taller and also be housing. There are to be another two tall buildings at Fulton Ferry and one at Jay Street - all housing. There will be roads between all these buildings.The only open space that would be public is the small park that is already next to the Brooklyn Bridge and the area under the Bridge now that the Purchase Building is gone. The space is not useful for building since it is dark, dirty and noisy. Does that sound parklike and inviting? This is the theft of public land by private interests who have had the generous help of elected officials.

20.

Any guess on what the price per sq. ft will be? (Or, even better, any insider info?)

21.

I agree on all the negative comments posted!!! In fact the more we protest this development, the greater my chances of affording the small duplex are. Maybe someone could enlighten me, being a poss. new home owner. I am excited by the new developments over the past decade in terms of loft space available. New residential housing and all the choices available. Considering the brooklyn waterfront is undeveloped and there are only abandoned factories and unmanicured lots why the horrible fight. Can all these spaces be developed for public use by a city that has trouble funding its public services? Its a great thing to have options just as attractive as manhattan and just as "hip" to live in. I can only assume that as these spaces are paid off by their owners they will continue as rental units. And as these once non-existent buildings become run-down they will become more affordable. Its unfortunate that everyone should have a mercedes but maybe i can only afford a used one. maybe i have to wait for one i can afford. Yes its sick that ppl can spend a million plus on their housing, but more power too them. I will get a crappy place in queens but i dont see why ppl who earned their place cant have it. WHERE DO THEY GO??? that you wouldnt object??? And hey if a "broke" city will chip in for developement I will be hanging out there with ice cream in hand, admiring the azmut yacht in front of me, saying wow i need to get that masters degree. Well im clearly a dumb money hungry wanna-be as i will read in the next posts. So with all humbleness please let me be a protester and convice me. someone smart who will help me please other then curse me.

22.

hello i am from japan and want to buy an apartment with 2 bedroom in this building with view and outdoors area. does anyone know how much cost for square feet?

23.

Hi Yoshi, I spent many years in Japan so i know that market well. You'll find somewhat cheaper here if you have Tokyo reference point. I am hearing ~ 1300 per square foot. even for these views a little expensive since you can get inside manhattan for less. Sayonara

24.

Thank you for the kind email. I check with many people brokers and owner and find price is much lesser, maybe $750-$900 for square feet cause this is in Brooklyn and building is very big. But must pay some money for the park fundation finance.

Yoshi

25.

This is Hudson River Park with different clothes; Commercial development paying for linear, waterfront park space. Unless we are prepared to vote for politicians that are committed to public goods, such as publicly owned, designed, and managed public space we are destined for quasi-public space run by BID's, Conservancies, Developers, and any other self interest group.

26.

Can you tell me who owns the Marina is in the picture? Contact information?