BHA Mobilizes Members Against Dock Street DUMBO

By on January 23, 2009 2:39 pm in DUMBO

Members of the Brooklyn Heights Association received this dispatch moments ago regarding the organizations opposition to Two Trees’ Dock Street DUMBO project:

Dear BHA Member:

By now most of you know that the Dock Street Project is a contentious issue about the impact of an out of scale development proposed for a site in DUMBO that is too close to the Brooklyn Bridge. The site currently houses the St. Ann’s Warehouse and is located in the low-rise section of DUMBO, where everything around it is 4 stories or lower. It is here that Two Trees Management Co. is proposing to rezone the block in order to construct a 200-foot residential tower.

The developer is offering to include space on one floor out of 18 floors for a middle school in the building, knowing that a school is something that is desperately needed, and hoping it’s enough to win support for this otherwise unacceptable building.

If we are not careful to keep the need for a school separate from our experience of the Brooklyn Bridge, the community risks being torn between preservationists and parents over this project. We can separate the two issues because we know there are other opportunities to develop a school without forever compromising our experience of the Brooklyn Bridge.

The BHA’s position is that any building in proximity to the Bridge must be at a height below the roadway, and we recommend a zoning that limits building heights to 80 feet.

Moving forward with this position, we need your help.

1) Please come to Borough President Marty Markowitz’s public hearing on the Dock Street project, Tuesday, January 27, at Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, from 4 PM – 9 PM. There is no requirement to stay the whole time. We need a crowd to be there, and we hope for many speakers who will stand up for the Brooklyn Bridge.

2) If you cannot get to the hearing, you can send Marty a message. Attached is a suggested letter. Please use it to add your own thoughts in an email to Marty.

3) Also, send an email to Councilman David Yassky expressing your opposition to this project, and asking him to vote against it when the City Council reviews the proposal. You can e-mail him at yassky@council.nyc.gov

4) Be sure to cc the BHA in your correspondence to Marty and David. THANK YOU.

Judy and Tom

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  • Publius

    Thanks for posting this Homer. I’m not a BHA member, but I happen to agree with them on this issue.

    I encourage everyone, especially non-BHA members, to type a quick email to Councilman Yassky and Borough President Markowitz to show your opposition to the Dock Street project as it’s currently designed to diminish the Brooklyn Bridge, our local National Landmark.

  • my2cents

    Hey, if BH residents could stop Robert Moses, Two Trees shouldn’t be a problem, right? I think it’s just a question of getting people unified.

  • Lobby Lobby Lobby

    It also wouldn’t hurt if the BHA could throw well north of $100,000 at this like Two Tress has done over the past two years to hire a law firm to lobby the following:

    School Construction Authority, Office of the Mayor of New York – Maria Torres, Department of City Planning, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Brooklyn Community Board No. 2, New York City Council

    http://www.nyc.gov/lobbyistsearch/search?client=Two+Trees+Management

  • davoyager

    BHA mobilizes members against only real chance for public middle school in decades. BHA to public school kids:buzz off.

  • Question

    Does da stand for Dumb A*s?

  • davoyager

    This is the first chance in decades we have had to build an new school near Brooklyn Heights for our children and the children of the borough, a school we can purpose and nurture as a community. I hope we seize the day and build this school, not just because Emily would want it, but because it is the right thing to do.

  • Mom

    This building is just a bad idea. The school idea is a scam. There is no guarentee that neighborhood children will even get a spot there! We do need a middle school but the parents of this neighborhood (I have 2 children that will attending ps8 in the next 2 years) should not be strong armed by a private developer.

  • Carlo Trigiani

    Dock Street is a responsible and respectful development with many benefits to the community. The project is a vast improvement to what exists on the site today.

    The opposition originally said this will ruin views of the Brooklyn Bridge. Their argument has been expanded to now include a “bowl” and the “experience” of the Brooklyn Bridge. I understand the argument but simply disagree.

    37 Community Board members studied the arguments, reviewed the developer’s plans, considered the views and benefits and voted. 30, or 81% of the votes cast, voted in favor of the proposal. That overwhelming majority obviously feels that the design works.

    To Mom, common sense will tell you that most of the seats at the Dock Street Middle School will be filled with neighborhood kids. If the project proceeds, let’s work together as we have at PS 8, to continue to improve public education in our community.

    Respectfully,

    Carlo Trigiani

  • No One Of Consequence

    Wow, we are quite civil compared to the “discussion” at dumbonyc.com
    http://dumbonyc.com/2009/01/21/ny-times-visits-dock-street-and-green-desk-in-dumbo/

  • dig

    i for one think this building will be great for the neighborhood. most of the folks i know who are against it are at risk of losing views form their apartments … their “concern” has nothing to do with the “good of the neighborhood”. dumbo certainly needs to be developed further and this proposal from two trees is completely reasonable. given the current economic climate i really don’t see how anyone could argue against this.

  • Chester

    Everyone needs to grow up and face facts: there will be no school no matter what anyone says. there will be no affordable housing no matter what anyone says. the only decision to be made here is whether or not you want to be a SUCKER.

  • Jed’s Propaganda Dep’t

    Thank you Jed.

  • leeee

    don’t believe what they say. two trees will give you a middle school for a few years and then take it away when the lease is finished. history has a way of repeating its self. he already has a much needed school in one of his spaces, which has been in DUMBO for over 10 years, way before anyone ever wanted to live there and when it was a very dangerous place to be. the lease runs out in 2010 and he did not renew the lease and now this school has to relocate. don’t listen to his promises, it is just away to get what he wants. once he has it then he s__ts all over everyone who voted for the it.

  • jim federano

    this project is not about need but more about greed. How much more money does three tree management need (AKA Mr. Walentas) How can CB 2 be so blind as not to see that
    if your talking Middle School your talking about Bklyn Heights as well as the entire DUMBO area and wouldn’t it be more productive to plan space for all three levels of education. Elementry,Middle School and High School not to mention it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider adult learning. Currently PS 8 has trailers in the kids playground, doesn’t that say or indicate that if we build a school it should be of ample space that would carry us into year 2002 and beyond.Within this area we are talking about
    a park being built their will be more families attracted here which means more kids and more schooling. Also what about all the other surrounding buildings will other development be allowed also. I hope to be their tuesday and I hope their is a replica of the project so we can see how the beauty of the Brooklyn Bridge will be hindered. Also is their really a need for more living space? Lets be realistic and smart and wait till the economy gets better for this and instead of three tree throwing us a bone about a 1 floor middle school and some affordable housing let him help keep the area he created and take a piece of land and build what we really need and thats a truly honest educatiion school. I have nothing against making money but don’t play us for fools!!!!!

  • Chester

    Jim there = place, their = people. Perhaps you need the school the most.