City Approves Demolition of Library Building

By on March 6, 2017 11:12 pm in 11201, Brooklyn Heights, Development, News, Real Estate

The Eagle’s Mary Frost reports that the City’s Department of Buildings has approved the demolition of the former Brooklyn Heights Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library by Hudson Companies, which intends to build a high rise residential and commercial building, with a new library on its ground, mezzanine, and basement levels, on the site. When we last noted the status of the Hudson deal, the DOB had approved plans for the new building, but had not given clearance for demolition, apart from some preliminary work such as asbestos removal.

The Eagle story notes that Hudson has not yet closed on its acquisition of the property, but that Hudson is confident that the closing will take place “in the coming weeks.” Demolition may proceed before closing. If Hudson should fail to close, it will be obligated to resore the building to its original condition (presumably excepting the asbestos).

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  • Sue

    What if Hudson never gets funding due to investigstions.That is a small,
    Dangerous and busy spot across from the federal building.Maybe the city will choose to put affordable housing there. Maybe a shelter as every neighborhood will be asked to house their fare share of the homeless

  • PUFFS

    Hudson/Kramer is the Golden Boy.
    Look at the back flips EDC/BPL has
    been doing to support this so far
    non sale. They will just wait and
    support him till building goes up and
    then maybe collect. This is what happens
    when there is no enforcement or
    accountability to citizens concerns.
    And platitudes from politicians.

  • B.

    ‘The Eagle story notes that Hudson has not yet closed on its acquisition of the property, but that Hudson is confident that the closing will take place “in the coming weeks.” Demolition may proceed before closing.’

    Can you imagine selling your home or apartment to someone who insists on knocking down walls and gut-renovating the bathrooms before closing? That is, before all the checks are collated and final documents are signed?

    And what can it possibly mean that if the developer fails to close after demolishing the building, he’ll be forced to return the building to its former state? Really? You’ll never find craftsmen capable of rebuilding that library as it was and restoring its facade.

    Hey ho, it’s all par for the course. Incompetence and corruption at all levels and from all politicians no matter their politics.

  • Reggie

    The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District and the Manhattan District Attorney closed their cases without bringing any charges. Neither Hudson Companies nor the BPL deal were even mentioned in the New York Times article about the prosecutors’ decisions.

  • Andrew Porter

    Want to hear a good one? Turns out the newly installed WiFi Hot Point will be inside the construction fence, and hence inaccessible to anyone, until demolition and construction is over, in several years.

    Whoever did this, great planning, guys!