On January 15, Community Board 2 approved the controversial Walentas Two Trees Dock Street project in Dumbo (shown in the center of the diagram, above). The promise of a small school in the 18-story rental building generated enthusiasm from local parents, desperate for a neighborhood middle school.Critics, however, say the building is too close to the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, and point out that it will obstruct, for the first time, views from Dumbo and the sweeping vista now observable from the eastern end of the bridge.
Next step: A public hearing, part of the ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) approval process, is scheduled for today, Tuesday, from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, in the Brooklyn Borough Hall Courtroom, second floor, 209 Joralemon St.
-The Dumbo Neighborhood Association and the Brooklyn Heights Association and savethebrooklynbridge.org oppose the plan.
- Image courtesy of Two Trees Management, which approves of its plan, along with these supporters.
- Put Middle School in Brooklyn Heights' P.S. 8, Says Yassky
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I have no problem with this building and I really take issue with the rhetoric of "saving the Brooklyn Bridge", PLEASE! They are not tearing down the bridge to build this. I think these people are spoiled brats. I don't see most of the "before and after" illustrations on the savethebrooklynbridge web site as detrimental to the neighborhood, in fact, anything that blocks the view of the Verizon tower in lower Manhattan is a plus in my book. 325 new apartments (65 "affordable") and a public school - sounds good to me. Oh, BTW, I LIVE IN DUMBO.
ReplyDeleteSounds like that last comment was made by someone from Two Trees... Because it is very safe to say that NOBODY who lives in Dumbo would like to see the bridge defaced!!!
ReplyDeleteI live in DUMBO, don't work for Two Trees, and support the project. I just don't get the hyperbole from some opponents of the project. I can see the Brooklyn Bridge from Fulton Landing. I can see the Brooklyn Bridge from Water Street. I can see the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn Bridge Park. None of these views will be obstructed. Before there were million dollar condos and pastry shops in the neighborhood, it was a drug infested dangerous area. The same people complaining about views now would not have set foot here fifteen or even ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe BHA opposed the rezoning of DUMBO in the first place, didn't it? Some people complain about the added traffic from an apartment building and a school. The population of DUMBO has tripled since I moved here. Really? You live in New York City. You're complaining about traffic? We ALL add traffic, noise, garbage, etc., so do we draw the line at a rental building with affordable housing and a school? Million dollar condos okay. Lower income housing bad? Children bad?
The sad truth is that our society does not value public education. For those who can afford to send their children to private schools, they don't have to worry. We build more prisons than schools and developers almost never build schools when they are adding to the density of existing neighborhoods. We have an opportunity to add an enormous asset to the neighborhood, one which will not be built in ten or twenty years, no matter what opponents say, if we miss this opportunity.
We are facing an enormous economic crisis, yet foes of the project actually stand there and say with a straight face that the DOE will find another $50 million to build a school somewhere else, or better yet, find room for 300 more students in the already overcrowded and out of space P.S. 8. The DOE has already rejected that plan, but has committed to fund this one.
What is the BHA actually for? This building will add diversity to our neighborhood, allowing people who otherwise would be priced out to live here. It will bring the vibrancy of children. It will allow MANY families to remain in the surrounding neighborhoods -- we won't have to move. And it doesn't look like a prison, as it has been depicted in the dishonest renderings of opponents. The local papers support the building, as did CB2. This is no Atlantic Yards.
There are no ifs ands or buts. David Yasky, BHA, DHA -- you are either for education or against it. You either support our children or you do not. You cannot have it both ways.
Brett... You work for Two Trees. Nobody who lives here wants this done. We do not need a school and another parking lot. We do not need one of our last National monuments obstructed.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the last comment, you're an idiot.
ReplyDelete"Brett... You work for Two Trees." - PLEASE! So anyone that supports this MUST work for Two Trees? I live in Dumbo, I support it, I DO NOT work for Two Trees - I don't give a rats ass about Two Trees, screw them BUT I do support this building.
"Nobody who lives here wants this done." - So you've spoken with EVERYONE in DUMBO? How do you know? YOU don't want it and maybe your friends don't but you don't speak for me! Who died and made you the ruler of DUMBO?! Ass.
"We do not need a school and another parking lot." - Yes we do.
"We do not need one of our last National monuments obstructed." - First, the Brooklyn Bridge is not a National Monument, if it were, it would be under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Second, it would be obstructed from only some very selected views, it's not being wrapped by Christo (although that would be cool...)
In short, you are entitled to your opinion but don't be an ass and claim to know what you don't know and to speak for others when you have no idea what they think.