Dumbo NYC

Notes from the DUMBO, Brooklyn NY neighborhood


Two Trees Seeking Approval for 15-20 Story Building Abutting Brooklyn Bridge

April 18th, 2007


 (Click for larger version)

Although an email tip received yesterday did not cite any specific sources, they mentioned that it came from ‘a credible source’. Thus, it is rumored that:

“David Walentas of Two Trees is renewing his efforts to get city approval for a 15-20 story building next to the Brooklyn Bridge on the current site of St. Ann’s Warehouse and Nova Clutch. The proposed plan calls for a rental building of 400 Studio and 1BD units with 450 parking spaces and 14,000sf of retail space.

His prior attempt to build a tall building on this site in 2004 failed due to opposition from community residents.

This proposed prominent building would obscure the panoramic Brooklyn Bridge views from 70 Washington, 30 Main, and 1 Main, for which residents paid millions in premium prices to Walentas.”

Neighborhood residents concerned about this and other neighborhood development can attend a public informational meeting with the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission tomorrow regarding the proposed landmarking of DUMBO. From the NY Times article on the 38 Water Street site, Councilman David Yassky agreed that instead of a 15 story building, an “eight-story building that would not rise above the Brooklyn Bridge would be a terrific use of that site”. Would you agree?

Filed in Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo Architecture, Dumbo Improvement, Front Street, Real Estate, Water Street at 2:28 am
Comments
  • TWC
    More residential buildings means more people, more foot traffic, better DUMBO economy but why does it have to be 20 stories? 7 to 10 stories seems plenty for that location.
  • none
    Given the historical nature of the bridge and importance of the view of it from all sides, a 3-4 story building matching the height of the historical warehouse on Front makes the most sense.
  • jps
    They have illegally removed dangerous asbestos as well on the roof of the Nova Clutch building 4 weeks ago to prep for the "cheaper" demolition of the Nova Clutch building. Without informing the public, the airborne microscopic asbestos particles due to this inappropriate removal have unnecessarily exposed the local residents unknowingly.
    If you go to the front of the building right now you could see danger chemical signs posted outside the building.
    Neighbors, let us all act up!
  • The Nova Clutch building may be old, but it's not a particularly nice looking building, so there's little reason for landmarking it. I agree with TWC, if Two Trees is planning on building at that site, it will bring more foot traffic to an area that has potential for retail/restaurants with a great view or access to the park. A new building that doesn't block the Brooklyn Bridge would be a welcome addition to the area.
  • Rascal
    It could also help spark the stalled revitalization of Old Fulton Street. Keep Grimaldi's, fill in and upgrade the rest. This is arguably the most historic block in all of Brooklyn, and it is still (inexplicably, if you ask me) dormant.
  • dumbostreets
    I agree that a 3-4 floor building in this area is appropriate and welcome. An imposing new building in this historic area would change the character of what is (and will be) one of the most unique waterfronts in the city. Dumbo's is defined by its view of the bridges. Although the neighborhood may benefit from more density and services we need to be careful about how and where this is done.
  • TWC
    I think its dormant because with the exception of residents and the tourists who have the knowledge to explore Fulton and DUMBO very few poeple make the trek under the BQE to that area. The F train is too far into Vinegar Hill and the A/C leads people into the Height's and as much as we think DUMBO is exploding we still have only a fraction of the foot traffic compared to most of the city. We need to fill the vacant buildings to continue our growth as DUMBO and Fulton have a long way to go before we realize the neighborhood's full potential. I say let them build but keep it to a reasonable height.
  • Banjo
    Walentas doesn't own the Nova Clutch building. It is owned by Shaya Boymelgreen. Walentas pulled his application last time for two reasons. One, it wasn't going to be accpeted and he didn't want a ruling on paper and two, to make it more difficult for Boymelgreen to develop Nova Clutch..
  • DOT
    Fulton Ferry is dormant because aside from Grimaldi's and the ice cream factory there's nothing notable there. With the amount of tourist that come into that area you'd think someone would swoop in and re-habilitate the vacant buildings on that block and open up a few cool shops. I recall there was a story about the vacant buildings on dumbonyc a while back. There has to be something wrong with those buildings if developers haven't picked it up yet. Otherwise, would seem like a gold mine to me.
  • Dumbo4real
    Who ever is going to build on the Nova Clutch/ St. Anne's site should not be allowed to build Anything above 4-6 Stories. While those buildings are not much to look at, The Bridge Views ARE historic. And the character of the neighborhood would change, if anything looking remotely close to the Beacon or J is built on this site. They must be opposed and defeated.
  • tamara
    fyi Banjo: Actually, I believe Two Trees recently acquired Novo (it's Novo, not Nova) Clutch from Boymelgreen. So that part is no longer an issue.
  • The idea of having paid so much money to Two Trees for our condo in 70 Washington, and then having David Walentes impact our views to make more money, (which in return would affect the value of our condo) just makes my blood boil.
  • dumbostreets
    Boymelgreen sold Novo Clutch to Walentes in exchange for an easement at 57 Front. Walentes has approval to create a 60 car parking lot. This could be the first step in the process of clearing the site for new construction. This is a very big footprint and 3-4 stories would be a lot of commercial space. New, high density buildings should be further back to preserve the bridge views.
  • Rascal
    That block of Old Fulton is an obvious goldmine and there's no way that fact is lost on developers. Look where it's situated: between the two most expensive neighborhoods in all of Brooklyn, beneath the most iconic bridge on the planet, and looking at one of the most spectacular vistas in the world. Plus, 300 years of unique American history (a critical revolutionary war battle, the Fulton steam engine, and the very birthplace of Brooklyn, to name a few). The building where Pete's Downtown is now has been there since the early 1840s; it was The Brooklyn Hotel and then the Franklin House. Presidents have stopped there. So what's the deal?!?
  • dnicebk
    as a resident of 70 washington st. with views of the bridge, etc...i think it would be a crime if walentas did build anything over 3 or 4 stories tall. it is way too close to the bridge, not only an eyesore for all of his other historic buildings (which would create mass histeria) but quite literally a thorn in the side of a bridge that is not only beautiful, but also a piece of architecture that needs no other partner next to or even rising above it's perfect weblike supports. there is no way in hell any resident of dumbo would allow such a thing. let's instead focus on more important next step agendas such as infrastructure i.e. restaurants, services etc. there is a NEED-- of course keeping in mind the artistic nature of the neighborhood. batali? morimoto? mcnally? hello people, look at the beautiful cavernous spaces in these buildings...we'll have plenty of residents once all the tenants in beacon and jay move in. no more furniture stores, MORE UPSCALE/HIP bistros, markets, wine bars, etc, cool casual etc....feel me?
  • mike
    if you want services, you need more residents. if you want more residents, you need tall buildings. wake up, people: dumbo is a lousy place to do business and it will remain so until it reaches a critical mass of foot traffic. you simply can't have it both ways.
  • Frankie
    I agree with Rascal. I think Old Fulton has one of the best views of Manhattan in all of Brooklyn. I hope someone comes in and restores the 3 buildings that are for sale on Old Fulton. It would help revitalize the whole area. They are ideally located and have great potential.
  • Travis Bickle
    Walentas would pull the eyeballs out of you head and sell them back to you if he could. There is no one, and I repeat no one in this universe, more hungry for money than Walentas. Do you honestly think he gives a f**k about you or the Brookly Bridge?
  • Brooklyn Renaissance
    i took a quick peak at the city finance records on acris for those plots, and at quick glance it actually seems as if walentas perfected his title to the 3 plots that make up the SE corner of the entire footprint just recently in jan 2007, so that may have been what was holding him back for this long.
  • none
    Oh dear. That new property title would explain the timing of all this.

    For weeks now I have noticed late night work of some devious air (perhaps aforementioned asbestos removal) going on at Nova Clutch. The beat up unmarked passenger van around the side, furtive immigrant workers in dusty street clothes, and glances of heavy activity inside from cracks between padlocked doors have seemed right out of a movie.

    Note: It is "Nova" not "Novo" - check out the sign on the building.

    It would be a tragic mistake to think Walentas won't use every trick up his very formidable developer sleeves (and pockets) to try to get approval for a very tall building here. Just think of the hundreds of millions he stands to gain by doing so. J-condo proves it can readily happen if not vigorously opposed.
  • L.E.
    Travis,

    I don't normally like to take the bait from troll posts like yours and I'm probably making a big mistake with this one, but here goes anyway.

    I don't know where you get your info. from about Walentas, but you can't possibly be serious. Walentas gives and has given for years free space to St. Ann's, Smack Mellon, Dumbo Arts Center, Triangle Arts, and a huge host of others. He gives rent breaks (below market deals) to all of the art galleries at 111 Front St., he's given very generous and below market deals to most of his retail tenants - esp. those that started in dumbo years ago when there weren't a lot of residents (many like Jacques Torres had free rent for a couple of years) and even now he's asking less per sf for his retail than the Guttman, Boymelgreen and the J. Condo. He's turned down banks, real estate agencies and chain drug stores offering him more than his asking rent because he doesn't think it would be good for the neighborhood, etc. etc. etc. He's has a very large charitable program where he gives checks to lots of charities and for local programs and events and he throws a free party for the entire neighborhood with free booze, food, a live band. No one who knows him and how generous he is with his money can seriously think that about him.
  • dumbostreets
    I saw a team of workers with masks and blue coveralls doing work on the roof of Nova Clutch. I suspected it might be asbestoes removal. They left a pile of plastic black garbage bags on the roof for a while, hopefully that was not a pile of asbestoes free to blow over to Walentas' own neighboring rental building.

    Shaya Boymelgreen wanted to build a 3-4 floor market in the adjacent warehouses. This would be a great use for the area in question. As dumbo currently is, building heights descrease as you approach the bridge. Future planning should follow this pattern. It's not either/or....
  • Abraham
    I.E., you wouldn't be, by chance, an employee of Two Trees, would you, all cozy up there in Suite 602 beside Jed and Amish? Hang 'round long, enough, Isaac, and maybe Jed will sell you his Range Rover when he's done with it, the way he did with lil' Amish. Wow, you must think no one's paying attention. Walentas used the artists to front the entire neighborhood. Slowly, then quickly, they were displaced. He's done nothing out of charity. Not one damn thing. It's all in the name of profit. Now if he could just sell that damn carousel that Jane made him buy.
  • Let's keep this about Dumbo and not hateful comments about any developers. If you don't like something about Dumbo, write a letter to LPC, go to the meetings, write to the Dumbo Improvement District. Writing hateful comments on this blog probably won't be heard. It's only a blog that (probably) no developer is reading or taking seriously. btw, I am not an employee of Two Trees or any developer!
  • MMT
    I've known David for over 30 years. I moved here over 7 years ago at his suggestion, at a time when one had to walk up to the Heights to buy a quart of milk. I want to second, vigorously, what L.E. says, and to suggest to Travis and Abraham, in language that I hope doesn't demean a gentleman of 70+ years, that the locale where the sun never shines is a fitting venue for their views. The Boymelgreens, J-Condo types etc are here to make money. David is, too - but only if it can be done within the context of a real neighborhood, which he alone of the developers active in these parts has worked hard to achieve, including putting his money where others mouths are. With regard to the displacement of artists, it is frequently those whose reputations and accomplishments are least who scream the most.
  • none
    MMT, then how do you explain his 2004 attempt to build a 16 story apartment tower on this site (per the NYT article) that neighborhood residents had to fight to block?

    I recognize and appreciate his gifts to artists and care in selecting retailers. But please note these are charitable gifts on the order of hundreds of thousands. This is not the same thing as, not in the same league as forgoing the hundreds of millions a 15-20 story building would generate him.

    If Walentas proposes a tasteful 3-4 story building on this site, I will eat big crow, and warmly shake his hand as a true friend and protector of DUMBO and all who bought in his buildings.

    But are you willing to bet your million dollar view that he'll take such an altruistic path? My bet is he'll take the hundreds of millions of dollars path. He is a real estate developer.
  • bunny
    This Nova Clutch furtive asbestos removal is the same scenario as what happened and is still happening at 205 Water Street. (But that demolition has fewer people commenting as it lies on the other side of the Manhattan Bridge).
    It is yet another example of profit maximizing developers running roughshod over the regulations in place to protect our health - rushing to demolish in a cheap and dangerous way.
    Incidentally, the Nova Clutch building is NOT in the proposed historic district (proposed landmarked district) - so it's facade would not need to be preserved. However, I think the height of any new buildings should be limited in order to maintain the historic integrity of the neighborhood.
  • dumbostreets
    I came across this link:
    http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=28289

    The link seems to indicate the Jehova Witness' have abandonned their plans for 85 Jay St. This is a more logical spot for density than right next to the bridge, in my opinion.

    Selling this lot to a responsible developer would be great, however unlikely... Does anybody know about the status of 85 Jay St. ? Walentas should put his towers there.
  • KB
    The city of New York should buy this lot and turn it into parkland. optimistic I know..
  • DOT
    I had a feeling the JW's would abandon their plan to build there. The neighborhood has changed so much since the initial proposal it just didn't seem fitting. The JW's were also under alot of pressure to contibute to neighbrhood improvements if they built there (i.e. helping to restore the York st station) but weren't interested. So now what? Do they plan on selling the land or just keeping it as a parking lot?
  • Gary VanderPutten
    Regarding Nova/38 Water site - it will be back in play - JW said as much on that morning when TT lost the last proposal to the City Council, to wit, 'Something will be built on that site, and it will probably be taller than the community would like". I do not know what the protocol is for TT resubmitting the proposal (which one - Expect their earliest plan with the height further away from the bridge, but still 15+ tall), but let's just assume that we've got to go the whole nine yards again. He was not supported by the locally elected officials, nor CB2. More importantly, TT was supported by Landmarks and City Planning, and defeated in the council (closer than you think) and was not overridden by the Mayor. This was a singular event for those of us who have been in these mostly losing battles, and this one had huge support from all the neighborhoods and many preservation organizations. A signinficant Architect organization supported it. We seemed to lose on the merits of zoning and landmarks and other rational thinking, but we won on universal sentiment about the bridge, and also on political will, especially applied to locals and the council. You cannot rely on being right.
    Now, there is a new council and other new players. Are you all willing to go out there and do it all over again? Then start planning.
  • m
    real estate acquisition 101:
    never buy housing for the view - unless it's absolutely impossible to build btw the unit and the view. (ie: waterfront, parkfront, state land, etc) if there's a vacant lot, in time, something will surely be built on it.
    (for example, trump towers along the west side highway, among many others)... if a person can afford to spend 1m, or so on an apartment, I should hope they're intelligent enough to consider the possibilities of further development - or have enough money to hire a real estate attorney who can do it for them....
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