Dumbo NYC

Notes from the DUMBO, Brooklyn NY neighborhood


Dumbo Rezoning Proposal on the Table

February 19th, 2009

The City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden announced on Tuesday the beginning of public review for a rezoning in Dumbo. City Planning has been working on the plan in consultation with Community Board 2, local civic groups and elected officials and in coordination with the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) since first announced almost a year ago. The proposed rezoning area does not cover all of Dumbo Historic District, but mostly areas East of the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo. The plan would provide for an estimated 891 new units of housing in new and renovated loft buildings and provide regulations to ensure that new development is in keeping with the neighborhood’s historic built character.

The rezoning follows LPC’s designation of Dumbo Historic District on December 18, 2007 and approved by the City Planning Commission (25-Feb-2008) and City Council (16-Apr-2008).

“The proposed rezoning would change the current M1-2 and M3-1 manufacturing zoning designations, which neither permit residential use nor have height limits, to mixed-use contextual zoning districts that would better reflect and preserve the unique character of the neighborhood. Moreover, unlike the heavy industrial uses permitted in the M3-1, uses in the mixed use zoning districts would be more compatible with the changing land use patterns. Much of the growth is expected to be in conversions of existing loft buildings.”

Based on the presentation by City Planning, the plan looks to foster development of East Dumbo while preserving the character of the neighborhood. In the presentation, while it emphasizes that most of the developments are existing building conversions, a few renderings of Jay Street and Bridge Street were shown to visualize the height limits of new developments.


 Jay Street looking north


 Water Street looking West

The next steps? The Dumbo rezoning will now be reviewed by Brooklyn Community Board 2 (by April 27, 2009), after which it will go to the Borough President (30 days), the City Planning Commission (60 days) and the City Council (50 days) as part of the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). How do you think the proposed rezoning will change Dumbo?

{City Planning Press Release, 17Feb2009, NYC.gov}
{Dumbo Rezoning Plan, NYC.gov}

Filed in Dumbo Architecture, Dumbo Residents, Dumbo Streetscapes, Real Estate at 1:01 pm
Comments
  • loose stool
    Look around, DUMBO would welcome shops within immediate reach, not banks c’mon. No. Dumbo living on the backs of real new yorkers who participate in city living.
  • testing, testing
  • Biff
    Loose screw...

    I'd say the populace that all this rezoning is specifically appealing to -- the populace who would PREFER to live in the vertical gated communities that have (had?) sprouted up in the past 8 years or so -- are the one's who do NOT have fantasies of "living cheek and jowl with minorites" and "janitors and maids." They have no guilt. They have no sense of civic engagement with the existing communities that they are displacing.
  • BrooklynLove
    dg - if you actually lived through that period in BK you wouldn't be posting such retardedness. cut the BS cornball chest thumping.

    if more new residential buildings means more normal stores where i can actually get what i need at a reasonable price then i'm all for it. there's already tons of shmucks living here so adding to that quotient isn't going to mean much at this point.
  • loose stool
    Actually Buff, it's those transplants that are adamant about public trans. and bikes. Most NYers grow up with a pragmatic attitude toward cars. If you can afford it either by getting a garage or wasting your time looking for parking then get a car. Most of the "transplants" have fantasies about living cheek and jowl with minorities and riding the subway with janitors and maids alleviates their guilt.
  • loose stool
    You know something Buff, I'm glad that New Yorkers embrace the subway and huff and puff over the bridge on their fixed gears because I have 2 cars and I appreciate the extra space in the neighborhood, especially Friday mornings.
  • Biff
    Loose screw, i mean loose stool..

    Uhh... last time I ventured into one of those holes underground with tunnels that go everywhere, I learned that New Yorkers DO embrace public transportation.

    It's that far too many of the past decade's lazy, sheltered, coddled transplants who have a sense of suburban entitlement are the one's who don't embrace public transportation, and would PREFER to drive. Even though this is a city where parking is at a premium and public transpo is perhaps the most extensive in the country.

    Notice I did not say "All" of them. But far too many of them.
  • Biff
    Loose screw, i mean loose stool..

    Uhh... last time I ventured into one of those holes underground with tunnels that go everywhere, I learned that New Yorkers DO embrace public transportation.

    It's that far too many of the past decade's lazy, sheltered, coddled transplants who have a sense of suburban entitlement are the one's who don't embrace public transportation, and would PREFER to drive. Even though this is a city where parking is at a premium and public transpo is perhaps the most extensive in the country.

    Notice I did not say "All" of them. But far too many of them.
  • loose stool
    Pedros is nothing more than a badge for guilty white kids to wear. "Look at me, I'm hangin' with brown people". Your Mom didn't let you have any colored friends growing up. It's hilarious to see 8 white geeks squeezed into a booth for 4 enjoying Margaritas from a mix. Now you're wearing a grass skirt with a bone through your nose! Hahahaha!
  • dg
    all we need is this current economic collapse to bring on another crack epidemic (ala nyc in the 80's) All the douchebag yuppies will move to the suburbs and dumbo will have its "soul" again.
  • derf
    I like the idea of filling in the holes and fixing up abandoned buildings. I just hope that the buildings that are used for small business get to stay that way as they are what makes DUMBO interesting and brings people to the neighborhood. Photographers, film makers, graphic designers, web designers all have spaces near each other which turns DUMBO into a hot spot for creative professionals. Turning everything into housing would make DUMBO a ghosts town during the day. These businesses don't need to be subsidized, but the zoning of the buildings should let them be there.
  • Anon
    The developers are the ones who brought in the yuppies to begin with. Why make it worse? Soul-less? Name a neighborhood that hasn't had rabid development and still retains its 'soul'. Obviously you are part of the problem.
  • drschikaly
    anon, the urban gritty industrial hippness you think dumbo possesses is all an illusion. Dumbo is soul-less and yuppified, let the developers make the cosmetic changes to reflect it.
  • Anon
    I like the graffiti and the open space, the history, and the mixed use of the neighborhood. Change is good - but not if it means wiping out what makes it unique and turning it into what looks like a suburban office park.

    If you don't like the shells and the graffiti, what are you doing here? There are plenty of other places for you.
  • M
    This is New York, not a 3rd world country in Central America. Why do we have to leave empty lots and vacant shells of buildings missing windows/covered in graffiti everywhere?
  • Anon
    This is Brooklyn, not Manhattan. Why must we fill every piece of air space with an ugly square box?
  • salg
    why does everyone love Pedros?
    It looks cool from the outside, but the food is way overpriced and tastes like crap... its not authentic and i'm sure hispanics laugh at all the idiot gringos overpaying for sh1tty food.
  • loose stool
    Dear Biff,
    Somehow you expect New Yorkers to embrace public transportation and I presume bikes by extension overnight yet you reminisce about that toilet Pedro's. This is New York City, get over it.
  • Biff
    Derf, Exactly.

    From looking at these "conceptual" images, it appears that knocking down long-standing PEDRO's (the Domincan/Mexican food/bar) is part of "preserving the character" of the neighborhood.

    Utter bullshit.

    And to Adam... This is New York City. Unless you're handicapped and absolutely must drive, try using public transportation.
  • derf
    So all the existing buildings down Jay Street will be residential? What about all the small businesses in them now?
  • how would this affect the parking rules in the area. I work in the said area and can never find parking because all the streets say no parking from 8-6 pm. will this force them to change it or is that a whole different issue all together?
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