Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy A. INTRODUCTION B. EXISTING CONDITIONS

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Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy

A. INTRODUCTION This chapter considers existing land use, zoning, and public land use policies related to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Project site and the surrounding study area. The proposed project would allow the development of a major new waterfront park along the shoreline from the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue. As described in Chapter 1, “Project Description,” it would consist of an approximately 85-acre public park with a mix of active and passive open spaces along the waterfront, as well as residential and commercial development to support operations and maintenance of the park and enhance and enliven the overall area. This development would include approximately 1,210 residential units, 151,200 square feet (sf) of retail space, an approximately 225-room hotel, approximately 1,283 parking spaces (excluding on-street parking), approximately 86,000 sf of restaurant space, and 30,000 sf of meeting space in the proposed hotel. Land use issues associated with the proposed actions include major changes in the use of the project site, as well as the proposed project’s potential effect on neighborhood land use patterns. Zoning and public policy issues include the compatibility of the proposed actions and resulting development with the existing zoning on the surrounding blocks and other existing public policies in effect for the area. The land use study area, encompassing roughly a 2,000-foot radius from the project site, represents those areas most sensitive to potential land use impacts resulting from the proposed project; it also includes those communities that would be most conveniently served by the park. The study area is bounded by Sackett Street on the south; a line generally defined by Court Street, Cadman Plaza West and Sand Street on the east; Navy Street/Hudson Street on the north; and the project limits on the west (see Figure 2-1). Overall, the proposed project would be consistent with land use, zoning, and public policy for the project site and the surrounding study area. The proposed project would introduce a major new public open space resource, along with residential and retail uses on a site that is currently underutilized and cut off from the adjoining neighborhoods. It would create publicly accessible open space along the waterfront, thereby accomplishing city policy goals of reusing formerly industrial waterfront areas for recreating activity. Therefore, the proposed project would not result in significant adverse impacts with respect to land use, zoning, and public policy.

B. EXISTING CONDITIONS

LAND USE

PROJECT SITE The project site comprises the East River waterfront area from Pier 6 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue to just north of the Manhattan Bridge (see Figure 2-2). It primarily contains a mix of active warehousing, storage, open space and recreation, commercial, and entertainment uses.

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Land Use Study Area BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK Figure 2-1 M A N H A T T B A R N O O B K R L Y N B R ID MARSHALL ST G E

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T Y O H

T T PR E S B S ES AL IDE Q S TI D W N B K C A T S S N R T C T O R I E B N H ST CA T R S RO LL E S ST T Q S N I V B C Y S A T D E T R R O M RO S U N A LL N G R S T L K T E AS B S R U P H S T L F U T L OO ER T B O S V R C T A SU D B E MM G 3 N IT R P A T ST R W S N E S Legend SI T E D S EN K E T S C W 1 T Q I OO PL Project Site B H DH ULL Carroll ST Land Use Study Area Gardens Residential Residential (with Ground Floor Retail) Hotels Commercial Institutional 0 200 400 800 Open Space Feet Industrial, Utilities, Transportation, Public Parking Vacant Lot

Vacant Building Under Construction Existing Land Use BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK Figure 2-2 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

Other uses include vacant structures and areas, surface parking, and a building used by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Pier 6, at the western end of Atlantic Avenue, contains a vacant piershed. Its upland area includes several covered storage huts as well as open storage areas occupied by American Stevedoring, Inc.. Pier 5 is leased to American Warehousing of New York, Inc. and primarily handles imported cocoa. Most of the Pier 5 upland area is leased to the Watchtower—a Jehovah’s Witness Facility—for use as surface parking. In the upland area between Piers 5 and 6, a 13-story building at 360 Furman Street formerly housing Watchtower operations has been sold to a private developer and is currently vacant. Pier 4 is an unused pier with a dilapidated rail float bridge. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has an electrical substation on the upland area adjacent to Pier 4. Pier 3, as well as a storage/garage building (Building 174), is leased by Strober Brothers for the warehousing of building supplies. Pier 2 is vacant, except for a U.S. Coast Guard harbor light. Portions of Pier 1 are used by Express Industries and Terminal Corp. for warehousing paper products. Along Furman Street, the upland area of Pier 1 includes the Cold Storage buildings, a large vacant structure. At the foot of Old Fulton Street, a public pier at the water’s edge contains a 1926 fireboat house that operates as an ice cream shop; Barge Music, a floating entertainment venue; and the River Café, a restaurant partly housed on a barge. Directly under the Brooklyn Bridge is the Purchase Building, which houses the New York City Office of Emergency Management. The area between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges is largely devoted to open space and recreational use. Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, covering approximately 9 acres, includes lawn areas, a waterfront esplanade, the historic and currently vacant Empire Stores, and the Tobacco Warehouse; it extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to about Main Street. In addition, Main Street Park—a recently-completed 1.5-acre city park and playground—occupies the waterfront east of Main Street. Additional park land is under construction beneath and just east of the Manhattan Bridge and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2005. A DEP water meter repair facility occupies a small building just west of the Manhattan Bridge alignment. The area north of the Manhattan Bridge is currently used for surface parking.

STUDY AREA The larger study area encompasses several Brooklyn neighborhoods, some of which are well- established, and others that are experiencing ongoing development, growth, and change. The neighborhoods in the study area include Cobble Hill and the Columbia Street Waterfront, Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Ferry at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, D.U.M.B.O., in the area between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, and Vinegar Hill. The Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and Atlantic Avenue are the major traffic thoroughfares within the study area, and they help to define the edges of the study area neighborhoods. Each of the neighborhoods is described in more detail below. Columbia Street Waterfront and Cobble Hill These two neighborhoods straddle either side of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway south of Atlantic Avenue, with Columbia Street to the west and Cobble Hill to the East. The two distinct neighborhoods are separated by the open cut of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that runs between them. The Columbia Street Waterfront neighborhood (sometimes referred to as Cobble Hill West, or more traditionally as part of Red Hook) contains a mix of residential and light industrial uses,

2-2 Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy with working waterfront activities along its western edge. Scattered vacant lots can also be found, some of which are used for parking. The area is undergoing growth, with new restaurants and art galleries, as well as new residential development. Columbia Street, the main thoroughfare in the neighborhood, contains local retail uses that are generally found at the ground floor of three- or four-story residential buildings. The side streets are lined with rowhouses, with some newer residential apartment conversions such as those centered along Tiffany Place. The waterfront proper includes the Red Hook Container Terminal. Enclosed piersheds are located on most of the piers, with the exception of Pier 9A, which features cranes and a container handling area. Between Columbia Street and the piers are a few waterfront-related structures, and open areas used for container and material storage and parking. At the north end of the Columbia Street Waterfront is Van Voorhees Park, a 5.25-acre public park situated among the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway ramps at Atlantic Avenue and a parking garage for Long Island College Hospital (LICH). Cobble Hill, a small, predominantly residential neighborhood, is a designated New York City historic landmark district. Cobble Hill is predominantly residential, with commercial retail uses concentrated along Atlantic Avenue to the north and Court Street to the east. Atlantic Avenue is the principal street corridor in this part of the study area. Typically, the mid-rise structures along both Court Street and Atlantic Avenue have ground-floor retail uses, with residences above. The retail space is neighborhood-oriented, providing goods and services for local residents and employees. Aside from the many brick and brownstone rowhouses that form the bulk of the neighborhood’s housing stock, there are also apartment buildings. Notable among them are two examples of 19th century model housing—the Home and Tower buildings at Hicks and Baltic Streets and the nearby brick “workingmen’s cottages” that line the mews of Warren Place between Warren and Baltic Streets. The major institutional use is Long Island College Hospital (LICH), which occupies a complex of buildings centered around Hicks and Amity Streets. Other institutional uses in this section of the study area include St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, a public school on Henry Street between Baltic and Kane Streets, and St. Francis Cabrini Chapel on De Graw Street. Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn's original residential neighborhood dating back to the early 19th century, Brooklyn Heights contains a well-established mix of residential, office, retail, and institutional uses. Above all, it is the heart of “brownstone Brooklyn,” with numerous 19th century brick and brownstone residential rowhouses along its tree-lined streets. There are also a number of larger apartment buildings that typically date from the first half of the 20th century. Nearly all of Brooklyn Heights is part of a landmarked historic district. Due in large part to its historic status and the lack of available land, new development in Brooklyn Heights is rare, but a few examples exist. One fairly recent residential development is a 33-story, 200-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space at 180 Montague Street, between Court and Clinton Streets. Another project is an entertainment complex on the west side of Court Street, between State and Schermerhorn Streets. This seven-story, approximately 200- foot-high complex includes a large multiplex movie theater and a bookstore. Aside from its historic character, perhaps the most striking feature of the area is its elevation above New York Harbor and the views that the topography afford. A central land use that reflects this is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a public open space at the western edge of the neighborhood. The Promenade, which is cantilevered above the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (and below that,

2-3 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

Furman Street), is a major attraction for both area residents and visitors. It features a walkway, benches, and a small playground, and provides open vistas of the Manhattan skyline and the Upper Harbor. Other open spaces within the Brooklyn Heights portion of the study area are limited, although there are a number of parks just east of the study area boundary including Cadman Plaza, Columbus Park, and Walt Whitman Park. Notable open space resources within the study area include Hillside Park, Chapin Playground, and Squibb Park (which has been closed for several years). These three open spaces are adjacent to each other along Columbia Heights near Middagh Street. More intense uses, including commercial office towers, are focused in the eastern part of the study area, toward Court Street and along Cadman Plaza West. Many of the uses in this area are associated with the civic and business uses that lie just east of and outside the study area including Brooklyn Borough Hall and the Municipal Building, several courts, and the MetroTech development. Major office buildings on Court Street/Cadman Plaza West include 1 Pierrepont Plaza, 16 Court Street, and 26 Court Street. There are also large residential towers north of Clark Street along Cadman Plaza West. Longstanding institutions within Brooklyn Heights include Packer Collegiate Institute on Joralemon Street; the Brooklyn Historical Society at the corner of Clinton and Pierrepont Streets; St. Francis College on Remsen Street, and numerous religious institutions. St. Francis College recently opened the Genovesi Center, a facility that will serve as a space for athletic competition, special events, community activities and academic affairs, on Joralemon Street. Fulton Ferry, D.U.M.B.O., and Vinegar Hill Fulton Ferry (sometimes called Fulton Landing) lies where the foot of Old Fulton Street meets the waterfront. In the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, it contains a range of land uses, including residential, open space, and commercial uses. There are also a few vacant lots and vacant former service stations. The primary residential building here is the Eagle Warehouse, a former storage building built in the 1890s and converted to apartments in the 1980s. Another noteworthy residential apartment building, the former Brooklyn City Railroad Co., lies opposite the project site at the corner of Furman and Old Fulton Streets. A few smaller residences are also found in the Fulton Ferry area. The north side of Old Fulton Street contains mostly commercial uses, with some restaurants and other retail uses. D.U.M.B.O. (short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a former industrial area that has seen rapid mixed-use growth and revitalization in the past ten years. A number of warehouse and manufacturing buildings in the area have been converted to residential use. Some of the initial larger conversions included the 12-story Clocktower Building at One Main Street, which was completed in 1998 and contains about 125 residential units and the Sweeney Buildings along Water Street. More recently completed residential projects include Bridgefront Condominiums at Front and Dock Streets, Fulton Landing Condominiums at 4 Water Street, and conversions at 79 and 50 Bridge Streets. There has also been some new construction on formerly underutilized lots, including a primarily residential rental building at Front and Washington Streets, and a new condominium at Main and Front Streets. Spurred by these fairly recent residential developments in D.U.M.B.O., restaurants, bars, galleries, grocery stores, and dry cleaners have also opened in the area. These include commercial uses such as an ABC Carpet store located on Jay Street between Plymouth and John Streets; various other home furnishing and design stores; a pet supply shop; and several dining establishments. An eight-story commercial building is also located on the northwest corner of

2-4 Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy

Jay and Front Streets, with other commercial uses scattered throughout the neighborhood. A few of the buildings that were once part of the Gair industrial complex (bounded by Plymouth, Main, York, and Adams Streets) continue to house light manufacturing uses, but also contain offices and numerous artists’ workspaces. The portion of D.U.M.B.O. east of the Manhattan Bridge, including the buildings that face the northern end of the project site, remains largely industrial, but is also experiencing a change to a greater mix of uses. Vinegar Hill, which generally lies east of Jay Street, also contains a wide range of uses. Although predominantly industrial in nature, the area contains a number of residences. Along Front Street are a few three-story brick row houses from the 19th century. Industrial uses include several bulky brick industrial buildings, and a large waterfront parcel of land owned and operated by Con Edison as a transformer field. There are also several surface parking areas in this part of the study area, including the full block bounded by York, Front, Bridge and Jay Streets. The Vinegar Hill area is also experiencing some residential conversion, as well as new construction. Projects include a conversion of an industrial building at 99 Gold Street for residential use. At the southern edge of Vinegar Hill lies a major residential complex, the Farragut Houses, which altogether comprises three large blocks of seven-story buildings with approximately 1,400 residential units. Several open spaces, such as Bridge Park, are also found in this area.

LAND USE REGULATIONS: ZONING AND CITY MAP

PROJECT SITE Most of the project site is zoned M2-1, with the northern end in an M3-1 district. (See Table 2-1 and Figure 2-3). Only commercial or manufacturing uses are permitted in these districts and the maximum permitted floor-area ratio (FAR) is 2.0. Areas zoned M2-1 are typically mapped in older industrial areas. Performance standards in M2 and M3 districts require that certain uses located in manufacturing districts comply with standards that govern noise, vibration, smoke and other particulate matter, odorous matter, toxic or noxious matter, radiation hazards, fire and explosive hazards, humidity, heat, and glare. M2-1 districts are considered medium manufacturing districts and M3-1 districts are intended for heavy industries, with lower performance standards. Typical uses in M3 zones include foundries and power plants. Most of the project site falls within the SV-1 Special Scenic View District. Its irregular boundaries extend approximately from Old Fulton Street to Atlantic Avenue, west of Furman Street. The intention of this district is to ensure that development in the waterfront area is compatible with the goal of preserving important scenic views; to assure the maintenance and enhancement of the aesthetic aspects of scenic views; to conserve the value of land and buildings; and to protect the city’s tax revenues. Portions of mapped City streets lie within the project site. These include Washington Street, New Dock Street, Atlantic Avenue, Joralemon Street, and Montague Street.

STUDY AREA The study area contains a range of residential, commercial, and manufacturing zoning designations. The most prevalent zoning district is R6, a residential district that is mapped for most of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and the Columbia Street Waterfront. The Farragut houses are also mapped R6. R6 districts are appropriate for medium density housing and typically produce developments between 3 and 12 stories. An R7-1 district is mapped in the northern part of Brooklyn Heights. The R7-1 district is a medium density apartment house district, which at its higher allowable FAR typically produces 14-story apartment buildings.

2-5 BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK BRIDGE BROOKLYN 6.22.05 Special-Purpose District Zoning DistrictBoundary Land UseStudyAreaBoundary Project Site

E A S T R I V E R C2-3 Overlay C2-2 Overlay C2-1 Overlay C1-5 Overlay C1-3 Overlay C1-2 Overlay C1-1 Overlay 0 Existing Zoning 1000 Figure 2-3

N 2000 Feet Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

Table 2-1 Study Area Zoning Districts Zone Use Floor Area Ratio (FAR) R6 Medium-density residential 0.78 - 2.43 R; 4.8 CF R6A General residence district; contextual 3.0 R, 3.0 CF R6B General residence district; contextual 2.0R, 2.0 CF R7-1 Medium-density residence district 0.87 - 3.44 R; 4.8 CF R8 General residence district 0.94 to 6.02 residential, 6.5 community R8A General residence district; contextual 6.02 residential, 6.5 community facility R9-1 General residence district 0.99 – 7.52 R, 10.0 CF C5-2A Medium bulk contextual commercial district 12.0 C, 12.0 CF, 12.0 R C6-2A Contextual commercial district outside central 6.0 C, 6.5 CF, 6.02 R business district C6-4 Medium-density office district, with high-density 10.0 C, 10.0 CF, 10.0 R (to 12.0 with residential bonus) M1-1 Light manufacturing, high performance standards 1.0 C, 1.0 M, 2.4 CF M1-2 2.0 C, 2.0 M, 4.8 CF M1-5 5.0 C, 5.0 M, 6.5 CF M1-6 10.0C, 10.0 M, 10.0CF M2-1 Medium manufacturing; medium performance 2.0 C, 2.0 M standards M3-1 Heavy manufacturing; low performance 2.0 C, 2.0 M standards Notes: CF = Community Facility, R = Residential, C = Commercial, M = Manufacturing Sources: New York City Zoning Resolution.

C5-2A and C6-4 districts are mapped in the portion of Brooklyn Heights nearest the civic center. C5-2A districts are medium bulk commercial districts intended primarily for retail uses that serve the metropolitan region and for areas where continuous retail frontage is desired. C6-4 districts are medium bulk office districts and are zoned for a wide range of commercial uses requiring a central location. These allow for development with uses and density appropriate for areas near the downtown core. C1 and C2 commercial overlays are found throughout the study area. These allow a range of local retail and service establishments within the underlying residential districts. In the past several years, rezonings have helped transform D.U.M.B.O. from an industrial area to a mixed-use neighborhood with residential, commercial, retail as well as light manufacturing uses. A 1997 rezoning changed two blocks between Water and Plymouth Streets from M1-2 to C6-2A. This zoning is a contextual commercial district that allows residential development in mixed use buildings. Other rezonings created a Special Mixed Use District, which encompasses two areas with underlying zoning of M1-2/R8A and M1-5/R9-1. In December 2004, the full block bounded by Jay Street to the west, Front Street to the North, Bridge Street to the east, and York Street to the south was rezoned from M1-2 to M1-2/R8 and the northeast corner of the block immediately to the south was rezoned from M1-2 to M1-2/R6. In these Special Mixed Use Districts, an M1 district is grouped with a residential district. Generally uses permitted in residential districts are also permitted in the Mixed Use District; uses permitted in the M1 district are also permitted in the Mixed Use District, with certain exceptions. In Special Mixed Use Districts bulk regulations that generally apply to residential uses, apply to the residential

2-6 Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy uses in a mixed use building, and the bulk regulations that apply to manufacturing uses apply to manufacturing, commercial, and community facility uses in mixed use buildings, with a few exceptions. Other light manufacturing high performance M1 districts are found in parts of the Columbia Street Waterfront neighborhood, as well as the area immediately east and west of the Manhattan Bridge. Vinegar Hill has also seen recent zoning changes. In 1999, the eastern portion was rezoned to R6A and R6B to encourage, strengthen, and support residential uses, which are surrounded by manufacturing and surface parking lots. At the eastern-most portion of the study area is a 2- block R6A district that allows for greater lot coverage and modified height and setback regulations. Aside from the mixed use district described above, the city has also mapped three other special districts in the study area. These special districts establish specific regulations in addition to the underlying zoning. As described above, the Special Scenic View District is mapped on the western portion of the study area, including much of the project site. A Limited Height (LH) district is mapped within the Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill communities. LH districts are a technique within the zoning code for regulating the height of buildings within the city’s historic districts; the boundaries of the LH district are usually commensurate with the boundaries of a historic district, in this case the Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill Historic Districts designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The Special Downtown Brooklyn District covers the area roughly bounded by Tillary Street to the north, Clinton Street to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the south, and Ashland Place and St. Felix Street to the east. Within the study area, the area east of Clinton Street falls within the Special Downtown Brooklyn District. The purpose of this district is to recognize the unique role of Downtown Brooklyn as the city’s third largest business district and to facilitate commercial development consistent with Downtown Brooklyn.

PUBLIC POLICY

BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK Following more than a decade of public advocacy and planning (see Chapter 1, “Project Description”), the Downtown Brooklyn Waterfront Local Development Corporation (LDC) was established in 1998, and with funding from the New York State Legislature, undertook a year- long public planning process to forge a concept for Brooklyn Bridge Park. The result of the community effort was the Brooklyn Bridge Park Illustrative Master Plan, dated September 2000, which presented a conceptual framework for a waterfront park. On May 2, 2002, Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in which they agreed to work together to realize the vision of a unified, sustainable public park, using the 2000 Illustrative Master Plan as the guide. Under the guidelines of the MOU, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) was created to plan, design, and implement a park on the waterfront stretching from Atlantic Avenue to beyond the Manhattan Bridge. The BBPDC is guided by an 11-member Board of Directors, 6 of whom are appointed by the Governor and 5 of whom are appointed by the Mayor.

NEW YORK CITY COMPREHENSIVE WATERFRONT PLAN The Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, issued by the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) in 1992, presents a long-range vision for New York City’s waterfront. This plan called for publicly accessible open space to be provided on the project site and recommended that

2-7 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS proposals for the Port Authority-owned Piers 1-5 consider the inclusion of housing, mixed uses, recreation, open space, and marina development.

PLAN FOR THE BROOKLYN WATERFRONT The Plan for the Brooklyn Waterfront, issued by DCP in 1994, is a detailed study of Brooklyn’s waterfront conducted in conjunction with the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan. The Plan for the Brooklyn Waterfront recommended the transformation of the project site primarily for public use and activity and the creation of a public waterfront from Washington Street under the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue. The plan identified a potential greenway/bikeway route running along the length of the project site’s waterfront.

REZONING INITIATIVES As discussed above, the rezoning actions that have taken place in the study area in recent years have illustrated the city’s support for encouraging a mix of uses in the waterfront area. These zoning changes, along with the new residential and commercial conversions that have occurred in D.U.M.B.O. and its environs, have helped transform the area into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. These developments are also compatible with the changes that have taken place in the city’s waterfront neighborhoods in general where manufacturing and shipping activities have been on the decline and a new mix of uses is being developed. Just outside the study area, New York City recently rezoned a section of Downtown Brooklyn to increase allowable commercial, residential, and community facility FARs in the downtown core and along its edges. This initiative rezoned an area in Downtown Brooklyn roughly bounded by Tillary Street to the north, Schermerhorn Street to the south, Adams Street to the west, and Ashland Place to the east. Over the long term, the approved actions are projected to stimulate approximately 6.7 million square feet of new development, including 4.6 million square feet of office space, 979,000 square feet of residential use, 844,000 square feet of retail, and 260,000 square feet of community facility and cultural space. The initiative would also include a sizable public parking component. Another rezoning immediately to the north—the Bridge Plaza Rezoning—rezoned light manufacturing districts to C4 and C6 commercial districts. Farther north of the project area, the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning, adopted in May of 2005, anticipates the creation of publicly accessible open space along approximately 2 miles of the East River waterfront, with a 28-acre city park and housing and retail uses on waterfront blocks. These recent rezonings continue the trends seen along the waterfront and in and just outside the study area that promote active commercial, residential, open space, entertainment and other types of development.

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM The project site is located within the boundaries of the coastal zone. Pursuant to federal legislation, New York State and City have adopted policies aimed at protecting resources in the coastal zone. New York City’s Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP) contains 10 major policies, each with several objectives focused on improving public access to the waterfront; reducing damage from flooding and other water-related disasters; protecting water quality, sensitive habitats, such as wetlands, and the aquatic ecosystem; reusing abandoned waterfront structures; and promoting development with appropriate land uses. Chapter 12, “Waterfront Revitalization Program,” provides a detailed analysis of the compatibility of the Proposed Action with the 10 WRP policies.

2-8 Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy

C. THE FUTURE WITHOUT THE PROPOSED PROJECT

LAND USE

PROJECT SITE In the future without the proposed project, it is likely that the Port Authority would develop the site or sell the site for subsequent development of a high-density use. However, as a conservative measure, for purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that no major changes would occur on the project site. It is assumed that without approval of the proposed plan and the actions necessary to implement it, a mix of waterfront industry, open space, vacant land and structures would continue to characterize the project site. Large portions of the project area would remain inaccessible to the public. It is expected that the New York City Office of Emergency Management would relocate to a nearby site in the Brooklyn Heights area absent the proposed actions. While the building at 360 Furman Street is currently vacant, absent discretionary land use approvals, it could be reoccupied with a light industrial or warehouse use; alternatively, it could be converted to residential use if the property were rezoned. It is also assumed that absent the proposed project, the former National Cold Storage buildings would be demolished.

STUDY AREA In the future without the proposed project, it is expected that demand for additional housing will continue as part of the citywide trend, with additional residential development occurring in Brooklyn. Overall, the existing study area land use trends are expected to continue with more residential and mixed-use in the D.U.M.B.O., Vinegar Hill, Fulton Ferry, and Columbia Street neighborhoods. In contrast, fewer changes are expected in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. Currently there are numerous residential and commercial projects expected to be developed within the study area prior to the 2012 Build year (see Table 2-2 and Figure 2-4). It is expected that the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will reopen Squibb Park, a 0.6-acre open space east of Furman Street between Cranberry and Middagh Streets that is currently closed. To establish the future context for a larger geographic area, residential, commercial, and institutional projects that are underway or have been recently completed in the vicinity of (but outside the boundaries of) the study area have also been identified (see Table 2-3).

ZONING AND CITY MAP

PROJECT SITE In the future without the proposed project, no change to zoning is anticipated for the project site. Absent the proposed actions, the owners of 360 Furman Street could apply for a rezoning of that parcel to allow for residential use, which would be its own discretionary action and subject to its own environmental review under city and/or state environmental regulations. No changes to the City Map are anticipated in the future without the proposed project.

STUDY AREA In the future without the proposed project, no new major changes to study area zoning have been initiated.

2-9 DUTCH ST.

MAIDEN LN.

LIBERTY ST.

WILLIAM ST. PINE ST. MANHATTAN

11.16.05 PLATT ST. MANHATTAN BRIDGE WALL ST.

CEDAR ST. PEARL ST. EAST RIVER FLETCHER ST.

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

MAIDEN LN.

WATER ST.

CON FRONT ST. MARSHALL ST. BEAVER ST. EDISON PEARL ST.

GOUVERNEUR LA. NEW DOCK ST. JOHN ST.

S.WILLIAM ST. EMPIRE- OLD SLIP FULTON FERRY PLYMOUTH ST. OLD SLIP STATE PARK 13 FULTON 8 10 FERRY WATER ST. VINEGAR DUMBO 9 3 HILL W FRONT ST. DOUGHTY ST. Pier 1 4 7 1 VINE ST. 5 6 OLD FULTON ST.

JAY JAY ST.

BRIDGE ST. YORK ST.

FURMAN ST. POPLAR ST. 2

PROSPECT ST. MIDDAGH 11ST.

PEARL ST.

CRANBERRY ST. Pier 2 SANDS ST.

ORANGE ST. HIGH ST.

PINEAPPLE ST. T

NAVY ST. S I

E WILLOW ST.

W NASSAU ST. Pier 3

A N. ELLIOTT PL. Z

CLARK ST. A

N CONCORD ST. COMMODORE A

M JOHN BARRY

D CHAPEL ST. A PARK

BROOKLYN C Pier 4 BROOKLYN-QUEENS EXPWY. COLUMBIA HTS. CATHEDRAL PL.

HEIGHTS CADMAN PLAZA EAST L

DUFFIELD ST. GOLD ST. BROOKLYN QUEENS EXPWY.

PRINCE ST. TILLARY ST.

PEDESTRIAN ST. 12 PIERREPONT ST. MONROE PL. Q R MONTAGUE ST. Pier 5 FLATBUSH AVE EXT. JOHNSON ST. GRACE CT. E REMSEN ST. FF V A S Pier 6 MYRTLE AVE. JORALEMON ST. M JJ KK ASHLAND PL. BORO EDWARDS ST. HALL

ADAMS ST. COLUMBIA PL. AITKEN PL. WILLOW PL. JAY JAY ST. Pier 7 FURMAN ST. HICKS ST. WILLOUGHBY ST. GARDEN PL. HENRY ST. EE GG HH SIDNEY PL. II ATLANTIC AVE. LAWRENCE ST. CLINTON ST. Pier 8 C BRIDGE ST. COURT ST.

J LIVINGSTON ST. FULTON ST. T D DEKALB AVE. B FORT GREENE PL. HUDSON AVE. SCHERMERHORN ST. ROCKWELL PL.

ST. FELIX ST. BOERUM PL. PACIFIC ST. SMITH ST. BB Z Pier 9a K COLUMBIA STATE ST. AMITY ST. DD STREET F ATLANTIC AVE. CC WATERFRONT COBBLE CONGRESS ST. N P

PACIFIC ST. FLATBUSH AVE. Pier 9b IRVING ST. HILL

WARREN ST. BERGEN ST. DEAN ST. SEDGWICK ST. O H WYCKOFF ST. KANE ST. BALTIC ST.

HOYT ST. BOND ST. NEVINS ST. DEGRAW ST. TIFFANY PL. BROOKLYN-QUEENS CONNECTING HWY. AA

SACKETT ST.

CHEEVER PL.

WARREN ST.

STRONG PL. Pier 10 UNION ST. HANSON PL. BALTIC ST. 3RD AVE. G TOMPKINS PL. N VAN BRUNT ST. DOUGLASS ST. PRESIDENT ST. DEGRAW ST. BUTLER ST.

SACKETT ST. CARROLL ST. U

HAMILTON AVE. 4TH AVE. Y

COLUMBIA ST.

0 1000 2000 Project Area Feet Land Use Study Area Boundary

1 No Build Project Locations Inside Study Area

A Proposed Development Outside Study Area

No Build Project Locations BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK Figure 2-4 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

Table 2-2 Development Projects Proposed by 2012 Within the Study Area Map Name/Address Build Residential Use Office/ Commercial Other Uses No. Year Use 1 Light Bridges (100 Jay 2005 153 dwelling units 88,000 sf 33,000 sf retail, 280 Street) parking spaces 2 85 Jay Street and 2006 1,000 dwelling units 26,000 sf 1,100 parking spaces Rezoning 3 53 Bridge Street TBD — 45,000 sf enlargement Addition of 6 stories to loft building 4 60-82 Washington Street 2005 254 dwelling units — — (Gair 5) 5 85 Adams Street 2005 80 dwelling units — Retail space, below grade parking 6 99 Gold Street 2005 70 dwelling units — 24 accessory parking spaces 7 84 Front Street 2005 44 dwelling units — Below grade parking 8 133-137 Water Street 2006 52 dwelling units — — 9 57 Front Street 2005 33 dwelling units — Conversion of loft building 10 4 Water Street 2005 20 dwelling units — — 11 20 Henry Street 2007 23 dwelling units — — 12 360 Furman Street — — approx. 668,000 sf light Projected reactivation of industrial space vacant building 13 37 Bridge Street 2006 60 Dwelling Units — Conversion of loft building 14 Piers 7, 8, 9a, 9b, 11 By 2012 — — Maritime/industrial uses Sources: Downtown Brooklyn Council, New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), DCP, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), AKRF.

Outside the study area, a proposal is under consideration for the Atlantic Terminal area. This major project would occupy an approximately 22-acre area bounded by Flatbush, Fourth, Vanderbilt and Atlantic Avenues and Dean Street and would include an approximately 20,000 seat sports arena, as well as 628,000 gross square feet (gsf) of office space, 196,000 gsf of hotel use, 256,000 gsf of retail and community facility space, up to 7,300 mixed-income residential units, and more than 7 acres of new public open space. The project would also include on-site parking facilities to accommodate approximately 3,500 vehicles. Additionally, development outside the study area is projected to occur in Downtown Brooklyn, as a result of the Downtown Brooklyn Rezoning project. (Table 2-3 includes projects that are projected to be developed by 2013 in Downtown Brooklyn, as presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement prepared for that project).

PUBLIC POLICY

PROJECT SITE In the future without the proposed project, no changes to public policy have been identified for the project site.

STUDY AREA In the future without the proposed project, no new major public policy initiatives for the study area have been identified.

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Table 2-3 Projects Proposed or Recently Constructed in the Vicinity of the Study Area Map Residential No. Name/Address Use Office/Commercial Use Other Uses A 9 MetroTech (NW corner Flatbush Avenue Extension — 670,000 sf for Empire Blue 272-space parking garage (includes 133 public and Myrtle Avenue) Cross-Blue Shield, NYC spaces), 6,000 sf retail Human Resources Administration B 53 Boerum Place 100 units — 85 parking spaces C 110 Livingston Street 245 units — 6,000 sf theater, 225 below-grade parking spaces D Atlantic and Court (NE corner of Court Street) 320 units — 20,000 sf retail, 40,000 sf YMCA, 700 car public parking facility E 330 Jay Street — 170,000 sf 780,000 sf court space, 150-space accessory car garage F Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street (Block 176) 50 units 31,500 sf 15,000 sf ground-floor retail + 8,500 sf community facility, 130 space garage G Atlantic Terminal — 425,000 sf 470,000 sf retail, rehabilitated LIRR station H BAM LDC East (Block 2108 bounded by Ashland 100,000 sf — 60,000 sf cultural uses Place, Fulton, Lafayette and St. Felix Streets) I Bridge Plaza Rezoning (area bounded by Tillary, 295 anticipated — Rezoning from M1-1 to R6B, C6-2 and C4-3 Prince, Nassau and Jay Streets) following recently approved rezoning J Brooklyn Law School dormitory (NW corner State — — 371-bed dormitory, 212-space public parking Street and Boerum Place) garage K ESDC/HS 440 housing units — 40,000 sf community facility, commercial or hotel, (S side Schermerhorn between Hoyt and Smith; E (including 200 65,000 sf retail side Smith b/ Schermerhorn and State Streets) affordable housing units) L Federal Courthouse (NW corner Adams and Tillary — — 700,000 sf for courtrooms and judges’ chambers Streets) for U.S. Eastern District of New York, operations for U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, as well as other court-related agencies. M New York Marriott Brooklyn Expansion (Adams — — 280-room hotel annex, 8,500 sf retail Street N of Willoughby Street) N Schermerhorn between Hoyt and Bond Streets 135 units, 14 — 14,700 sf ground-floor retail and 50 parking townhouses spaces O BAM LDC North (Block 2107 bounded by Ashland 570,000 sf — 10,000 sf retail, 7,000 sf open space, 43,000 sf and Rockwell Places and Lafayette and Fulton dance center, 160,000 sf museum/gallery, 50,000 Streets) sf theater, and 465-space parking facility P Bond Street Garage — — 14,000 sf retail, 4,000 sf community facility Q City University (site A) — — 590,777 sf additional academic/community facility use per University master plan R City University (site B) — — 258,938 sf additional academic/community facility use per University master plan S Ingersoll Community Center — — New 18,250 sf community center to replace former 9,000 sf center T LIU Recreation and Wellness Center (site of present — 10,000 sf for Brooklyn Hospital 117,000 sf wellness/recreation center with Goldner Building and LIU tennis courts) Center/athletic staff natatorium, tennis courts, track, 3,500 seating for athletic events U Atlantic Yards Arena and Development Project 7,300 units 628,000 sf 196,000 sf hotel, 256,000 sf retail and community facility, 4,000 parking spaces, 7 acres open space, 850,000 sf arena V Site G* 60 units — — W 91 Hudson Avenue TBD — — X Piers 10, 12 — — Cruise ship terminal Y 567 Warren Street 20 units — — Z 80 DeKalb Avenue 430 units — — AA BAM LDC North (Block 2107 bounded by Ashland 15,000 sf retail 140,000 sf visual and performing arts library, 466 Place, Lafayette and Flatbush Avenues) parking spaces BB Site S* 337,000 sf office; 51,000 sf — retail CC Site BB* 186 units 21,000 sf — DD Site AA* 163 units 18,000 sf — EE Site M* — 778,000 office; 70,000 retail — FF Site C* — 720,00 sf office — GG Site O* — 544,000 sf office; 50,000 sf — retail HH Site P* — 999,000 sf office; 48,000 sf — retail II Site Q* — 1,233,000 sf office; 415,000 sf — retail JJ Site I(A)* 300 units 60,000 sf retail — KK Site J* 259 units 86,000 sf retail — Notes: *Projected development site in Downtown Brooklyn Rezoning Final Environmental Impact Statement. Sources: Downtown Brooklyn Council, EDC, DCP, HPD, AKRF.

2-11 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

D. THE FUTURE WITH THE PROPOSED PROJECT

LAND USE

PROJECT SITE In the future with the proposed action, a major new waterfront park with passive and active recreational facilities would replace the vacant land, industrial uses, parking lots, and vacant buildings on the project site. In addition, the proposed project would replace vacant land and buildings with residential and retail uses as well as a hotel. On Pier 6 and the adjacent upland area, vacant buildings and open storage areas would be replaced with landscaping, recreational facilities, and two residential buildings. The vacant building at 360 Furman Street would be converted to residential use, parking, and a restaurant and retail stores on the ground floor. Two stories of residential use would be added to the building. Between Piers 5 and 6, mooring would be provided for historic vessels. The industrial use on Pier 5 would be replaced with three playing fields and seasonal parking. The surface parking on the adjacent upland area would be replaced with landscaping and pedestrian areas. Two existing buildings in this area would be reused for a park-compatible use or be demolished. Between Piers 4 and 5, a marina with approximately 185 slips would be constructed. Pier 4, which is currently unused and in disrepair, would be transformed into a nature island. Portions of warehouse buildings on Piers 2 and 3 would be adaptively reused as sports courts, while the remainder of these piers would become lawns. The upland area between Piers 2 and 5 would have a sloped topography, with hills, open lawns, and pedestrian paths. Warehouse uses on Pier 1 would be replaced with a landscaped area with paths and a lawn with informal performance/gathering space. The size of Pier 1 would be reduced to increase the amount of open water area in a safe water zone. A restaurant would be constructed along the water, and hotel and residential buildings would be constructed on the adjacent upland area along Furman Street. The hotel and residential buildings would be located on the site of the former Cold Storage buildings. At the foot of Old Fulton Street, the floating Barge Music venue, the Fulton Ferry Landing, and the River Café and its landscaped area would remain. The Purchase Building under the Brooklyn Bridge would be demolished, and the land under and surrounding the bridge would be converted to open space with paving and landscaping. Land use on the existing open spaces between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, which include Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park and Main Street Park on the waterfront east of Main Street, would remain largely unchanged with the proposed project. The vacant Empire Stores warehouse building would be reused as retail and commercial office space. The DEP water meter repair building just west of the Manhattan Bridge could be converted to a park-compatible use to be determined. East of the Manhattan Bridge, landscaped area and a residential building would be constructed on what is currently a parking lot. Overall, there would be no significant adverse impacts on land use on the project site, as the proposed project would replace vacant and underutilized land with recreational facilities and residential and commercial uses. These proposed uses would be compatible with, and in support of, the land uses found in the surrounding area and would represent a dramatic improvement compared to the future without the project.

2-12 Chapter 2: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy

STUDY AREA No major changes to land use in the study area are expected as a result of the proposed project. The proposed project would complement the predominantly residential land uses in the adjacent upland neighborhoods. The proposed project’s open spaces would serve the residential neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill and provide needed recreational space for residents. The mixed-use neighborhoods of D.U.M.B.O. and Vinegar Hill, which are expected to continue their recent trend toward increased residential use, would also benefit from new recreational opportunities for residents. In addition, the residential buildings included in the proposed project would be compatible with the residential character of the adjoining neighborhoods. Restaurants and retail uses included in the proposed project would draw residents of the adjacent neighborhoods to the park during both daytime and evening hours. Together, the components of the park would introduce active uses along the waterfront (particularly in the area between Old Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue) and enliven an area that is now underutilized and largely inaccessible. Overall, the proposed project would serve to connect surrounding communities to the waterfront and to each other while enhancing the overall area, and there would be no significant adverse impacts on land use in the study area.

LAND USE REGULATIONS: ZONING AND CITY MAP

PROJECT SITE Aspects of the proposed project would not conform with the project site’s M2-1 and M3-1 zoning with respect to land use, as the proposed park, residential, and hotel uses would not be permitted under these zoning districts. However, the proposed project would not involve changes to zoning on the project site because ESDC anticipates an override of local zoning with consent by the city. The proposed project would comply with the Special Scenic View District mapped across much of the project site by ensuring that views of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade would not be obstructed. As described above, the land uses included in the proposed project are consistent with uses in the adjacent upland neighborhoods. The recreational, commercial, residential, and other proposed uses would be more compatible with the adjacent residential neighborhoods than are the light industrial uses in the future without the proposed project. Although new buildings on the project site would increase bulk in certain parts of the park, the total floor area across the entire project site would be within that permitted by the M2-1 and M3-1 zoning districts’ maximum FAR of 2.0. Overall, there would be no significant adverse impacts with respect to zoning on the project site. To facilitate park use, ESDC and BBPDC expect to override requirements regarding the City Map for portions of the following streets that lie within the project site: Washington Street, New Dock Street, Atlantic Avenue, Joralemon Street, and Montague Street. The portions of Washington Street, New Dock Street, and Atlantic Avenue within the project site would be incorporated into park entrances. The portions of Joralemon and Montague Streets that are within the project site would be part of the circulation system of the proposed park. The override of the City Map for these streets would not alter traffic circulation in the neighborhood and therefore would not cause a significant adverse impact or affect operation of neighboring roadways.

2-13 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS

STUDY AREA No changes to zoning in the study area are expected to result from the proposed project.

PUBLIC POLICY

PROJECT SITE The proposed project would be consistent with the public policies that apply to the site. It would fulfill the mandate from Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg, as embodied in the MOU, to create financially self-sustaining waterfront park. The residential and hotel uses are proposed to meet this requirement; they would generate the funds necessary to support the annual maintenance and operations of the park, while also meeting the condition in the MOU that no less than 80 percent of the project area be reserved as open space and dedicated as parkland; the plan as proposed uses approximately 10 percent of the park area for development uses. Because the proposed park would be financially self-sustaining, it would not have to compete with other parks for scarce governmental resources. In addition, as described in Chapter 12, “Waterfront Revitalization Program,” the proposed project is consistent with the city’s policies focused on improving public access to the waterfront. With the exception of two open spaces between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, all of the waterfront area within the project site is currently inaccessible to the public. The proposed project would result in continuous public waterfront access from Atlantic Avenue to Jay Street. Therefore, the proposed project would be consistent with public policies relating to the project site.

STUDY AREA The proposed project would be consistent with public policies applying to the study area and other nearby areas of Brooklyn. The proposed waterfront park would provide a major new open space resource for the surrounding neighborhoods and the borough as a whole, responding to the needs of a population that is severely underserved with respect to public recreational opportunities. It would create new waterfront open space, connect the upland neighborhoods to the waterfront, and would be consistent with a city- and nationwide trend for the adaptive reuse of the historic waterfront areas. In addition, the proposed project complements city zoning policies for the nearby neighborhoods. Recent zoning changes, including those in Downtown Brooklyn and Bridge Plaza, have been approved with the aim of stimulating commercial and residential development. The proposed project, by adding new open space, retail space, and residential buildings along the waterfront, would contribute to the area’s public amenities and vitality, and therefore would support the continued revitalization of nearby commercial and residential areas. Therefore, the proposed project would be consistent with public policies relating to the study area.

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