QUESTION
What are the commercial goals for the C4 commercial overlay, and is there potential to adjust its designated space for additional residential units?
0:44:57
·
3 min
The commercial goals for the C4 overlay aim to establish a cultural center, with no plans to adjust the space for residential purposes.
- The ground floor is designated as an arts space, developed in association with several arts organizations.
- The project's development fulfills a community request from the Brownsville plan, emphasizing affordable art spaces as a community resource.
- It supports the aim of activating the neighborhood and offering arts opportunities to the Brownsville residents, aligning with the area's gun violence plan.
- There are concerns about reducing community facility space for more residential units, highlighting the importance of balancing high-quality apartments with community commitments.
Amanda Farías
0:44:57
In in the C4, in your commercial overlay here, what were the commercials goals that you folks have listed?
0:45:05
Is it like a supermarket?
0:45:07
I mean, you're already doing laundry, so you don't need a laundromat down there is what what were what are the goals for the commercial space?
Katherine Gray
0:45:14
It was to create a cultural center.
0:45:16
So the full ground floor is the arts space.
Amanda Farías
0:45:20
Okay.
0:45:21
And you're working with is that development action area project for this?
Katherine Gray
0:45:28
We're working with pure elements, brick, music, the Brooklyn Music School, a youth design center, Brooklyn Arts Council.
Amanda Farías
0:45:39
Okay.
0:45:41
And does is this the the commercial overlay as the entire bottom floor the building?
Katherine Gray
0:45:47
That's the typical map on the zoning.
0:45:49
Yes.
Amanda Farías
0:45:50
Okay.
0:45:50
Is there room to reduce the square footage for this part of the project to add residential units.
0:45:59
Like, if you have 2 separate entrances, one for residential, that gives you extra units on bottom floor next to commercial space.
Arvind Sindhwani
0:46:07
So counts my very appreciate that sentiment.
0:46:09
The current uses that we identified for the art space on the ground floor were identified through the Brownsville plan.
0:46:17
That was a strong request from the community through our engagement to develop a big art space that's affordable to arts organizations in the neighborhood as like an anchor tenant to bring folks from the community.
0:46:31
Into the front door of the art space.
0:46:33
It's also part of the air's gun violence plan as well to activate the neighborhood and to bring arts opportunities to residents of Brownsville.
0:46:41
So we wanna make sure that while we are delivering high quality apartments for residents of Brownsville and future residents of Brownsville, we also wanna make sure that we're delivering on our commitment to bring a high quality and robust art space.
0:46:55
So I think there's trade offs there of, you know, reducing the community facility space.
0:47:00
There might also be zoning restrictions.
0:47:01
Sure.
0:47:02
But I will just say that They're real trade offs of exchanging community facility space for more residential units, and we wanna deliver on both.
Amanda Farías
0:47:09
Yeah.
0:47:10
No.
0:47:10
I I'm not questioning the intentionality of the project or even the intentions of the community residents who have said we will forego residential space because we deserve and want and desire and arts and cultural space.
0:47:24
Those things are existing at the same time in this building.
0:47:26
It's in in its development.
0:47:29
I ask in terms of just in flexibility, whether the zoning allows it or not, whether the community would be even I mean, that's something that I believe.
0:47:36
Like, I this was my project.
0:47:38
Would go back to community and say, hey, this came up and it's allowable.
0:47:43
Are we willing to forego some space to get only 2 or 3 more units?
0:47:47
Right?
0:47:47
Because that's really it wouldn't be read adapting an entire space in that way that we get 20 more.
0:47:53
But I only ask those things because we are talking about spatial equity here.
0:47:57
We all talking about, like, affordability, but I appreciate that answer.
0:48:02
And I have my follow-up question was if there were gonna be loading areas because I wasn't sure if there was going to need any for that commercial space, but thank you for the additional time chair.
