Q&A
Council member inquires about zoning changes and building heights for 1601 Bronxdale Avenue
3:16:54
·
4 min
Council Member Kristy Marmorato questions the development team about the zoning change from R61 to R73 for the 1601 Bronxdale Avenue site. The discussion covers the reasons for the zoning change, the proposed building heights, and how the development would fit within the existing community.
• The zoning change from R61 to R73 was due to the addition of a 90-foot wide boulevard, which required adjusting the FAR to maintain the proposed floor area. • The development team explains that buildings could reach up to 25 stories with bonuses for providing open spaces and other amenities. • Concerns are raised about how buildings of this scale would fit within the existing Van Ness and Morris Park community.
Kristy Marmorato
3:16:54
Sorry.
3:16:54
Sorry.
3:16:54
In the original draft scope of work, DCP proposed an R61 zoning district for this large site.
3:17:00
Which is considerably less density than the current proposal are 7 dash 3 district.
3:17:07
Can you please describe both district's briefly and explain why your team and DCP decided on a r 73 and why it was warranted.
David Karnovsky
3:17:16
In this you are right that in the scope, the R61 was described as the district.
3:17:21
It had a FAR of 3.9.
3:17:24
The R73 has a base FAR of 6.
3:17:27
The reason for this change is really that in between the initial scoping and being here today, It was decided that this site wouldn't have this large 90 foot wide boulevard running through it, that it occupies about a 100, 000 a square feet of lot area.
3:17:45
It a street does not generate floor area.
3:17:48
So by mapping the street, there's a significant loss of floor area to adjust the amount of floor area to reach what was originally proposed.
3:17:55
It was a change in the district designation which has a higher FAR, and that's the reason for the difference.
Kristy Marmorato
3:18:02
And this doesn't adjust height of the building with the change in zoning.
3:18:09
It's just an FAR change.
David Karnovsky
3:18:11
The city planning then went on to develop the r73 rules in this under the special district, And those hyperroles, I assume, would have been the same for the r s 61, but we never saw them because it didn't get to that point with the r s 61.
Kristy Marmorato
3:18:25
Okay.
3:18:27
And can you please describe I don't know.
3:18:29
1601 currently has operational businesses on-site.
3:18:33
What is the plan for those businesses?
3:18:35
And you have expected timeline to start the redevelopment in the rezoning.
Leslie Himmel
3:18:44
So we we have a parts authority.
3:18:46
It has been in the property for quite a while.
3:18:48
They have a lease that goes for about approximately another 7 years.
3:18:52
They have multiple other locations.
3:18:55
And if we are able to help the housing stock by developing on this property, they will have other options and plenty of time, you know, we'll help them find that.
Kristy Marmorato
3:19:05
Okay.
3:19:06
And when we met in the past, you've showed renderings of buildings up to 25 stories can you please explain how these buildings are possible giving in the max for an r 7th grade district is 185 feet.
David Karnovsky
3:19:20
The rezoning of those 2 things, it includes a base height of 185 feet, and then it establishes the ability to increase the height in connection with the provision of the open spaces, the construction of the street, and other elements of the program.
3:19:41
So in other words, there's a bonus attached to providing the open space in the street in particular.
3:19:47
And with that, you can reach higher heights as shown on the plan that we showed you yesterday.
Kristy Marmorato
3:19:52
Okay.
3:19:54
And can you explain how your team thinks development of the scale would fit within the existing Van Ness and Morse park community?
Hobum Moon
3:20:06
So this development is from the street perspective tip, you will see 813 story ratings, and we have a setbacks after 813 stories.
3:20:17
And the towers are further stepping back.
3:20:20
So from the high level perspective, it will not look like a 25 to intuitive like a wall look like buildings.
Kristy Marmorato
3:20:28
Would you think an 11 story building is appropriate right at the front of the property?
David Karnovsky
3:20:33
We
Kristy Marmorato
3:20:33
When Across the Street is only like a 2 story building.
Hobum Moon
3:20:37
We expect all the properties along Bronx Avenue maybe also up sold to the 13, 15 stories.
3:20:45
And we matched our high to that new development.
3:20:48
And also, we also studied across if Tremont Avenue currently have 18 stories.