Q&A
Rationale for proposing M1-5 zoning for the 150 Mill Street project
0:38:49
·
3 min
Council Member Avilés questions the applicant team about their rationale for proposing M1-5 zoning for the 150 Mill Street project. Richard Lobel, the attorney for the applicant, explains the reasoning behind this choice.
- The existing zoning is M1-1, with M1-2 and M1-4 allowing 2 FAR for commercial use
- M1-3 and M1-5 allow for 5 FAR for commercial use
- M1-5 was chosen because it doesn't require parking, which was deemed unnecessary due to the transit-rich area
- The 5 FAR allows for a mix of uses desired by the local community
- Lobel argues that the office space is cross-subsidizing nonprofit space, the fresh food market, and other uses within the building
- Avilés expresses concern about the appropriateness of M1-5 zoning in this part of the IBZ without a more comprehensive plan
Alexa Avilés
0:38:49
tell me, why did you decide to propose an m 15 for this location?
Richard Lobel
0:38:58
Yeah.
0:38:58
I can start.
0:38:59
So the the choice of zoning districts during the course of the application was from an existing M11.
0:39:07
You've got M12 and M14, which would allow for 2 f a r for commercial.
0:39:11
And an M13 and M15, which would allow for a 5 f a, and for commercial.
0:39:15
The M15 had the added benefit of not requiring parking, which in this area given that it's so transit rich nearby subways, 2 bus bus lines, was not deemed necessary.
0:39:26
So that's that was the decision point.
0:39:29
The 2 FAR for commercial would not make a meaningful building here, and the 5 FAR would allow for the mix of uses as was expressed and desired by the local community.
0:39:39
I mean, some of these other projects we've been discussing have serious grants from the EDC and from the city of New York in order to allow for their feasibility.
0:39:47
This is not essentially the office space which is being used here is in essence cross subsidizing nonprofit space of the fresh food market as well as other uses within the building.
0:40:00
So it's that's the square footage that was chosen in order to allow for this building to work.
Alexa Avilés
0:40:08
So how can we be sure that an M15 district is appropriate for this part of the IBC without a more comprehensive plan?
0:40:16
As you know, I see to my testimony, the city will be an engaging and a comprehensive plan and particularly looking at the eye disease.
Richard Lobel
0:40:23
Understood.
0:40:24
So you've got really 2 aspects of the application where you have to satisfy the city and the city council.
0:40:33
There's the Lany's perspective, and then there's the the public hearings and and the community perspective.
0:40:39
From a Lany's perspective, as is demonstrated by the vote of city planning and the density in the area.
0:40:46
There's no doubt that an M15 works at this site.
0:40:49
It produces a ten story building, which basically clears the expressway.
0:40:53
There's other, you know, the other buildings in the area.
0:40:56
This is not an area of low density.
0:40:57
There's commonly 6 to 8 story buildings within the area of the buildings, including in the in the Redhook area.
0:41:05
So, really, what you're looking at is whether or not the M15 is appropriate for this area in terms of public perception and in terms of the public discussion.
0:41:14
The square footage that has chosen for this building, as Nick said, it's not a a huge building and it's not a huge site that the site itself is 99100 square feet.
0:41:24
So the opportunity here, the 64,000 square feet would allow for the exact mix of food store, which council member, I know you're going to hear other testimony here for as far as local neighborhood residents are concerned.
0:41:39
There was never a question about the quality of the food store that would be coming in here.
0:41:42
Met Fresh is an applicant who we've brought through other applications before the city who has received tax incentives from the EDC for purposes of fresh applications, who has multiple locations throughout Brooklyn.
0:41:56
So this is not a you know, it is a a real applicant here.
0:42:00
And I think probably what we would convey to you is that we're not getting out of this deal, nor do we wanna be out of this deal.
0:42:06
Like, the the CBA right now, there's experienced counsel on the other side that is finalizing the CBA.
0:42:13
The restricted declaration, which was offered to the IDC, was a binding agreement of the same form that they have already signed in.
Alexa Avilés
0:42:20
But what is it?