PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Simeon Bankoff on 441/467 Prospect Avenue (Arrow Linen) Rezoning
4:52:28
ยท
128 sec
Simeon Bankoff, a long-time Windsor Terrace resident and historic preservation consultant, testifies against the proposed rezoning for the Arrow Linen site. He argues that the project would be detrimental to the neighborhood's character and set a dangerous precedent for future developments.
- Bankoff contends that the proposal contradicts the area's 20-year-old rezoning plan, which was designed to protect the low-rise character of the neighborhood.
- He expresses concerns about potential displacement of existing tenants and local businesses, as well as negative impacts on the commercial district along Prospect Park West.
- Bankoff warns that approving this rezoning could lead to similar developments on nearby sites, drastically altering the physical character of the entire neighborhood.
Simeon Bankoff
4:52:28
Good afternoon.
4:52:29
My name is Simeon Bankoff.
4:52:30
I've lived in Windsor Terrace with my family for over 30 years and have owned a 2 family house within the area of potential effect of this project for 26 years.
4:52:38
I'm a professional historic preservation consultant, and I'm speaking on my own behalf.
4:52:42
This proposal will be incredibly deleterious to the Windsor Terrace neighborhood by setting up a precedent for sacrificing rational community planning for private economic growth.
4:52:51
The neighborhood was rezoned only 20 years ago, which at the time DCP said to protect the predominantly low rise character of the neighborhood, reinforce several avenue corridors, for mixed use, and provide opportunities for apartment house construction.
4:53:06
This is not an apartment house.
4:53:07
These are towers.
4:53:09
The current plan flies in the face of the sustainable rational planning in addition to overshadowing blocks of existing residential houses in darkness.
4:53:16
The current proposal will serve to displace dozens of existing tenants from their homes, have deleterious effects to the local shopping district on Prospect Park West, which commercial rates will invariably rise in value and displace existing commercial tenants in favor of larger change, which can afford the new rents.
4:53:33
These business owners, tenants, and their employees represent who are the chief streams of ethnic and economic diversity in the area and will be negatively affected and will be a potential a dangerous and potentially disastrous precedent for other potential developments in the immediate area.
4:53:47
I've counted 5 empty sites within a 500 foot distance from the project site, and my list is not comprehensive.
4:53:53
These large sites are currently zoned contextually in order to encourage substantial amounts of quality housing at a scale that's compatible with existing built environment just like the Arrow Linen site.
4:54:04
If Arrow Linen is permitted to blow out the existing zoning, these sites will be likely to be next, and the entire physical character of the neighborhood will be irrevocably altered.
4:54:12
Mid block residential blocks will look like 4th Avenue, a disastrous rezoning, which served at Brute a long time Latino population and required a follow-up corrective action to make the new developments even vaguely terrible to pedestrians.
4:54:25
Frankly, this proposal is for unconstrained growth in the neighborhood, and that's before before one considers the effects of city.
4:54:31
Yes.
UNKNOWN
4:54:31
Take your time to expire.
Simeon Bankoff
4:54:33
Unconstrained growth damages the whole of the neighborhood and leads to Syria