Coming To McGuinness Boulevard: R7 Zoning?

This item was brought to my attention by an anonymous tipster. While methinks we can all agree that 910 Manhattan Avenue (the former location of Club Exit) would be a splendid place to have a health club, this is not what concerns your truly. Rather, it is the first item. Which brings me to the second page of this notice.

To give you all an idea of exactly how large the parcel in question is I have taken the liberty of grabbing a map via Google.

Now let’s review what the city has to say about R-7 zoning (which is what is being proposed):

7 districts are medium-density apartment house districts mapped in much of the Bronx as well as the Upper West Side in Manhattan and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn. The height factor regulations for R7 districts encourage lower apartment buildings on smaller zoning lots and, on larger lots, taller buildings with less lot coverage. As an alternative, developers may choose the optional Quality Housing regulations to build lower buildings with greater lot coverage.

Regulations for residential development in R7-1 and R7-2 districts are essentially the same except that R7-2 districts, which are mapped primarily in upper Manhattan, have lower parking requirements.

Our Land Use Chair (a very nice lady who happens to also be named Heather) has given me a general rundown of what’s up. She writes:

Hi Heather – The proposal is to rezone half the block that is currently M1-1 to R7A/C2-4. FAR = 4.6. The west side of McGuiness Blvd to the north is R6A and to the south is R7A. The applicant only owns the site in the middle of the block

(Le Cue/Blockbuster building). Proposed is an 8 story mixed-use building, approx. 155,000 sf of floor area in total, 141 dwelling units above 23,000 sf of ground floor commercial space. 40 dwelling units will qualify as low income units pursuant to the Inclusionary Housing Program. Of course, that means the developer gets additional floor area for every square foot of affordable housing he builds. Also, 68 residential parking spaces, 23 commercial parking spaces and 9,000 sf of tenant recreation space.

to give you a sense of the size, it is the same zoning as the building under construction on Bedford/N. 12th, along McCarren park, only the McGuiness site is half the block in depth, not the full block.

So there you go. Whether or not the previous is your cup of tea, gentle readers, you can view the presentation for this and most importantly of all ask questions soon!

Community Board 1 Land Use/Ulurp/Landmarks Joint Committee Meeting
September 5th, 2012 starting at 6:30 p.m.
203 Diamond Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222 

UPDATE, 1:37 p.m.: I have been sent the questionnaire for this R7 request. Without further ado, here it is.