Comments on: T.O.D. in Brooklyn: Turning Parking Lots into Housing http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:07:22 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Rob Perris http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8991 Rob Perris Thu, 02 Nov 2006 02:28:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8991 I knew when I didn't lay it all out, I was begging to be asked. I am vague on the early years but I'll offer what I know. ESDC acquired some or all of the land in 1974 as part of the Schermerhorn-Pacific Urban Renewal Project. The original project met with community opposition and didn't occur. I don't know the purpose of the original URP, or what the opposition was. Later, the sites were proposed for county courts, which also met resistance. BP Golden formed, in partnership with several local organizations, the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Community Task Force in 1998 to recommend redevelopment plans. It was a very succesful, grass-roots planning exercise that created the development brief with design guidelines. ESDC started issuing RFPs a couple years later and the development that is occurring now, which includes mandatory affordable housing, is the product. That development is quite capably summarized above. I knew when I didn't lay it all out, I was begging to be asked. I am vague on the early years but I'll offer what I know. ESDC acquired some or all of the land in 1974 as part of the Schermerhorn-Pacific Urban Renewal Project. The original project met with community opposition and didn't occur. I don't know the purpose of the original URP, or what the opposition was. Later, the sites were proposed for county courts, which also met resistance. BP Golden formed, in partnership with several local organizations, the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Community Task Force in 1998 to recommend redevelopment plans. It was a very succesful, grass-roots planning exercise that created the development brief with design guidelines. ESDC started issuing RFPs a couple years later and the development that is occurring now, which includes mandatory affordable housing, is the product. That development is quite capably summarized above.

]]> By: AD http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8925 AD Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:14:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8925 <p>Rob, please do educate us on the history, either in a comment or if you have links to documents that discuss the community activism or the urban renewal, I'd love to learn more about that aspect. </p> Rob, please do educate us on the history, either in a comment or if you have links to documents that discuss the community activism or the urban renewal, I'd love to learn more about that aspect.

]]> By: someguy http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8914 someguy Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:09:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8914 FYI, Rob P. is the director(?) of Brooklyn CB2. Rob, pls educate us :) FYI, Rob P. is the director(?) of Brooklyn CB2. Rob, pls educate us :)

]]> By: Rob Perris http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8909 Rob Perris Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:11:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8909 This post is regretably completely ignorant of the history of this urban renewal area. The new buildings are not a result of the current real estate market, but rather community activism in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden and the Economic Development Corporation. This post is regretably completely ignorant of the history of this urban renewal area. The new buildings are not a result of the current real estate market, but rather community activism in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden and the Economic Development Corporation.

]]> By: NoLandGrab http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8847 NoLandGrab Wed, 01 Nov 2006 14:55:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8847 Is it coincidence that this faded section of downtown Brooklyn, replete with massive parking lots, had languished for oh, say, 60 years? NLG thinks not. For that reason alone, the Atlantic Yards project, with its multi-acre "interim surface parking lot" (a neighborhood-killer if ever there was one), should be condemned to living out its days in model form, confined securely in the Atlantic Center mall's "exhibition" room. Is it coincidence that this faded section of downtown Brooklyn, replete with massive parking lots, had languished for oh, say, 60 years? NLG thinks not. For that reason alone, the Atlantic Yards project, with its multi-acre "interim surface parking lot" (a neighborhood-killer if ever there was one), should be condemned to living out its days in model form, confined securely in the Atlantic Center mall's "exhibition" room.

]]> By: Eric http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8838 Eric Wed, 01 Nov 2006 14:22:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8838 "State Renaissance Court?" That's the best name they could come up with? Sounds like a motel in Dallas. Still, if I can only complain that these Schermerhorn projects should have better names, that's a pretty good commentary. This is exactly the type of development that Brooklyn deserves. "State Renaissance Court?" That's the best name they could come up with? Sounds like a motel in Dallas.

Still, if I can only complain that these Schermerhorn projects should have better names, that's a pretty good commentary. This is exactly the type of development that Brooklyn deserves.

]]> By: mfs http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8731 mfs Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:10:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8731 I think it's actually both. The construction of the subway probably took some of the buildings, but I think Aaron is also right in that this area was part of the Downtown Brooklyn urban renewal plan and may have involved further demolition that stalled. I think it's actually both. The construction of the subway probably took some of the buildings, but I think Aaron is also right in that this area was part of the Downtown Brooklyn urban renewal plan and may have involved further demolition that stalled.

]]> By: crzwdjk http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8691 crzwdjk Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:20:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8691 Given the width of a six-track station with four platforms, the subway story does seem like a likely explanation. A good deal of stuff was demolished to build the IND subway, including the initial widening of Houston Street, and the extension of Sixth Avenue past 3rd Street down to a connection to Church. Given the width of a six-track station with four platforms, the subway story does seem like a likely explanation. A good deal of stuff was demolished to build the IND subway, including the initial widening of Houston Street, and the extension of Sixth Avenue past 3rd Street down to a connection to Church.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8670 Aaron Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:19:17 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8670 Are you sure, Mike? I had heard that those blocks were cleared out for urban renewal in the 1960's but then Brooklyn went down hill and the financing never came through to build anything there. Are you sure, Mike? I had heard that those blocks were cleared out for urban renewal in the 1960's but then Brooklyn went down hill and the financing never came through to build anything there.

]]> By: AD http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8669 AD Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:15:57 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8669 Mike, thanks for that info. I was wondering whether there was any sort of "urban renewal" that went on here. Mike, thanks for that info. I was wondering whether there was any sort of "urban renewal" that went on here.

]]> By: Mike http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/31/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/comment-page-1/#comment-8667 Mike Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:06:18 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/24/transit-oriented-development-at-schermerhorn-street/#comment-8667 The reason for these parking lots is very simple: the buildings on the south side of Schermerhorn were demolished for the construction of the six-track subway line and station (which, as you may have noticed, is much wider than the street above). They were then (for the most part) never built over, because there wasn't much demand for real estate on the south side of downtown Brooklyn from the 1930s until today. Fortunately, that has changed, and these eyesores can be removed. The reason for these parking lots is very simple: the buildings on the south side of Schermerhorn were demolished for the construction of the six-track subway line and station (which, as you may have noticed, is much wider than the street above). They were then (for the most part) never built over, because there wasn't much demand for real estate on the south side of downtown Brooklyn from the 1930s until today. Fortunately, that has changed, and these eyesores can be removed.

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