100 Luquer Street, developer: Abe Klein
340 Court Street, Developer: Clarett Group
360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place, Developer: William Stein* Respect The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood
*Respect The Residents
*Respect Their Residences
*Make My Buildings Fit Contextually Into This Brownstone Neighborhood
* Communicate With Residents
*Carroll Gardeners Are Smart, Treat Them Accordingly
* Don't Lie To Them
*Don't Forget That Carroll Gardeners Will Speak Out In Order To Protect Their Historical Brownstone Neighborhood
Below is an interesting article on the subject. It just appeared in The Real Deal.
In Carroll Gardens, neighborhood watch is for developers
Community activists reshape projects in Carroll Gardens
By Amy Miller
The gray, institutional-looking building that until recently sat at 340 Court Street in Carroll Gardens used to house the once-powerful International Longshoremen's Association.
But if the Clarett Group has its way, the aging building between Union and Sackett streets, which has already been demolished, will be replaced by a gleaming new 70-foot-high condo building with 30 to 40 new units.
The seven-story design is a scaled-back plan from Clarett's original vision. In many ways, the story of 340 Court Street encapsulates the neighborhood's real estate market, as ambitious developers trim their plans in the face of community opposition.
Even in a cooling market, Clarett is not the only one gambling on Carroll Gardens, a neighborhood that has managed to maintain some of its old-world Italian flair despite the hordes of young professionals and hipsters that have settled there.
Known for its limited inventory and established brownstone blocks, the area is also full of politically active neighborhood groups that closely watch empty lots and building applications submitted to the city.
Abe Klein is developing a 14-story condo at 100 Luquer Street. The Karl Fisher-designed tower is going up deep in the neighborhood, overlooking the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The building will have floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides and will include 20 condos.
The units are expected to go on the market this summer for between $755,000 and $850,000, Klein said. He added that neighbors haven't complained to his company, noting the buyers will probably be Wall Streeters who want to be close to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and BQE, and have easy access to work.
"I'm already getting calls," he said. "I don't think we will have a problem selling it, even in this market."
Yet on the Internet, the building's reception has been less than warm. On Curbed.com, the real estate site, the project has been dubbed the "Carroll Gardens Monstrosity." Readers have pointed out that even though the project is in a remote part of the neighborhood, the building is out of character with the four- to five-story buildings nearby.
Residents also rallied against a 49-unit project at 360 Smith Street, which is located near the Carroll Street subway station and is now under way in full force. The developer, William Stein, had originally tapped controversial architect Robert Scarano to design the glass-and-brick structure. But recently, Stein replaced Scarano with KSQ Architects and unveiled a scaled-down plan. That may have been in response to community activists, who seem to be effective at winning concessions.
But it's not just the building's design that has activists fuming. They're worried about losing a portion of the neighboring Smith Street Plaza to the project.
For the Court Street project, an online petition drive yielded nearly 1,100 signatures to push city officials to a impose a 50-foot-height restriction on all new construction in the neighborhood. In addition, neighbors registered 22 complaints with the Department of Buildings about construction at the site.
Those same locals also seem to have prompted the Clarett Group, which, according to city records, took out a $15.5 million mortgage on its property in February, to come forward with a proposal they hope will pass the community smell test.
The developers and architects faced about 200 mostly disgruntled residents at a public meeting in early April when they revealed designs for the project.
While a few residents thanked the developers for having the meeting, many walked away disappointed, Paul Nelson, chief of staff for state Assemblywoman Joan Millman said. Residents were particularly upset by the proposed condo's slate gray color, saying it would clash with the neighborhood's typically brown, earth-toned buildings.
"Many people were stunned by how dark it was," Nelson said. He added it was unclear whether Clarett representatives would appear at another public hearing.
Clarett declined to comment or provide artist renderings when contacted by The Real Deal, but officials there have said the project, designed by architect Rogers Marvel, will be seven stories rather than the allowable 21.
"The developers could have put up a 21-story building," Nelson said. "And we're very glad at least that they're not doing that. People feel very much under attack."
Clarett is also planning 14 four-story, single-family townhouses on Sackett and Union streets with relatively spacious front yards that fit in with the other homes in the neighborhood, Nelson said.
The project will also include ground-floor retail, which could reinvigorate the block. Nelson – who noted that nobody has seen the Clarett Group's renderings yet –said he is hoping the space is rented to a grocery story or post office.
Such big-time projects aren't the only ones drawing fire in Carroll Gardens. Angela Vita, owner and broker at Vita Real Estate on Court Street, said many residents are also angry about a seven-story brick condo at 11 2nd Place between Clinton and Henry streets.
Despite such neighborhood opposition, condo sales have been strong, suggesting that there is a market for this type of development.
The 11 condos on 2nd Place sold for between $600,000 for a one-bedroom unit and $1.3 million for the penthouse, Vita said. Also, all but two of the 18 condos at the recently completed Terraces on Court located at 529 Court Street have sold, Vita said in April. The last two apartments, both two-bedroom units in the five-story, beige-brick project, are on the market for $659,000.
Meanwhile, Vita said the owner of a parking lot at 260 Smith Street and Degraw Street plans to turn his property into a 44-unit residential project. But, she said he hasn't decided whether to rent or sell units. But, given that project's location, the Carroll Gardens community groups will likely weigh in on that decision, too.
"This is a very politically active community," Nelson said. "So if you're doing something wrong, you're going to hear about it. They love their neighborhood and just want to make sure everything has been done right."
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