Brooklyn Ascending Land Co. Unveils Revised Atlantic Yards Plan, Citing Taller Towers and Higher Income Levels Amid Fears of Inadequate Affordable Housing.
A decades-old agreement to build hundreds of affordable housing units at the stalled Atlantic Yards site is getting a revamp, with new developers promising a makeover that includes taller towers and higher income levels for apartments considered affordable. Cirrus Real Estate Partners and LCOR took over the project in October from the bankrupt firm that failed to deliver nearly 900 units of affordable housing.
The revised plan calls for 3,600 additional apartments across the site, with buildings reaching up to 775 feet tall on some parcels. The development group is also seeking input from Brooklynites about their proposal at a public session Monday night inside the Barclays Center.
Veterans of the Atlantic Yards battles from the early 2000s will feel nostalgic about community feedback sessions on affordable housing, which has been a recurring theme throughout the stalled project's history. Advocates are already pushing back against the new plan, citing concerns that the increased income levels for affordable units would render them inaccessible to New Yorkers most in need of homes.
Under the revised plan, apartments reserved for higher-income renters would earn up to $130,000 per year and families of three could earn close to $200,000. This is significantly higher than the thresholds outlined in the earlier, unfulfilled affordable housing commitment.
The new development team has agreed to pay up to $12 million towards delinquent fines, but critics have deemed this amount inadequate. Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon expressed concerns that the project would again end without a railyard platform and promised affordable housing units for the site's location, instead prioritizing towers on the Flatbush Avenue lots.
The proposed development will be carried out in phases, with work starting on "solid ground" at a parcel diagonally opposite from the arena. Once complete, construction would resume above the railyard.
A decades-old agreement to build hundreds of affordable housing units at the stalled Atlantic Yards site is getting a revamp, with new developers promising a makeover that includes taller towers and higher income levels for apartments considered affordable. Cirrus Real Estate Partners and LCOR took over the project in October from the bankrupt firm that failed to deliver nearly 900 units of affordable housing.
The revised plan calls for 3,600 additional apartments across the site, with buildings reaching up to 775 feet tall on some parcels. The development group is also seeking input from Brooklynites about their proposal at a public session Monday night inside the Barclays Center.
Veterans of the Atlantic Yards battles from the early 2000s will feel nostalgic about community feedback sessions on affordable housing, which has been a recurring theme throughout the stalled project's history. Advocates are already pushing back against the new plan, citing concerns that the increased income levels for affordable units would render them inaccessible to New Yorkers most in need of homes.
Under the revised plan, apartments reserved for higher-income renters would earn up to $130,000 per year and families of three could earn close to $200,000. This is significantly higher than the thresholds outlined in the earlier, unfulfilled affordable housing commitment.
The new development team has agreed to pay up to $12 million towards delinquent fines, but critics have deemed this amount inadequate. Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon expressed concerns that the project would again end without a railyard platform and promised affordable housing units for the site's location, instead prioritizing towers on the Flatbush Avenue lots.
The proposed development will be carried out in phases, with work starting on "solid ground" at a parcel diagonally opposite from the arena. Once complete, construction would resume above the railyard.
... like the Atlantic Yards site. The old developers were trying to build some affordable housing blocks 
, but they got stuck in the mud 
. Now, new guys Cirrus Real Estate Partners and LCOR are coming in with a revised plan 
.
, which is cool, I guess... but here's the thing: most of those apartments will be for people who make way more money than average 
(up to $130k a year! 
). That means they won't be super affordable for low-income families. And get this - they're only paying $12 million towards some fines 
... not exactly what I'd call "enough".
The city needs more affordable housing, not just for people who can afford it 
. What do you think, should the focus be on building towers or making sure everyone has a safe place to live? 
. They're already getting flak from advocates about this new plan, but I'm not surprised. When are these politicians gonna listen to the people who actually need help? Not until they get their hands dirty and have to fight for something themselves, probably. And don't even get me started on that $12 million fine... like that's even a drop in the bucket 
. I get why they wanna build those taller towers and charge more for apartments, but can't we find a way to make it work for everyone? The fact that they're only offering up to $130k per year is crazy rich 
shouldn't we just focus on gettin' affordable housing units up ASAP? 
. The new plan sounds like just another way for them to gentrify the neighborhood and push out long-time residents. And whats up with the income levels? $130k+ a year? thats not even close to what a lot of people in Brooklyn make 
. Taller towers and higher income levels might be a win for some, but what about those who can't even afford $130k/year? 
I get that we need more housing units, but we also need to make sure they're not just out of reach for low-income families 
.
. The fact that advocates are pushing back against this new plan already has me on high alert 
. What if we just end up with more empty promises? 
. It feels like they're just checking boxes instead of doing what's right by the community 
.
.
. And what about the ones who can't afford it? Are we just gonna be left out in the cold? 
.
. But on the other hand, these higher income levels are gonna make affordable housing basically unaffordable for most New Yorkers