The WG News

archive

Archives for May 2010

Lentol Responds to Seeing Domino’s Secret Profit Margins

By Leave a Comment

Assemblyman Joseph Lentol—who was quoted in a story published in the Greenpoint Star, yesterday, issued a press release today, regarding the NYC Housing Preservation & Development’s financial projections of CPC’s Domino development—making his opinions even more clear.  Read on.

Statement from Assemblyman Lentol: Examining the CPC Domino Refinery HPD Waterfront Analysis Numbers

This document, which says that back in 2006 it was possible for CPC to make close to half a billion dollars without even considering or accounting for the commercial or office space was hardly a shock to me. It is what we, in the community, have been saying for years, that there is no way that they are only just barely covering their costs.  I have said it over and over again. And when Domino gives me the same answer, that this plan with this height and this density is the only way to make the project work I have asked for them to show me the numbers and explain why that is. All I have asked for is transparency to prove why this height and density and impact is necessary to cover the cost of affordable housing and historical preservation and I have gotten a broken record and no transparency in return. Much less any reason why this they need to impact our city infrastructure in such a negative way without giving back. Now we know why: this project does not have to be nearly this high or this dense in order to cover the affordable housing be transparent with us!

READ MORE

WRFB Radio Free Brooklyn Goes Live Tonight

By Leave a Comment

wrfb radio free brooklynBrooklyn Movie Labs is proud to announce the arrival of a brand new streaming internet radio station. It’s called WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn. We’ll be broadcasting a live MP3 stream of music, news, culture, and politics every Tuesday evening from 7PM to 11PM.

Listen here.

Questions? Suggestions? Requests? You can email us at radiofreebrooklynonline@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/radiofreebklyn.

READ MORE

Proposal to limit density at Rose Plaza; is it a proposal to get out of affordable housing promise?

By Leave a Comment

Last month, the New York City Council, after much public haggling, finally approved a multi-towered residential complex on Kent Avenue, between Division and the Schaefer Landing in Williamsburg, called Rose Plaza. Several major concessions from the developers were worked out by Council Member Steve Levin. The rookie council member fought for and won an increase in the proposed affordable housing from 20 to 30 percent.

Levin also managed to achieve a density at 5.0 FAR (Floor-Area Ratio1) with a reduction of units from 801 total units to 754 units. He also got developers Isaac and Abraham Rosenberg to go from zero to 14 four-bedroom units, all affordable. The deal also includes 40 three-bedroom apartments, of which only eight were originally proposed as affordable, to 60 three-bedrooms units that are all affordable. Not bad. Kudos to our new council member!

(Rose Plaza luxury housing development includes 754 residential units in three towers of 18, 24 and 28 stories.)

READ MORE