Ugly Ass Functional & Simple Fourth Avenue Building Revealed

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and we're willing to consider the fact that we're simply the wrong beholder in the case of this buiding at 126 Fourth Avenue (at Baltic). In fact, we kind of liked it better when it was hidden behind scaffolding and netting. The building sits where an Exxon station used to be and, if the truth be told, the gas station was not necessarily any worse looking than this thing. Maybe that center strip will have magnificent decorative flourishes.

Was Fourth Avenue Slope Rezoning Flawed?

Was the rezoning of Fourth Avenue in Park Slope seriously flawed? We'd argue that it was in several respects, in particular in that it allowed tall (for Park Slope) buildings without requiring any affordable housing. Yesterday, Normal Oder tackled the subject in a very extensive and thoughtful item on his Atlantic Yards Report.

The upshot of the story is that the Fourth Avenue rezoning, which has led to significant new construction, highlights flaws in the city's affordable housing strategy. While there are serious issues about the extent to which the Williamsburg/Greenpoint rezoning has promoted affordable housing--and the evidence is that it is doing so somewhat along the waterfront, but not in other parts of those neighborhoods--the city didn't pursue affordable housing incentives at all on Fourth Ave. (There is an argument to be made that affordable housing is best required in neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Greenpoint where development will happen regardless, but that is an issue for a different post.)

In any case, Mr. Oder wrote:

In hindsight, the rezoning of central and northern Park Slope seems an unwise move, favoring some powerful constituencies—homeowners in an affluent district, real estate developers, and an unbending city administration—without requiring commensurate equity. Now luxury buildings have sprung up along Fourth Avenue, replacing light industrial buildings and three-story apartments, and previous residents have been displaced. Developers—and the people from whom they bought property—have reaped the benefit.

Interestingly, the person that Council Member Bill de Blasio appointed to Community Board 6 as part of the Atlantic Yards Massacre a couple of weeks ago, is Brad Lander of the Pratt Center for Community Development, who will chair the Housing Committee and is an advocate of affordable housing.

It's significant in more than an academic way, as CB6 will clearly have hand in the shape of the Gowanus rezoning, both in terms of what areas are rezoned for housing, the densities that are allowed and the extent to which affordable housing is addressed and how.

Related Post:
Fourth Avenue: A New Development Every Three Blocks

Fourth Avenue: A New Development Every Three Blocks

Today's New York Post weighs in with a long story about Fourth Avenue and all of the new development that is rising on the strip. It notes that there's a new development approximately every three blocks from Warren Street all the way to 19th Street. Here's a sample:

The Crest, at 302 Second St. (at Fourth Avenue), opened its sales office this past weekend and eight units were spoken for in just one day. The 68 units - one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms - start at $354,000 and go up to $751,000.

Within the next 18 months, there will be a slew of others: Park Slope Court, at 110 Fourth Ave., near Warren Street, with 49 units consisting of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms; 255 Fourth Ave., a 41-unit boutique Scarano Architects and Developers Group project at Carroll Street; The Argyle, 410 Fourth Ave., at Seventh Street, a 12-story, 54-unit condo; and 500 Fourth Ave., at 12th Street, a 137-unit, 12-story luxury building. There are even more developments in the works, farther south along Fourth.

Those who know Fourth will likely be shaking their heads right now.

That's Crest, above. More to come.

Related Post:
Meet Another Fourth Avenue Tower

Meet Another Fourth Avenue Tower

In case you were wondering what the heck is going to appear on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street in the far reaches of Park Slope, here's your answer. The building in question, comes from the offices of...drum roll...Scarano Architects. (It's not that we have a need to mention the firm every day. It's just that they're every you look in Brooklyn.)

The building, which is not to be confused with other Scaranos in this part of Park Slope and in neighboring Gowanus (like the beauty we call The Bunker), is a couple of doors down from Cattyshack.

The firm describes the structure thus:

The twelve story tower at 255 4th Avenue in Brooklyn is a pioneer in a major redevelopment that is taking place along this portion of 4th. Once known as "no man's land", the valley created by the slope down from Prospect Park and the Carroll Gardens hill, this area has been rezoned for high density residential uses, and buildings such as this 50,000 square foot residential development are transforming the area, turning it from a morbid industrial zone into a cohesive neighborhood.

When the makeover of Fourth Avenue from land of the Tire Shops to Brooklyn's Park Avenue has made more progress a few years down the road, there will be vast amounts of residential real estate available. And, there could also be some bargain prices. Eventually.

There are many, many more new buildings to come.