You may recall the lengthy legal battle over the St. Ann’s Warehouse theater’s attempt to build a new performance space inside the 19th century Tobacco Warehouse in the Fulton Ferry Historic District, which led to a court decision holding that the transfer of the Tobacco Warehouse space from Brooklyn Bridge Park had not been done according to law. This legal obstacle has now been overcome by a transfer of new land into the Park in exchange for the Tobacco Warehouse, and St. Ann’s has presented new plans (see image) for a performance space, community room, and lobby to be built inside the roofless shell of the Warehouse. You can read more about the planned new facility and see more images in Theatermania.

The design proposal by St. Ann’s was considered by the Executive Committee of Community Board 2 at its meeting this last week and will go to the full board on May 8.

Note: This post has been modified since original publication.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/57706

Brooklyn’s Community Board 2 will hold its next general meeting Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 6 p.m. in the third-floor auditorium of The Brooklyn Hospital Center, 121 DeKalb Avenue at St. Felix Street. The meet will include presentations from Dr. Richard Becker, President & CEO of The Brooklyn Hospital; and Dr. Stacy De-Lin, with the Committee of Residents and Interns at the Save Our Safety Net Campaign. Other items include the Chairperson’s Report from John Dew, District Manager’s Report from Robert Perris, as well as an Open Session for community issues.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7816

Update: Following last evening’s hearing, a majority of the Community Board 2 Land Use Committee voted to approve the new owner’s request for a variance to re-convert the Bossert to transient hotel use. The matter will now go to the full Community Board for consideration. We’ll keep you posted.

David Bistricer, buyer of the Bossert Hotel, was on hand for this evening’s hearing before Community Board 2′s Land Use Committee on his application for a variance to reconvert the grande dame of Montague to a “transient hotel.” While he didn’t speak, his attorney and several consultants offered these assurances: (1) it will be a hotel–indeed, a “sophisticated and upscale” (but not too upscale) hotel–not a dorm; (2) the beautiful lobby won’t be altered, but will become home to a first-class restaurant; (3) there will also be dining on the roof, but it will be very quiet; and (4) their studies of likely increases in traffic from guests arriving by taxi, limo or private car (they have an arrangement with Quick Park for valet parking service) and from delivery trucks indicate that the impact, compared with present conditions under Watchtower ownership, is not “significant.”

So, who liked it? The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, citing, among other things, the new owner’s “commitment to local hiring”; Glenn Markman, co-owner of Heights Cafe and soon-to-open Della Rocco’s, who said it will attract more business and perhaps more people to move to the Heights; Karen Johnson (who discovered she had a namesake in the audience), who “feels confident it will be done correctly”; the Montague Street BID, whose Executive Director, Brigit Pinnell, said the real comparison to be made was with alternative uses for the building, which include a dorm, a social services facility, or medical offices; and Borough President Marty Markowitz, whose spokeswoman said it will “help Downtown Brooklyn’s business community to thrive.”

Who had doubts? Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Judy Stanton asked what controls are in place to assure that this will be, and remain, a first class hotel. Consultant Jeff Klein said that the design, level of service, and room rates should do the trick. Ms. Stanton then noted that if the projections were wrong, there could be a large increase in taxi traffic. She also said she was concerned about guests arriving by private car; in particular, that they might have to wait in idling cars for valet service. Spokesmen for the buyer said that the assumptions made in the environmental assessment were “very conservative”, and that guests reserving rooms would be asked if they planned to arrive by private car, so that valet service could be scheduled to meet them.

Other cautionary messages came, unsurprisingly, from people living in the Bossert’s immediate vicinity. Several people from 200 Hicks Street expressed concerns. Richard F. Ziegler said the planned re-conversion “could be an asset [to the neighborhood] or an absolute devastating nightmare.” He found the statements made by the buyer’s attorney and consultants “confusing,” and said the residents of 200 Hicks had retained “high priced counsel” to represent their interests in the variance proceedings. Gretchen Dykstra, former City Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, expressed great concern about the rooftop lounge and dining area. She noted that a rooftop lounge at the Empire Hotel, also owned by Mr. Bistricer’s company, had become a venue for parties with DJs and loud music that went late into the night. When local residents complained, they were told that the owner wasn’t responsible; the space was leased to the organization[s] giving the parties. Kay Desai said more information was needed, and her husband, Rohit Desai, sternly warned Committee members that their failure to demand such information could be in violation of law.

Other neighbors with cautionary messages were David Green and Nils Larson, both Remsen Street residents. Mr. Green noted that the valet parking operation would result in an increase in traffic on Remsen because cars being taken from the hotel to Quick Park would have to go that way. Mr. Larson, a recent high school graduate, said he had grown up in Brooklyn Heights and always loved the neighborhood’s serenity. He has two much younger brothers who, because the local streets are safe, are able to walk to school and to squash lessons. He fears that the increase in traffic generated by the hotel may end that.

Photo: Brownstoner.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/42752

Reminder: A notice has been sent to all residents within 400 square feet of the Bossert Hotel, alerting them to the application filed with the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) to allow reconversion to its “original transient hotel use.” The Bossert at 98 Montague Street is currently zoned outside of such a commercial zone. As reported on BHB May 14, following its recent purchase for $90M+, developer David Bistricer intends to turn the former Watchtower-owned Bossert into a 302-unit hotel.

The presentation and Q&A takes place at the Land Use Commity of Community Board 2, today, Wednesday June 20 at 6 p.m. at the Polyechnic Institute, Dibner Library, Room LC 400 at 5 Metrotech Center.

At the meeting, the Land Use committee will review the application and is expected to vote on a formal recommendation to the BSA. Pre-register for the hearing at 718-596-5410, if interested in speaking.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/42668

Community Board 2′s Land Use Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, June 20 to “consider a variance application to be filed at the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) to reconvert the Bossert Hotel back to its original, transient hotel use.” The hearing, along with another to “review proposed changes to the text of the New York City Zoning Resolution, to modify the parking requirements in portions of the Special Downtown Brooklyn District”, will take place immediately before at the beginning of the Committee’s regular meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. in Room LC400 of NYU Poly’s Dibner Building located off of the MetroTech Commons at 5 MetroTech Center (follow link for map).

While the buyer of the Bossert, David Bistricer, has said that he doesn’t plan to alter the building’s facade, he has been coy about his plans for the interior, saying that they “have not been finalized” other than that electrical and plumbing will be improved. This leaves open what will become of the Bossert’s magnificent lobby (see photo). Of particular concern is his choice of architect: Eugene Kaufman, whose plans for the historic Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan have incited controversy.

Photo by Josh.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/42183

Ever wondered why your favorite watering hole doesn’t use its outdoor space or why they won’t let you dance on the bar? Also, why is the trash pick-up always late at night and how does a liquor license get approved?

These questions and more will be answered at the community meeting hosted by Community Boards 2 and 6 on:

April 12, 2012; at 6:00 p.m.
250 Baltic Street
(Court & Clinton Streets) Auditorium

This is a neutral forum designed to clarify questions, and will be conducted as an informal questions and answer session.

Representatives from State Liquor Authority, city agencies and local precincts will be on hand to answer questions in respect to noise, smoking, outdoor usage, garbage and other related issues.

Unfortunately, drinks will not be served.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7010