Poor Door Wars

Developer duo Joseph Chetrit and David Bistricer are trying their darndest to build a pair of tall buildings on Greenpoint's northern waterfront. Because of air rights that need to be purchased, the 300,000-square-foot luxury project at 77 Commercial Street would also include 200 cheaper units. Greenpointers are already testy about megaprojects on their turf, and at a contentious hearing earlier this week the question arose: would Chetrit and Bistricer consider creating a separate entrance for the affordable housing, a la the much-debated "poor door" at 40 Riverside Boulevard? The developers say they haven't decided, but City Councilor Stephen Levin is sternly opposed from the get-go: "I reinforced the community's point that this is something we were not interested in seeing in any development in our neighborhood." [Crain's; previously]