A de Blasio official is not taking kindly to Eliot Spitzer's plan to develop three towers with 856 rental apartments on the South Williamsburg waterfront. "It's offensive," Lincoln Restler, a former Brooklyn Democratic district leader and current senior policy advisor to Mayor de Blasio, wrote on his Facebook wall in a post that has since been deleted. "Elliot [sic] Spitzer is planning to build an 856 unit mega development along the waterfront just south of the Williamsburg Bridgeand with just 20% affordable apartments. We need and deserve more affordable housing!" the Observer relays of Restler's post, "Someone who had fashioned himself as a progressive and sold properties worth 1.5 billion last year is now trying to squeeze every penny out of a development in our neighborhoodwithout any concern for the needs of the community." While the development may be large, it can be built as-of-right at the property, which was rezoned in 2006. NYO reports that City Hall staffers are allowed to express their opinions publicly so long as they align with de Blasio's platform.
The remark immediately follows the expiration of 421-a, which offers developers who build affordable housing a tax incentive. Commercial Observer confirms that Spitzer is taking advantage of the program with his Williamsburg project, which has garnered lukewarm reviews after being unveiled on Monday evening.
This looks awful. | "Here's The Giant "Molded Iceberg" Complex Eliot Spitzer Is Bringing To South Williamsburg" http://t.co/vBEU8g1cV9
— Big Papa Prime (@keithprime) June 17, 2015
further destruction of the williamsburg waterfront, this time via eliot spitzer. http://t.co/nqEYT9idt4
— jami attenberg (@jamiattenberg) June 17, 2015
Champion for the little guy, Eliot Spitzer, now building luxury condos for people like himself in Williamsburg http://t.co/5Hfte7QR20
— Michael Lieberman (@michaelagrammar) June 16, 2015
Hooker aficionado, Eliot Spitzer, plans to screw South Williamsburg with three enormous high rises: Future pla... http://t.co/MPXQivFXWM
— NYCRocks (@RockinNYC) June 16, 2015
And another rendering ↓
Reonomy is excited to be at #OnlyBrooklyn2015 today! Kicking things off with #JeffLevine @EliotSpitzer @michaelstoler pic.twitter.com/EaVKWuKRvI
— Reonomy (@reonomy) June 16, 2015
· Bill de Blasio Official Calls Eliot Spitzer Housing Development 'Offensive' [NYO]
· Spitzer Backs 421-a Reforms, Argues Rentals Impossible Without Tax Break [CO]
· Eliot Spitzer's Huge Williamsburg Waterfront Project, Revealed! [Curbed]
· New York's Great 421-a Debate: The Uncertain Future of Trading Affordable Housing For Tax Breaks [Curbed]
· How NYC's Decade of Rezoning Changed the City of Industry [Curbed]
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