Brooklyn’s 80 Flatbush megadevelopment rejected by CB land use committee

The massive mixed-use project coming to 80 Flatbush Avenue, in Brooklyn, is already facing some serious pushback. Brooklyn Community Board 2’s voted overwhelmingly against the project earlier this week saying it was out of context with the neighborhood, Brownstoner reports.

The five-building project is currently going through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), and the community board is one of the first stops along the way. The project sits at the nexus of Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, and Fort Greene. Brooklyn Community Board 2 members argue that the project sits in Boerum Hill and should hence be more contextual, but the project is in the the Downtown Brooklyn Special District, which environmental impact statement notes.

This type of friction in the early stages of large-scale projects such as 80 Flatbush is not uncommon, but the vote by the land use committee might give an indication about how the full community board will vote next month, and the Brooklyn Borough President after that.

As the plan stands right now, 80 Flatbush will be built in two phases: The first phase will see the construction of a 38-story tower and two schools, and is expected to be complete by 2022. The second phase will have a 74-story tower and will likely be complete in 2025.

In all, the project will create 900 apartments, including 200 affordable units, 200,000 square feet of offices, 40,000 square feet of retail, and 15,000 square feet of cultural space. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the development on April 30, and the full Brooklyn Community Board 2 will vote on the project on May 9.

• CB 2 Land Use Committee Votes Against Proposed Development at 80 Flatbush [Brownstoner]
• 80 Flatbush will create 200 permanently affordable units in Brooklyn [Curbed]
• New looks, details for massive Downtown Brooklyn development ahead of ULURP [Curbed]