Dear Neighbors,
We are writing to ask for your support in fighting 85 Jay Street. The Watchtower has revised plans, reducing the complex by about 10%. The proposal still calls for 1,100 parking spaces and buildings topping out at over 20 stories on Jay Street. Though City Planning approved the latest plans, we remain opposed to this non-contextual project that is still much too large for Dumbo/Vinegar Hill.
This is the LAST STAGE of the public review process for 85 Jay Street.
This process will most likely be over by early January 2005, if not sooner. Please take a moment to let City Council know that the changes made to the plans do not go far enough...that we support the Borough President's recommendations to reduce the project to 60% of the original plan.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE SIGNED A POSTCARD, THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HEAR THAT THE WITNESSES HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY RESPONDED TO THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
If you need more information, you can download DUMBO Neighborhood Association's testimony to the City Planning Commission, Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association's testimony , and Borough President Markowitz's recommendation from this email.
Tell the Land Use Committee that 85 Jay Street should not be approved -- the Witnesses have not significantly modified their plan. It is still too tall, there are still too many cars and there is no retail. Ask them to support the Borough President's plan.
Be sure to cc christy@dumbo-dna.org so we can keep track of our numbers.
Thank you for your help. We will not win this fight unless our elected officials
hear from you.
VIA FAX
Council Member Tony Avella (718) 747-3105
Council Member Melinda Katz (718) 544-4452
Council Member Gifford Miller (212) 535-6098
Council Member Letitia James (718) 260-9099
Council Member David Yassky (718) 643-6620
Dear Council Member,
The Watchtower Society has applied for a zoning change at 85 Jay Street in DUMBO to build a large residential and parking complex.
In his recommendation for disapproval, Borough President Marty Markowitz said, "the project...is both out-of-character with the scale of the DUMBO and Vinegar Hill neighborhoods and fails to meet the community's needs on a number of substantive matters....The proposal's lack of retail along Jay Street impedes efforts to develop that street as the primary community corridor to Downtown Brooklyn and fails to achieve sufficient 24 hour activity in proximity to the York Street subway station."
Please vote NO on any proposal that does not include retail and fails to meet
Borough President Markowitz's conditions:
1) Reduce the entire bulk of the project to approximately 60% of the proposed
floor area;
2) Restrict height to 120 feet M1-2/R8A) along Jay Street;
3) Restrict height to 70 feet (M1-2/R6A) for the balance of the rezoning area;
4) Reduce the number of spaces for the public parking garage to approximately
60% of the proposed capacity as well as disallow the 76,000 sf of the proposed
exempt garage floor area.
The compromised plans, as approved by City Planning do not go far enough.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
james@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: 718-260-9191
fax 718-260-9099
avella@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 747-2137
Fax: (718) 747-3105
katz@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 544-8800
Fax: (718) 544-4452
miller@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (212) 535-5554
Fax: (212) 535-6098
City Council Land Use Committee Members
baez@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 584-6955
Fax: (718) 584-5725
barron@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718)649-9495
Fax: (212) 676- 8595
comrie@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718)776-3700
Fax: (718) 776-3798
felder@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718)853-2704/2068
Fax: (718) 853-3858
fgentile@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 748-5200
Fax: (718) 748-5222
giola@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 383-9566
Fax: (212) 513-7195
koppell@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 549-7300
Fax: (718) 549-9945
lanza@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 984-5151
Fax: (718) 984-5737
martinez@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (917) 521-2640/2616
Fax: (917) 521-1293
mcmahon@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 556-7370
Fax: (718) 556-7389
monserrate@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: 718)205-3881
Fax: (718) 205-4145
nelson@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 368-9176
Fax: (718) 368-9160
oddo@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 980-1017
Fax: (718) 980-1051
palma@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 617-1869
Fax: (718) 617-1833
perkins@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (212) 662-4440
Fax: (212) 442-2732
quinn@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (212) 564-7757
Fax: (212) 768-4380
rivera@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 842-8100
Fax: (718) 365-5267
sanders@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 527-4356
Fax: (718) 471-7014
vann@council.nyc.ny.us
Phone: (718) 919-0740
Fax: (718) 919-0744