It was a big week for future projects as developers won City Council approval over NIMBY objections.
In a blowout reminiscent of the Chicago Bears’ 73-0 slaughter of the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL title game, Council members voted 48-0 to pass rezoning for a $1 billion Williamsburg, Brooklyn, waterfront complex with thousands of new apartments. Developer Two Trees Management expects to start building by 2024.
The Council also gave green lights to highly controversial Soho and Noho rezonings to allow large-scale residential construction and plans for a mammoth mixed-use tower to replace the Grand Hyatt Hotel on East 42d Street.
“The tide is turning against NIMBY-ism,” Two Trees managing director for external affairs David Lombino said of the phenomenon. He predicted, “You’ll see more of it under [incoming mayor] Eric Adams.”
The centerpiece of the 3.5-acre Williamsburg site called River Ring, is a pair of sloping apartment towers rising to 710 and 560 feet designed by BIG, the architectural firm headed by Bjarke Ingels. Some 263 of a total 1,050 units will be “permanently affordable” and have the same design and amenities as market-rate units.
