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The neighborhood controversy of 360 Smith
Rachel Markowitz | September 20, 2007
360 Smith Street: to some it is just a street address, to others it is the biggest controversy plaguing the neighborhood. Billy Stein, the man who owns the address, plans to use the property to build a high-rise condo above the Carroll Street subway station. While this could seemingly be the beginning of Carroll Gardens turning into something like Manhattan’s financial district, the development plan isn’t as bad as originally thought.
When Stein first unveiled his proposed building design to the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association, it was a clunky metallic structure Gowanus Lounge dubbed “The Heavy Metal Building.” Brownstoner has also covered the development progress extensively. The design proposed to do away with the F-train plaza, and would have added a chintzy, meretricious feel to the neighborhood. However, thanks to protests from members of the community, Stein’s new design is less imposing. Instead of metal, Stein now plans to use terracotta and possibly brick to build his high-rise.
While Stein says that his high-rise will be 70 feet tall, as that’s the height that the zoning dictates, CGNA Land Use Committee Co-chair John Hatheway pointed out that the height was a limit, not a mandate. Just because the city will only allow Stein to build up to 70 feet doesn’t mean he has to, and it’s dishonest to say that the height is something the city “dictates.” Stein countered that the price he paid for the property factored in using every square inch possible, and failure to do so would be a monetary loss. Needless to say, this explanation didn’t get much sympathy from community members. Neighbors have been protesting the building since mid-summer, including organizing this online petition, depicted in the photo.
While building was scheduled to begin this fall, Stein says that given the recent design changes, this probably is not still possible. Stein claims he has done his best to try and compromise with the community, even though doing so has been to his detriment. What will actually be built at 360 Smith Street? Only time will tell.
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