A 16-story condo tower at 20 Bayard St. should proceed as planned, a Community Board 1 committee voted on Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean a neighboring 22-story proposal will get the same treatment next week.
Ward Dennis, chair of CB1’s land-use committee, said the committee’s approval was unique to the Bayard Street project.
The building’s work permit expired in May, even though construction was 75 percent complete, Dennis said.
Like 20 Bayard, Robert Scarano’s controversial “finger building” at 144 N. Eighth St. — which earned its nickname because some Billyburg residents say it resembles someone giving the finger to the neighborhood — also needs a new permit. But unlike this week’s vote, Dennis predicted that the finger building is facing problems.
“We [might] want to see changes to the building,” he said.
Activists want the tip of the “finger” to rise no more than its current 100-foot height, rather than the 220-feet that Scarano hopes to build.
The construction is currently less than halfway complete, but the Department of Buildings halted construction for certain “open space” violations.
Now, developers may have to resubmit building plans to comply with a zoning changed that passed in 2005. Hence, the community board involvement.
“They are essentially asking to continue with a project that’s drastically out of context with the neighborhood,” said Evan Thies, chairman of CB1’s Environment Committee. “Right now it’s stopped, but what happens if they get this extension? Then they have more time to try to get new plans approved and build a monstrous tower.”
Finger building developer Mendel Brach declined to comment.
CB1 “finger building” hearing, 211 Ainslie St. (at Manhattan Avenue), Sept. 10, 6:30 pm. Call (718) 389-0009 for info.
