Brooklyn Botanic Garden, developer battling over a high-rise proposal
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A proposed 14-story high-rise in an empty lot in Crown Heights is raising concerns that it would cast a shadow over some parts of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden including the nursery and conservatory.
"We have rare orchids. We share orchid seeds with other botanic gardens and there are plans of conservation interests there. We have our desert pavilion, which is full of desert plants from all around the world," Rowan Blaik, the Director of Living Conditions, said.
This is the second time development company Continuum has applied for a high-rise at 970 Franklin Avenue.
The current zoning, set in place in 1991, only allows a maximum of 7 stories.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden says the sunlight is vital to education and conservation and to the longevity of the garden
"If we don't have a nursery, if we don't have propagation facilities onsite, we can't constantly rejuvenate our plant material and eventually things would die out from the collection," Rowan Blaik, VP of Horticulture, said.
The building would include 475 apartments, 119 of which would be low income. Some local leaders say there is a need for more housing but say this proposal just isn't the solution.
"We understand there's a housing crisis, but I mean, 75% of these things are units going to be market rate, which means that nobody in the district may even afford to live there." Fred Baptiste, Community Board 9 Chair, said.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso disapproved the proposal several days ago. His recommendation, along with others, will play a part in the city planning commission's decision.
"There is no compromise. At this point, nominal support," Reynoso said.
The public will again be able to weigh in during a city planning commission public hearing on August 7 at 10:00 a.m.
We reached out to Continuum but did not hear back.
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