4,000 New Units Proposed For Central BK In Atlantic Avenue Plan: Mayor

BED-STUY, NY — Some 4,000 new housing units could be coming to Central Brooklyn as part of a massive, community-informed redesign along Atlantic Avenue.

"It’s clear Central Brooklyn is the epicenter of our city’s housing crisis," said City Council Member Crystal Hudson in a report released last week detailing the Atlantic Avenue proposal.

Some 1,550 of the proposed new units — nearly 40 percent — would be income-restricted, as electeds plan to help renters stay in an area outpacing the city in rent price increases.

The draft zoning plans for the the 13-block area in Central Brooklyn, known as the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan, will transform area inhabited over 70 percent by renters who are quickly being priced out.

"The rapid displacement Black and brown residents in gentrifying and housing-strapped communities across the city is perhaps one of the most evident signs of our housing crisis," Hudson said. "Each community must do its part and begin working to build more housing, especially deeply affordable housing."

And Central Brooklyn will be a key player in the Mayor Eric Adams' plan to hit 500,000 new units in New York City in the next decade, city officials said.

Brooklynites have worked on the Atlantic Avenue plan for months, and a 200-page report released last week synthesized months of community feedback to the lofty zoning plan to turn Central Brooklyn into a hub for employment, housing, city services and safe street design.

"The zoning immediately along Atlantic Avenue has locked-in auto-oriented uses and restricted the creation of new jobs, services, and housing," said

If adopted as proposed, housing density would be highest along Atlantic Avenue with buildings reaching 185 feet maximum.

Moving off the thoroughfare, neighboring blocks would have lower density requirements allowing for shorter buildings and more residential use.

Stakeholders emphasized publicly owned land should be used to construct 100 percent "deeply affordable" housing, and existing infrastructure should be maximized — like the expanded use of the Bedford-Atlantic Armory, partially used as a shelter.

While the Central Brooklyn project launched in 2016, there remain tough decisions to be made and hurdles to clear.

The plan will still go through municipal reviews and a slew of approvals.

Adams' investments also included a $23.5 million infusion into St. Andrew's Playground, which sits within a half mile of the project area.

"Housing and public space go hand-in-hand," said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. "With new play areas for kids, revamped sports facilities, additional seating and shade, storm resiliency infrastructure, and more, we are investing in a community space that the neighborhood can cherish for generations."