Massive Skyscraper Doesn't Belong So Close To Brownstone Brooklyn, Petition Says

BOERUM HILL, BROOKLYN — A 74-story skyscraper should not be built so close to the sleepy streets of Brownstone Brooklyn, more than 600 people have said in an online petition.

The signees are hoping to stop the massive structure developers want to build in a triangle area of Boerum Hill, bordered by Schermerhorn Street, Flatbush Avenue, State Street and Third Avenue.

Plans for the space include the huge tower plus an adjacent 38-story triangular-shaped building. Together, the complex would hold apartments, offices and retail space — plus two new schools.

But because the plan involves a rezoning, it has to go through the city's lengthy land-use review process, which involves the community board, city council and borough president's office.

The petition, from the Boerum Hill Association, asks Community Board 2, City Councilman Steve Levin and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams to vote the plan down.

The towers "will not integrate or respect the scale and design of our adjacent brownstone neighborhood," the petition says. "Any plan should be a 'contribution to the neighborhood character' and 'ensure development is urbanistically sensitive to the school and surrounding community.'"

The project is part of the redevelopment of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which would move into one of the two new schools in the complex and increase its capacity from 260 to 350 seats. The other facility would house a brand new 350-seat elementary school. The schools would share a cafeteria, gymnasium and library and could be open by 2022.

The city's Educational Construction Fund selected developer Alloy for the project after asking for proposals last year for the redevelopment of Khalil Gibran. Alloy owns the adjacent sites in the area.

Of the 900 units of housing that would go in the two towers, 200 would be designated affordable by the city's Mandatory Affordable Housing Fund.

As of Friday afternoon, the petition against the towers had 626 signatures.

Click here to read more.

SEE ALSO: Massive Brooklyn Skyscraper Project Would Include 2 Schools, Apartments And Office Space

(h/t Brooklyn Paper)