Fulton Street Tower OKed By City, Despite Local Board Disapproval

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — A 40-story tower proposed for Fulton Street has won the support of the City Council despite initial concerns from the local board that it will continue to "Manhattanize" Brooklyn neighborhoods.

The building, planned for 570 Fulton Street, would include retail space on the first two floors, 89,00-square-feet of office space and about 139 apartments, one third of which will be designated as affordable, according to YIMBY.

The developers, Slate Property Group, contend that the tower will help fill the area's needs as it goes through a development boom.

"Downtown Brooklyn needs office space for local companies and affordable housing for its residents—and 570 Fulton will deliver," Slate co-founder David Schwartz said in a statement.

The "floor plates" for the office section of the building are designed to be smaller than other buildings in the Downtown Brooklyn area, the company said, meaning they will allow for local, boutique businesses to stay in the borough.

Developers and Borough President Eric Adams, who lended his support to the proposal, also lauded the much-needed affordable housing that it would provide.

Community Board members, though, worried that the proposed loading zones for the building would cause back ups on Fulton Street, which is already busy since it is what drivers often use to travel East after crossing the Manhattan Bridge.

They also argued that the company's request to increase density would continue a trend of overdevelopment in the area.

"Some members of CB2 as well as the general public are alarmed by the combined sums of development and are therefore opposed to any increase in (floor area ratio)," the board wrote. "For many people, much of the appeal of Brooklyn has been its lower density and the 'Manhattanization' of the central business district and surrounding areas is distressing."

Adams addressed this concern in his letter of support as well, though he contended that the increased floor area ratio comes with the added public benefits the building will bring.

Developers agreed to work with Adams and Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo to determine what kind of affordable housing would work best for the neighborhood and how it can bring in cultural or non-profit tenants for the retail spaces, records show.

Slate also has said it will focus on providing jobs for community members throughout construction of the building, including minority and women-owned businesses.

The 570 Fulton Street project will now head to mayoral review.