'Red Hoek Point' Developer Wants City to Cut Its Parking Requirement Nearly in Half

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — Thor Equities, the developer behind the proposed 7.7-acre retail and commercial project Red Hoek Point, to be built alongside the neighborhood's waterfront Ikea building, is asking the city to cut the number of parking spaces it must incorporate into the property by nearly half.

According to filings with the city's Board of Standards and Appeals (see "Doc. 1," embedded below), city zoning requirements stipulate that a development as big as Red Hoek — two proposed buildings, totaling 795,000 square feet of "creative office space" and 23,000 square feet of retail shops — would require Thor to provide 2,048 parking spaces.

The company is instead asking to provide just 1,106 space.

A study paid for by the company and conducted by engineering and design firm VHB (see "Doc. 2," embedded below), concluded that just 40 percent of the New Yorkers who will work at the 280 Richards St. offices will drive to work. Around 5 percent would take taxis to work, the study found, while 17 percent would take the bus; 26 percent would take the subway; 5 percent would bike; and 7 percent would walk.

Based on these figures, the firm concluded that a Red Hoek parking lot with 1,106 spots would only be 79 percent full during peak hours, and therefore would not negatively impact off-site traffic and parking.

The requested parking reduction is one of two zoning waivers Thor is seeking from the city. The second applies to the property's waterfront design.

These two waivers have been highlighted as a potential community leverage point by Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca and a group of local activists known as the Red Hook Community Collaboration (previously, and incorrectly, referred to by Patch as the Red Hook Community Collective).

The Collaboration's members are seeking to develop a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Thor — one that would require the company to include elements in its development directly beneficial to Red Hook neighbors.

The VHB study — again, paid for by Thor — confirms the type of folks the developer envisions at the property: "technical, media and communications professionals."

"The Brooklyn Navy Yard represents a type of tenant and worker mix that is more representative of the types of tenants and workers expected at 280 Richards Street," VHB wrote.

At their first strategy session in early November, members of the Collaboration floated a variety of ideas designed to bend that employment mix to the advantage of locals. Among their ideas: a) creating apprenticeship programs for Red Hook residents, and b) setting aside some of the property's office space for local nonprofits.

At a second planning meeting, held on Wednesday, a leader of the Collaboration — community organizer Charlene Nimmons — took that second idea even further.

"We should be asking for 60,000 square feet" of space for local groups, Nimmons said. "We have to think big."

"They shouldn't be molding us," Nimmons said of Thor. "We should be molding them."

Thor will hold its first public discussion of the Red Hoek project at a Dec. 1 Community Board 6 meeting.

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the Miccio Center, located at 110 W. 9th St.

The project's manager and architect, Catherine Dannenbring, told Patch on Monday that she will be on hand to discuss the proposal.

Community Board 6's district manager, Craig Hammerman, said the discussion of Red Hoek Point will likely start aroung 7 p.m., as the board must take care of other business on its calendar first.

Related documents:

Pictured at top: a rendering of the proposed Red Hoek Point. Rendering courtesy of Thor Equities.