Community Board Rejects Scaled-Back Atlantic Ave Apartment Tower

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A scaled-down version of an apartment tower proposed for Atlantic Avenue was not enough to satisfy local leaders worried about the development, which would replace a McDonald's on the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue.

Community Board 8 voted Thursday to reject the latest version of the 840 Atlantic Ave. complex, which their Land Use Committee recommended approving after working with the developer to revise the proposal.

The latest proposal would bring 270 apartments to the street corner, 54 of which would be designated as affordable.

The new design has less affordable apartments than a previous version, though developers agreed to reduce the price of affordable units to what is known as Option 3 of the city's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.

Still, local leaders worried the number of market-rate units outweighed the benefit of the affordable spots.

"I’m mostly concerned with the number of unaffordable [units]," State Sen. Jabari Brisport told the board Thursday. "Those market rate, unaffordable units are the key drivers of gentrification and bleeding out Black people from the community and people of color."

Affordability has been a sticking point in the 840 Atlantic Ave. complex since it was first proposed, and rejected by both Community Board 8 and Borough President Eric Adams.

In earlier proposals, the price of most of the affordable units would have required a salary higher than $60,000, which half of Community Board 8 residents do not make each year. Nearly 58 percent of households in Community Board 8's districts are considered rent-burdened.

Those in support of the latest proposal contended that the 54 units under Option 3 — affordable to those making $31,000 for a family of three — would be a huge boost to the neighborhood's need for affordable housing.

"It’s exactly the segment of incomes that are experiencing the most displacement in our community district," Land Use Committee Member Gib Veconi told the board. "It's very significant we are able to achieve that in a for-profit project."

The updated proposal also included concessions on the zoning of the property given concerns that the original plans asked for more density than is laid out in a development strategy known as M-CROWN that the community board has for the neighborhood.

The latest design would range in 170 to 90 feet given a staircase-like structure that developers contend fits with the building's place at the edge of the M-CROWN development area.

Community Board 8 ultimately voted 14 in favor, eight against and eight abstaining to the latest design. The yes votes were not enough to outweigh the no votes and abstentions.

The vote, which is simply advisory, will likely not stop the proposal given support from Council Member Laurie Cumbo for the project, which board members noted in their discussion.