Botanic Gardens Shadow Tower Developers Try Again On Franklin Ave

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Developers of the controversial towers near the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens have proposed a new, smaller building down the block, according to reports.

Continuum Company — under Franklin Avenue Property Owner LLC — has filed permits for a six-story building at 990 Franklin Ave., just steps from the 960 Franklin Ave. high rises that were rejected by the city late last year, YIMBY reports.

The latest plans would bring a 67-foot-tall building to the lot with 168 residences, according to the outlet. It would include a 30-foot-long rear yard and 84 enclosed parking spaces, YIMBY reports.

The proposed building is vastly smaller than Continuum's 960 Franklin Ave. design, which would have brought 34-story towers to the block.

Those towers, which would have required a rezoning, spurred intense backlash given the shadow they would cast on the nearby Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. They were rejected by the City Planning Commission in September.

Continuum has a lawsuit against the city surrounding the rejection, arguing that the Planning Commission should have more thoroughly reviewed a 17-story alternative to the original 34-story towers. CPC Chair Marisa Lago had told developers that the alternate design was submitted too late to be considered.

Continuum did not immediately respond to Patch's request for more information about the 990 Franklin Ave. project.