Sunset Parkers Raise Questions and Concerns Over Library Redevelopment Plan

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — A standing room only crowd packed into Community Board 7's hearing room Thursday night, with community members offering strident opinions on a plan from the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC) and the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) to tear down the existing Sunset Park Library and replace it with a new, larger library built into an affordable housing development.

The hearing was part of CB7's role in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, process that FAC is currently going through in order to obtain the right to move ahead with the project. At an upcoming meeting, CB7 will vote on whether to back the development (district manager Jeremy Laufner said the vote will probably take place in November), though the board's opinion, as always, remains advisory.

Here are some of the key facts, figures and opinions that were voiced at the meeting (much more information is also online, both from FAC and from the BPL):

Why the project is needed, according to FAC and BPL

The Sunset Park Library is one of the busiest branches in the borough, according to BPL, but at only 12,200 square feet, it lacks the size to accommodate its users. It also needs $6 million in repairs to major systems, such as its heating and cooling system.

"This community deserves more adequate space for all the services that are targeted specifically for the Sunset Park community," said head librarian Roxana Benavides on Thursday. "Everybody should be able to come and find a seat, a table. That is not what we have. This is an urgent matter. We are running out of any alternatives."

The new library that's planned

The new library to be built on the site will be 21,000 square feet, split over three floors (one below ground level, one on the first floor, and one on the second floor). FAC and BPL say the floors will benefit from open designs and exposure to lots of natural light, while featuring "modern technology, and more flexible work spaces, in addition to traditional reading areas."

The library's exterior, consisting of stone and glass, will be paid for by FAC, the project's developer. The BPL will invest $10 million in the internal space, after conducting a community planning process allowing the public to help plan the library's interior and guide its programming.

FAC will sell the library itself back to the city for $1, and own only the affordable housing units above. The non-profit will pay for the project, estimated to cost $25 million, using a mixture of Low Income Housing Tax Credits and funding from officials and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

The affordable housing that's planned

FAC will also develop and manage the affordable housing component of the plan. The 49 units to be built will be permanently affordable (meaning their affordable status won't disappear after a period of time).

There will be 11 studio apartment, 13 one-bedrooms, 13 two-bedrooms, and three 12-bedrooms.

Nine of the units will be held for households making 30, 40, and 50 percent of area median income, or AMI. Twelve units will be held for people making 60 percent of AMI, and 10 units will be held for those making 80 percent of AMI. (The full breakdown is on page two of this document.)

At least half of the units will be held for existing residents of Community Board 7.

According to its architect, the building will be energy efficient, will have a roof terrace, and features an activity area with play and adult fitness equipment.

Jay Marcus, FAC's Director of Housing Development, said Thursday that the organization will actively reach out to the community to inform them of how to apply to the development, and will also conduct financial counseling workshops to help locals improve their credit scores so they can become eligible to apply.

The construction timeline

FAC wants to initiate the project in the third quarter of 2017, meaning that is when the Sunset Park Library would shut down. Construction would take about 20 months, with the goal of opening the new library and building by the end of 2019.

Temporary library plans

BPL plans to run a 5,000 square foot temporary library out of the former Sunset Park Courthouse, located at 5108 4th Ave. The space would be large enough for basic programming and book and computer rentals, but would be less than half the size of the current Sunset Park Library.

David Woloch, BPL's Executive Vice President for External Affairs, said Thursday that the temporary space must be brought up to speed by the library's current staff, meaning that it will be "a couple of weeks" before it can open after the current branch closes.

But Councilman Carlos Menchaca, who represents Sunset Park, said at the meeting that he doesn't want any gap in library service. "We're going to sit down and figure it out," he said, referring to how that transition time could be cut down.

Objections, questions and concerns

Those voicing objections to the plan said they supported both more affordable housing and a new library for the community. Even so, they still saw the project as opening the door to unwanted community changes, while also constraining the library's future growth.

"This feels like this is a Trojan horse," said local resident Jeremy Kaplan, adding that after the building is complete, developers are "going to want the rest of 4th Avenue to be eight stories or more."

Community activist Maria Roca called for an entire building on the site to be dedicated to education and community programming, anchored by a library that could expand with time.

Michael White, a leader with Citizens Defending Libraries — a consistent opponent of many library redevelopment plans in the city — offered the same critique. The city currently owns the air rights above the library, he said, meaning it could grow, at least in theory. However, once it's capped with affordable housing, the library will have "no freedom to meet future needs and community growth." White also criticized the fact that the plan was put together without adequate community input, and without a public bidding process, calling into question whether FAC's offer is the best the city could have obtained.

And Ana Orozco, an organizer with Sunset Park activist group UPROSE, said that while the organization is currently neutral on the proposal, it's seeking answers to several questions, among them: How will FAC make sure that long-term Sunset Park residents are getting units in the building, versus recent arrivals to the area? Will undocumented residents be able to apply for housing? How was the Sunset Park Library site chosen for the development? And will a person's savings accounts, trusts and investments be factored into deciding whether they are truly low income?

Pictured at top: The Sunset Park Library. Photos by John V. Santore