South Park Slope Community Group

Community residents testified in front of the Department of City Planning Commission (CPC) *Wednesday, September 28th*. The CPC heard from the Brooklyn Borough President, past Assemblymen, current Assemblymen, the Public Advocate and residents (both angry and thankful). Although the CPC seemed to have plenty of information regarding the need for supporting the Brooklyn office’s downzoning proposal (ULURP), they seemed overwhelmed with the anger and frustration directed toward the DOB. Without the DOB responding to any communications from CB7 or the community, residents took their only chance in front of a City Commissioner to voice their frustrations. It is obvious the DOB is not in touch with the people that have to live in and next to the buildings that they oversee. If you’re a developer come on in, otherwise….call 311 and good luck.

After the public hearing the CPC will consider the information presented by the public, the report from the Borough President’s public hearing and the recommendations from Community Board 7. They will then pass the ULURP on to the City Council for a vote.

This marks the end of the public’s opportunity to speak on the ULURP proposal. We are now suggesting that the community focus it attention on getting the DOB to enforce its laws and police the developers in our community. Please write, call, fax, email. Whatever you can do to let them now we demand more accountability.

Borough President Marty Markowitz’s comments to the CPC.

Protesters Jeer Park Slope Hi-Rises.
*Park Slope Courier*

By Charles Hack

Developers are under fire from residents in the South Slope, accused of barreling through zoning laws to build two high-rise properties in an area of townhouses and low-rise apartments — as they try to beat the clock before new zoning laws would make higher developments illegal.

Demonstrators packed the sidewalk, waving placards and shouting “save our neighborhood,” and “four stories, that’s OK, 12 stories, take it away,” as they marched around the two square blocks that contain 166 16th Street and 182 15th Street between 5th and 4th Avenues, on Sept. 18.

The developer plans to build two 12 story buildings adding more than 110 units to the block, according to Jane Cyphers, a resident of 128 16th Street.

“He is not only doubling the population of two blocks, but permanently changing the fabric of our neighborhood,” said Cyphers.

“Amanda Burden at City Planning has done an extensive study in our region and came to the conclusion that it should be downzoned,” said Cyphers. “It’s not appropriate to have a three-story building next to a 12-story building. It’s just not appropriate.”

“It’s going to change the fabric of our neighborhood forever,” she said.
Cyphers said that she was initially enthusiastic that the vacant lot on 16th Street was going to be developed, but this changed when she heard how big the building was to be.

The two strips are currently zoned as R6, which might allow buildings up to 12 stories, according to the Department of City Planning Zoning Handbook. Under proposals to rezone 50 blocks in the South Park Slope, these sites would fall into an area that would be rezoned as R6B, which typically rises to just four stories.

This change has caused some developers to rush to lay foundations before the new zoning becomes effective.

“They don’t care what kind of damage they are causing. Their only concern is to get that foundation in,” said Raymond Zielinski of 151 16th Street, who says his house is being damaged by the vibrations from bulldozers, jack hammers and other excavation equipment at a nearby building site.

Sarah Safford, a resident of 251 15th Street, who joined the protest, said that she lived next door to a property which was originally to be a four-story building but ended up with seven stories.

“I want to help people to stop it from getting worse,” she said. “They [developers] had no consideration for any of the buildings around, what it looks like.”

John Burns, founder and chair of the South South Slope Community Group, said that the plot on 16th Street was a former winery purchased a year and half ago.

“We are not trying to hurt him financially,” said Burns.

City Councilmember Bill de Blasio said that the progress on the downzoning is “incredible” and urged the protesters to continue demonstrating against builders who were trying to beat the clock.

Calls to the developer, Issac Katan, were not returned in time for publication.

_Reprinted with permission from The Park Slope Courier._

Foundation work going on Friday, September 23.

The same day our Borough President heard the Dept. of City Planning’s downzoning plan for South Park Slope, Isaac Katan began pouring a foundation for his 12-story building at *180 15th street*. Mr. Katan does not have a permit for foundation work. DOB has not been able to stop him. We urgently request DOB to stop this work!

See more images of this illegal work!

*September 22, 2005*, the Borough President heard from a packed room of citizens of South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights in regards to the Dept. of City Planning downzoning proposal. The Borough President was very supportive of City Planning’s proposal. There were some very interesting opposing views presented at the hearing. It’s very important that we all come out to the City Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, 9-28 to over whelm any negative comments about the plan and intent of the community. Keep an eye out for stories in the Park Slope Courier this Saturday and NY1 coverage over the next couple of days.

The race against the ULURP clock is on and Issac Katan and his backer Henry Radusky of Bricolage, intend on building their two 12 story buildings. Over 100 marchers protested *Sunday Septmber 18*, at his sites on 15th st and 16th st in South Park Slope. We are requesting that DOB place a stop work order on these sites, review their applications and force Radusky to reduce the height of these buildings. City Planning has said 12 stories is too tall for the side streets and DOB should enforce that ruling. NOW!

Community Board 7 sent a letter to DOB commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster, dated August 31st, formerly asking DOB to cease issuing new demo and construction permits and suspend any existing permits until DOB can investigate all active work sites in the South Park Slope and Greenwood Heights area.

We encourage all concerned residents to call 311 and write to Commissioner Lancaster and request that she respond to the Community Board request and end this deadly game these developers are playing. One construction worker has already died at 187 20th st in the rush to get their foundation in.

Department of Buildings
*DOB commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster*
NYC executive office
280 Broadway, 7th floor
New York, NY 10007
Interactive Voice System: (212) 566-5000
TTY: (212) 566-4769

_All letters should be cc’d to the following persons:_

Department of City Planning
*Amanda Burden*
Director of City Planning and Chair City Planning Commision
22 Reade Street
New York, N.Y. 10007

Department of City Planning
*Regina Myer*
Director, Brooklyn Planning Office
16 Court Street,
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11241

Park Slope Courier Account.

*Park Slope Courier*

By Charles Hack

Community Board 7 rushed to recommend a new South Park Slope downzoning proposal to beat developers trying to build before it becomes law — but the jury is out whether the new plans will save historic views of the Statue of Liberty from Green-Wood Cemetery.

CB 7 passed a resolution, with just one abstention, to endorse the Planning Department’s proposal to downzone some 50 blocks at a meeting held at 4101 4th Ave. on Aug. 24.

The move was not without some reservations.

The proposal is designed to protect the streets and avenues that are typically row houses between two and four stories in the South Slope from being devoured by high-rise development. But it will allow taller buildings along 4th Avenue. It also aims to retain existing commercial, retail and manufacturing.

The plans were lauded by a succession of politicians and activists who had worked with CB 7 to push the Planning Department to downzone the area.

“We have seen the record set for the quickest rezoning any of us have seen,” said Councilmember Bill de Blasio.

The community board approval marks the home stretch of a race with developers who are pouring foundations to grandfather in developments that would be too tall under the new zoning.

“If we waited another week, so much more was going to happen,” said de Blasio.

The plan now goes to the borough president’s office for a hearing on September 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the first-floor Community Room at 209 Joralemon Street. It then goes to the Department of City Planning for a 60-day consultation period before going to the City Council for a final decision.

The community board listed a number of concerns. The said a 12-story development on 4th Avenue might block historic view from Green-Wood Cemetery, that the zoning will allow new development which might strain the existing infrastructure, that the Planning Department should consider affordable housing to be mandatory, and that a priority should be given for housing for seniors.

Some were also concerned about enforcement of the new zoning.

“We do not pretend that every aspect of the proposal is absolutely perfect – but we would all agree that time is of the essence,” said State Sen. James Brennan.

Lady Liberty was set to face Battle Hill, because the Brooklyn site was pivotal in the war for independence, according to testimony by the attorney for Green-Wood Cemetery.

Architect Robert Scarano – who had his own development proposal at 617 7th Avenue challenged by local residents and Green-Wood Cemetery for blocking the view — testified that building 120 feet on 4th Avenue would, indeed, block the historic view.

“The Department has seriously considered this issue about the possible loss of views from Battle Hill,” said Jennifer M. Posner, special assistant to the Chair and the NYC Department of Planning, in a statement.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maps show that the elevation above sea level of Battle Hill is approximately 220 feet, and that the elevation of 4th Avenue is between 20 and 40 feet. This would be enough of a drop to prevent the views from being obscured, she said.

“The view from Battle Hill will not be obscured by development along 4th Avenue, where the new height limit will be 120 feet,” said Posner.

Some residents were concerned about how many affordable housing units would be created under a new initiative – inclusionary housing – which debuted in Williamburg-Greenpoint rezoning.

The provision would give developers 33 percent height bonuses along 4th Avenue, if the developer provides 20 percent affordable housing.

Under the proposal, a building that would normally reach 85 feet could be built to 120 feet if the developer agreed to provide affordable housing at the site, within half a mile or within the boundaries of the community board district.

Some were concerned that the affordable housing should be mandatory because of shortages of affordable housing in the area, and that income limits might be too high for the residents.

The affordable element, which is regulated by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, is based on 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the city as a whole — $62,800 for a four-family household – while the average income in Brooklyn is far lower.

Aaron Brashear of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights, one of the organizations recognized as the engine behind the rezoning initiative, said that he supported rezoning.

But even under the new zoning, if developers built to the maximum of four stories on his block of two- and three-bedroom homes, it would change the character of the street, he said.

Some felt the Planning Department had not gone far enough, saying that developers would stop at nothing with a virtual free reign over development.

Others expressed concerns that development would overstretch existing resources — for example, overcrowding schools, causing brownouts and choking sewers.

According to Regina Myer, director of the Brooklyn Office of Planning, the area is already developed and “there really would be no change in infrastructure.”

Under the zoning rules, the building would have to include parking for 40 percent of housing.

The rezoned area includes an area bounded by 15th Street to the northeast, 24th Street and Green-Wood Cemetery to the southwest, 3rd Avenue to the northwest and Prospect Park West to the southeast. Not all the blocks within those borders would be downzoned.

But the most affected blocks, sandwiched between 4th Avenue and 7th Avenue, would be rezoned to reduce the number of stories permitted from R6 zoning — which allows around seven stories under its present R6 zoning — to four, under a new R6B designation.

The Department of City planning estimates that 500 housing units have been constructed or have received building permits in the area in the last three years.

The race is on.

_Reprinted with permission from the Park Slope Courier._

*Park Slope Courier.*

By Charles Hack

Downzoning in Brooklyn can be like squeezing a balloon. Limit the size of developments in one neighborhood and high-rise developments pop up nearby.

When 110 blocks of Park Slope were rezoned in April 2003 to keep low-density housing, developers skipped south across 15th Street and started buying town houses and replacing them with high-rise condominiums.

“When our neighborhood was rezoned, all of sudden developers moved across to the south side of 15th Street,” said Tom Miskel, president of the Park Slope Civic Council.

Now Community Board 7 will be considering a proposal by the Department of City Planning to protect low-density areas in South Park Slope from further high-rise development.

The board will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on August 24 at 4101 4th Ave., and vote on the proposal to downzone some 50 blocks.

Last September, Community Board 7 approached City Planning to request that they come up with a proposal to provide “maximum protection” to South Park Slope.

City Planning returned with a proposal to rezone an area bounded 15th Street to the northeast, 24th Street to the southwest, 3rd Avenue to the northwest and Prospect Park West to the southeast.

However, not all the blocks within those borders would be downzoned.

But the most affected blocks, sandwiched between 4th Avenue and 7th Avenue, would be rezoned to reduce the number of stories permitted from around 12 under its present R6 zoning to four under a new R6B designation.

Some areas will be upzoned, for example a corridor along 4th Avenue would have a height limit of up to 12 stories, providing some 286 units of additional housing, according to Rachaele Raynoff, spokesperson for City Planning.

In addition, the Planning Department is working out a proposal that would allow developers to increase the housing densities further, if they agree to provide affordable housing.

Raynoff said that Bloomberg plans to create and preserve 68,000 units of affordable housing in the city over a five-year period. “It’s on, or ahead of schedule,” she said.

The changes would preserve the character of lower density housing in mid-blocks, while allowing developers to increase height and densities on wider avenues, Raynoff said.

“The Mayor is very committed to preserving and protecting lower-density neighborhoods from out-of-character development, providing opportunities for new development of housing for record populations, and of adding to the stock and supply of affordable housing in the city,” said Raynoff.

For some, the City Planning proposals exceeded expectations.

“Overall we are totally in support of the proposal that City Planning came back with,” said Travis Ruse, a member of Community Board 7 and volunteer for South South Slope – the organization that initiated the campaign to rezone the neighborhood — adding that he had thought the whole area would rezoned to R6B. That they included R5B was “pretty cool,” he said. R5B are mapped to preserve three-story rowhouses, whereas R6B typically rise to four stories.

If the Community Board approves the measures, it will then go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) process before being presented to the City Council for final approval.

All supporters of the rezoning agreed that City Planning’s response had been quick. Miskel pointed out that it took 15 years to get the Park Slope rezoned.

But speed is of the essence if the rezoning is to prevent further loss of low-rise housing.

Miskel pointed out that developers who lay their foundations to taller buildings before zoning changes come into force will have them “grandfathered” in. “A lot of foundations are being poured,” he said.

Aaron Brashear, of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights – another group that pushed for the change – said that four properties have been bought for redevelopment along block where he lives.
He said all of the “boxy” developments are out of character with the frame housing that is traditional in his area.

One building on 7th Avenue reaches 9 stories, he said. Another on 15th Street is to be 12 stories high.

Developers have also artificially inflated the prices of housing in the area, because they are prepared to pay homeowners double or triple what the properties would ordinarily be worth, Brashear said.

One developer was prepared to work with the community and redesign his proposed condominium because it would have interrupted a view between the St. Minerva Statue that stands on Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery and the Statue of Liberty.

Under the proposed changes most blocks between 4th and 7th avenues, and 24 and 15th streets would be rezoned from R6 to R6B. But the southern side of 4th Avenue would be zoned to R8A from 24th Street to Prospect Avenue. Both sides of 4th Avenue, from Prospect Avenue to 15th Street, would be R8A. Typically, R8A are “bulky” 11-story apartment houses.

From 4th Avenue to 3rd Avenue between 15th Street and Prospect Avenue, most properties will be R6B, except along 3rd Avenue, which would be R6A. Six-story apartments would be typical in an area zoned for R6A.

The blocks between 7th Avenue and Prospect Park West would either be M1-1, R5B, R6B, or R8B. Most of the block between 19th and 20th streets would be zoned as M1-1. Between 15th and 16th streets would be R6B. Most of the remainder between 16th and 19th streets would be R5B. M1-1 mainly allows light manufacturing and commercial uses. R8B might rise to around seven floors.

Prospect Park West would be up-zoned to R8B on both sides of the street near the corner of Prospect Park West and 18th Street.

The blocks between 15th Street, Prospect Avenue, 7th Avenue and almost up to 6th Avenue will also be R5B.

Since the proposed rezoning area is surrounded by recently downzoned Park Slope, the Green-Wood Cemetery and manufacturing, the rezoning would not have a direct impact on its neighboring blocks, according to Brashear.

For more information contact Community Board 7 at (718) 854-0003.

_Reprinted with Permission of the Park Slope Courier._

*Park Slope Courier.*

By Charles Hack

Architects promise that a redesigned condomimium complex will preserve a historic view of Lady Liberty from Green-Wood Cemetery, but opponents say the jury is still out.

The architect behind the new condominium, Robert Scarano, says the redesigned building at 614 7th Avenue will not block an 85-year-old view of the Statue of Liberty from the St. Minerva statue that stands on Battle Hill in the Green-Wood Cemetery.

“I am proud that our reworked design will help to preserve the integrity of this historic site and heighten Minerva’s significance to the community,” Scarano said.

Under the old design, the five-story, 70-foot-tall building with 35 units would have been in the direct path of the two statues.

The new plans show that the fifth floor of the building has been removed along the 23rd Street side of the property for a distance of 15 feet from the street line. This will allow an unobstructed view between the statues, according to the architects.

Borough President Markowitz, who has been supportive of the opponents, said that he is optimistic about the redesign but wants to hear from the community.

“Borough President Markowitz is pleased that the developer is making the effort to preserve the view and to address the community’s concerns,” said Jocelyn Aframe, a spokesperson for the Borough President’s office. “We are in the process of reviewing the proposed modifications and soliciting feedback from the community.”

Opponents question the accuracy of the artist’s renderings, and whether the completed building will really preserve the view.

The history-laden cemetery has some 300,000 visitors each year, and the Battle Hill monument is one of the most popular tourist destinations, according to Richard Moylan, president of Green-Wood Cemetery.

Moylan, who saw the renderings for the first time in a meeting last week, said that he wanted his architects to consider the plans further before passing judgment.

“We are still studying the new design,” Moylan said. “We appreciate the architects went to the effort of redesigning the building, but we want to be sure that the renderings are accurate.”

Moylan said a scale model would help clear any doubts about the accuracy of the renderings.
The architect said he would be prepared to create a scale model for a nominal fee.

He also said his design incorporates a faux-base for the Statue of Liberty into the 7th Avenue facade, giving the optical illusion that the statue is sitting atop the new building.

Moylan said although there continue to be concerns about over-development in the area, the design itself was acceptable.

“It is a nicer looking building than other new buildings in area, and that is to his credit,” said Moylan. “He is using a lot of glass. It’s got a modern look.”

Other community organizers were even more skeptical.

Jeremy Laufer, the district manager of Community Board 7, said that he had not been consulted about the redesign yet, but from what he saw of renderings supplied to him, he was not impressed.

“I don’t think the redesign would meet concerns of the community or the community board,” Laufer said.

Aaron Brashear, a founding member of the Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights, was more critical still. He described the new design as a “slap in the face.” He said he would like to have seen a much smaller building.

The plans indicate that there would be an outdoor deck on top of the lower section of the building. If this were used to place outdoor furniture, it may obscure the view, Brashear said.

“I would think that anyone who would spend money to buy one of these condos would want to use the outdoor space,” Brashear said. “If I lived here I would want to put out a grill, table, chairs and a nice umbrella, and this would completely obliterate the view.”

The architects maintain that the Statue of Liberty would be fully visible by an adult standing next to the St. Minerva statue.

Since the bulk and height of the building is within the current zoning laws — R-6 allows a five-story building –the development would be as of right.

Bashear said his organization, with a membership of some 60 residents, is pushing for downzoning of the area because a rash of condominium developments like this one was changing the character of the neighborhood.

The redesign was made in response to demonstrations by local residents who balked at losing the historic view.

Locals first heard about the development when the developer closed his business, National Produce, and started demolishing the building.

Scarano said that in responding to residents’ concerns, the project designer, Dity Ayalon, had been given time to review and improve the design of the interior and exterior.

The square footage has been reallocated to other areas of the building, resulting in no loss of floor space from the original design, according to the architect.

He said that potential buyers and the public at large will benefit from the redesign, which created a building that both “respects and enhances” the community.

_Reprinted with Permission from the Park Slope Courier._

*Park Slope Courier.*

By Michele De Meglio

“Nasty” developers have created a ruckus in Park Slope by constructing fences on residents’ property.

Planning to build a nine-story residential building at 408 15 th Street, developers infuriated locals when they set up shop on Saturday, April 16th.

“They started ripping down my neighbor’s fences claiming they had the right to put up construction,” said a 16 th Street resident who asked that her name be withheld. “It was really outrageous.”

The fences were positioned six feet deep into the backyards of the houses located directly behind the 15 th Street property, which is currently a parking lot, she said.

Another 16 th Street resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said workers were instructed to install the wood panel fences by “one man named Louis of Sanchez Associates who said he was the owner. He was in charge. There was also a foreman named Lorenzo.”

Upon seeing what was going on, some locals began removing the fences from their backyards. “I was throwing their materials over the fence. I wasn’t really angry but I was a little bothered that they had come there and done that without asking,” said Pastor Stephen Christopher of Memorial Baptist Church, 1506 Eighth Avenue, which is also located behind the lot.

Hoping to keep the fences up, workers pleaded for the locals’ cooperation, the 16 th Street resident said. “They walked to our property and said, ‘We’ll give you $1,000. We’ll give you free parking,’” she recalled. “It’s nasty.” One homeowner didn’t bite and instead called the police. “The cops came and chased them off our properties,” the 16 th Street resident said. However, Christopher eventually allowed the fence to be constructed in the church’s backyard. “We’re going to rent the space to them,” he said. The pastor agreed to a deal in order to provide the church with an additional stream of money.

Christopher is currently consulting realtors and lawyers to decide how much he should charge to allow the fence to remain. There will also be stipulations that the church’s land must be restored to its original condition.

“They’re going to be building the building right up to the property line and they need some room to put up scaffolding and that sort of deal…If they couldn’t use that property, it would slow them down so they’re going to have to pay, “Christopher said. “If they don’t meet our price, they’re going to have to take down their fence.”

Still reeling from the Saturday incident, residents have now set their sights on the 85-foot-tall building that will be constructed on the lot.

“We know that it’s going to be a horrifyingly tall box with three stories underground. It’s probably going to shake the hell out of my foundation. It’s very, very scary,” the 16th Street resident said.

According to plans filed with the city Department of Buildings (DOB), the nine-story, 47-unit building – there will be three additional basement levels – is slated to provide housing for the faculty of Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel, 2002 Ocean Avenue.

Two of the underground levels will be used as parking lots, with one floor holding 17 cars and the other storing 14.

The 16th Street resident said she is troubled by plans to provide ventilation in the underground parking lots.

“There are these two fans to get rid of carbon monoxide in the garage. Where are they pointed? They’re pointing to our yard. That’s a huge environmental problem,” she said. In the houses in back of the lot, “there’s probably 8-10 children. The whole block is full of children.”

The additional basement level will house a medical facility.

Some residents question the validity of the work detailed in the plans.

The 16th Street resident said another building was recently constructed under the pretext that it would be faculty housing for a yeshiva.

Located on 22 nd Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, the building is now being used as housing for doctors from nearby New York Methodist Hospital, confirmed Lyn Hill, spokesperson for the hospital.

“That was also the same yeshiva faculty housing bull,” the 16th Street resident said. “It was the same kind of information on paper.”

Regardless of who ultimately utilizes the building being constructed on 15 th Street, John Burns, founder and chair of the South South Slope Community Group, warned that the size of the structure would tax local resources.

The building “will place a great strain upon the community as far as traffic and congestion,” he said.

Neither Sanchez nor Bricolage Designs, which the DOB lists as the developer of the 15th Street site, returned calls for comment by the time this paper went to press. Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel could not be reached by press time.

DOB Spokesperson Jennifer Givner said residents have not contacted the city agency about the site. “This address has no complaints on record, which means that they’re not calling the Department of Buildings or 311,” she said. “If they do have problems, we encourage them to call 311.”

_Reprinted with permission of the Park Slope Courier._

*Park Slope Courier*

By Michele De Meglio

The fight to protect the South South Slope is heating up.

Bearing signs declaring, “Save Our Cozy Nests” and “Big Dogs – Not Big Buildings,” more than 100 residents flooded local streets to protest a development that will forever impact a neighborhood landmark.

The battle centers on the construction of a five-story residential building on a lot previously occupied by one- and two-family homes on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street. If completed at its intended height of 70 feet, the building would block the clear view between the Statue of Liberty and a 7-foot-tall statue of the Goddess of Minerva, which is located on Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery.

“For 85 years, the statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, has stood sentry atop Battle Hill, carefully watching over the Statue of Liberty and protecting the memories of Revolutionary War soldiers who are buried at her feet. We cannot allow one misplaced and intrusive building to wipe out the legacy of our patriotic and historic past,” said Richard Moylan, president of Green-Wood Cemetery.

Unveiled in 1920, Minerva’s left hand salutes the Statue of Liberty as her right hand places a wreath on the “Alter to Liberty,” which commemorates the Battle of Long Island.

“She was built to face the harbor. The Statue of Liberty doesn’t face Manhattan – it faces Minerva. If you look at the raised arms, it’s almost like they’re saluting each other,” said Sheila White of the Park Slope Civic Council.

“To lose that historic view on top of Battle Hill would be a loss to our history,” said Kimberly Maier, executive director of the Old Stone House.

Calling the Minerva statue “a landmark of our city of Brooklyn,” Borough President Marty Markowitz explained why new developments are popping up throughout the borough.

“Unlike years ago, Brooklyn is chic, everyone wants to live here so there’s a great demand for everything to be built,” he said.

A common occurrence in Brooklyn, humble one- and two-family homes are routinely demolished to make room for multi-level residential buildings.

As Bay Ridge has recently been rezoned to prohibit such construction, residents of the South South Slope are calling on the city to provide the same protection to their community.

“We like where we live and we like the character of our neighborhood,” Webster Place resident Steven Sears said. “We don’t want to have single-family homes prodded out by condominium complexes and other residential housing that seeks to milk every last possible dollar of revenue out of a lot.”

Markowitz said action must be taken “to preserve the quality of life, which is why people moved here to begin with.”

The Department of City Planning is currently reviewing the South South Slope’s zoning laws and considering a rezoning application. The agency is expected to release its decision during the summer.

The South South Slope Community Group has asked for the area to receive contextual zoning, which regulates the height of new buildings to ensure that they are in keeping with the character of the neighborhood.

However, Assemblymember Jim Brennan asserted that City Planning is taking too long to make a decision.

“They’ve known about this for 1 1/2 years,” he said.

“The City Planning Commission has indicated repeatedly that it wants to cooperate in doing this but they are moving way too slowly,” he continued. “This [protest] is an effort to insist that City Planning honor its commitment to rezoning and make sure that it