Brooklyn Botanic Garden Basks in Sunlight After New Development Deal

In yet another reversal, additional revisions were made to the proposed rezoning of 962–972 Franklin Ave. during a City Council subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, which ensures the forthcoming residential development in the hotly debated Crown Heights lot will protect some of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s plant collections from shadows.

After years of contentious meetings between residents, elected officials, the garden and Continuum Company, the developer, the revised proposal features a 10-degree slope, down from 15 degrees previously approved by the Department of City Planning, allowing for necessary sunlight to reach the garden’s plant nursery and other crucial areas, according to a press release from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

The building is now proposed to include 355 units of housing, 30% of which will be affordable, according to the new plan that was approved by the Council's Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises. This new plan comes a month after Continuum suddenly scrapped a proposal and said it would build a residential building as-of-right. 

"After more than six years of discussion, debate and vigorous public advocacy, the threat of permanent loss of sunlight for our living museum of plants is over," said Adrian Benepe, president and chief executive officer of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden."We are grateful to our elected officials for their steadfast support and diligent work to craft a plan that ensures the sunlight that plants need to survive, protects the garden from permanent damage and enables affordable workforce housing."

City Council Member Crystal Hudson estimated that the development would create 1,000 union construction jobs. The building will also have a high-performance façade and a community-based ground-floor commercial tenant. Additionally, the developer will finance substantial upgrades to nearby Jackie Robinson Playground.

"We have succeeded in turning a potential catastrophe into a win for our community," she said through a press release. 

The revised plan heads to the City Council's Land Use Committee on Wednesday. Then it can be voted by the full City Council and the mayor, according to Brownstoner.