Due for Thursday – Master Plan & Special Zoning Districts

For Thursday be prepared to present and discuss your current thinking as a class and for each group your current thinking on your special zoning district.  Below is a summary of some of the things we discussed and agreed upon in class today.

Circulation

• Hicks Street East (towards downtown Brooklyn)
  • To be maintained for vehicular traffic
  • Sidewalk should be widened for pedestrians
  • Street calming techniques including cobble stone street crossings should be implemented
• Hicks Street West (toward Brooklyn battery tunnel)
  • Does not need to be maintained as a continuous corridor for vehicles.
  • On a block by block basis we will review where access to existing driveways or parking should be maintained.
• BQE
  • Options for decking
    • Option 1- deck over – column in the middle – 3 lanes of traffic each direction
    • Option 2- deck over – New HOV lane in the middle with 2 columns each side – 2 lanes of traffic each direction
    • Option 3 – deck over –  New 2-way LightRail in the middle – 2 lanes of traffic each way
    • Traffic heading towards Brooklyn Battery Tunnel from Downtown Brooklyn should have a direct access lane to the BBT.
• • Additional Decking & Relocation of BQE
    • Following BIG’s proposal we agree that BQE should run below grade from Brooklyn Heights through our primary site and beyond
    • Creates a new project site (special zoning district 4) at the Atlantic avenue end.
    • The south end closer to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel should also be redesigned to sink the roadway and create future access across to Red Hook community.
• Cobble Hill Promenade (or a better name?)
  • We envision the primary covering to have a large percentage connected of park creating a neighborhood promenade.  New development in the form of housing, commercial or community facilities may be included.
  • What is the percentage Park/Building for your zone?
• Special Zoning Districts 1,2 & 3
  • Rethink your zoning based on community input
  • As we are partially closing Hicks Street West – look on a block by block basis within your zoning and consider where infill housing sites can be located.  Consider if you are maintaining any vehicular circulation for access to existing parking.
  • Define the specific building sites in  your zone.  Set the FAR or other constraints on a site by site basis.  Are they all the same?  Do they differ?
• Special Zoning District 4 (From Congress to Atlantic & Hicks to Columbia)
  • The class agrees to define a new special Zoning District – each team will contribute to the development of this district rules
  • This district currently has three parks divided up by the BQE and its access points.
  • New zoning district will be covered.  We will maintain the exits and entrances or will look to relocate these.
  • This zoning district will have a higher density than zones 1, 2 & 3.
  • Adjacent to taller towers – we will consider allowing towers on the site.
  • This zoning district will integrate community parking
  • This zoning district will continue to provide larger public parks
  • This zoning district will act as a connector between the “Cobble Hill Promenade” and Brooklyn Bridge Park