Rendering of 985 Pacific Street via Archimaera
When a new building is in the works in New York, it is not unheard of for community boards to weigh in. But unusually, Brooklyn’s Community Board 8 (CB8) sought a binding commitment from EMP Capital Group, the developer planning a new mixed-use building at 985 Pacific Street, to set aside a portion of the proposed building’s commercial space for light manufacturing in perpetuity, and is prepared to monitor and enforce it. Additionally, CB8 seeks for the commitment to remain in effect if ownership is transferred. This goes well beyond a community board’s typical duties; indeed, CB8 has reached out to community partners to help with enforcement.
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“We need local jobs...We want people to be able to walk to work” - Ethel Tyrus, Chairperson, Brooklyn Community Board 8
985 Pacific Street circa January 2020 via Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle
The site is located in an area known as the "M-Crown district,” a manufacturing neighborhood that CB8 has long been trying to rezone so as to promote the construction of affordable housing and light industrial businesses. These could include caterers, laboratories, printers, commercial galleries, breweries, and photography, film, radio, or television studios. Special permits would allow for retail, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues. Hotels, self-storage warehouses, parking lots, and pumping stations would be prohibited.
Elie Pariente, founder and principal of EMP Capital Group, is open to CB8’s enforcement mechanism, and he isn’t the only one to weigh in. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is known for his support of putting underutilized land to better use; more specifically, City Planning Commission Chair Marisa Lago praised CB8 for its leadership and attention to detail, saying that it “helps the Department and Commission make informed decisions.” One of those decisions was for City Planning to approve the application on February 5, 2020.
Rendering via Archimaera/Department of City Planning
Permits have not yet been filed, but renderings show a nine-story building with a brick and metal facade. EMP Capital Group plans a contest for a local artist to design a mural for the side of the building. Of the 64 studio through three-bedroom units planned, 16 will be permanently affordable for tenants earning 60 percent of the area median income. A bike room is planned for the building, which will be conveniently located near the Franklin Avenue A/C subway stop.
It is far too soon to say whether CB8's deal is a one-time event or the start of a larger trend, but it is clear that Crown Heights has experienced an upswing in recent years. Acris shows that Mr. Pariente bought the vacant lot for $6.05 million in November 2018, a sharp contrast to the $380K it last sold for in March 2014. New condominiums like 111 Montgomery Street, 906 Prospect Place, and 1090 Carroll Street have taken shape throughout the neighborhood. According to CityRealty listings, local median prices are $885K for condos and $2,500/month for rentals.
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