Flatiron Building-Looking Condo Tower to Rise at Brooklyn Heights Library Site

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Flatiron Building should be highly honored by this fresh batch of renderings from Marvel Architects for the site at 280 Cadman Plaza West in Brooklyn Heights. The Daily News reports that “the 36-story tower, which will have 139 condo units, community space, retail and a new 21,500-square-foot library on the ground floor, looks like it will be Brooklyn’s very own alternative to the Flatiron building, with its dramatic wedge-shaped structure.”

Back in September, the Brooklyn Heights Library agreed to sell their site to Hudson Companies for $52 million with the stipulation that the developer build 114 affordable housing units at two different locations nearby, as well as a new state-of-the-art library at the existing site. The project began the city’s land use review process (ULURP) yesterday.

The plans for a new building at the site came from the library’s out-of-date and ineffective infrastructure and systems (the new space will have updated collections, technology, and extensive programs), along with cash issues across the Brooklyn Public Library system. Currently, $300 million is needed for repairs on 60 branches, four of which will receive funds from the development sale. Originally, the community space was to be leased by St. Ann’s School as a gym, but they’ve since backed out.

The community review process will likely get heated, as a local advocacy group called Citizens Defending Libraries is already speaking out against the project. The group’s co-founder Michael White said, “Not only is the shrinking of the library a mistake, it’s a mistake to put it at the bottom of a residential building, since it won’t be able to grow with the neighborhood.” On the other side of the coin, David Kramer, CEO of Hudson Companies, said “Our feeling was that this was a very high-profile location and it was our responsibility to do something special here. This will look great as you come off the Brooklyn Bridge. These will be the best condominiums in Brooklyn.”

[Via NYDN]

All renderings via Marvel Architects

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