Tomorrow the Board of Standards and Appeals is having a hearing on the case of 580 Carroll Street in Park Slope, where a developer is seeking a variance to erect three townhouses in addition to the rest of his Enrique Norten-designed project. Less than a month ago, a CB6 committee gave the thumbs down to the developer's request, and pols like Councilmember Bill de Blasio and Assemblywoman Joan Millman have spoken out against the variance. The developer is trying to get the variance based on a "hardship" claim involving cost overruns on the site; he says that unless he builds three townhouses fronting Carroll Street (as opposed to the original plan pictured above, also reviled by many in the community, involving substantial garden space but much less density) he stands to lose a lot of money. Opponents to the variance have collected 130 signatures against it from residents between 4th and 5th avenues on Carroll Street and Garfield Place (which the project also fronts) and neighborhood ringleader Johnny Werbe has sent a strongly worded letter to the BSA that says, in part, the following: "A return on their investment, unwisely made, jeopardized by poor judgment, leadership and planning, and put at risk, not so much by the inherent conditions, as by sloppy work, disorganization and arrogance cannot be a reasonable proposition...Variances, if permitted, would make the property, the block, the neighborhood too dense." Before the BSA hearing tomorrow there will be a press conference organized by de Blasio's office outside the site tonight at 7 p.m.
CB6 Doesn't Buy Carroll Street Hardship Claim [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Developer Trying to Supersize Norten Project [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Enrique Norten-Designed Project in Park Slope Revealed [Brownstoner]
Four Developments Coming to One Stretch of Carroll [Brownstoner]
