Domino Sugar Plan Sweet For Some, Sour To Others

More than 100 people argued the pros and cons of the proposed Domino Sugar factory project last Tuesday, for which the Community Preservation Corporation, a managing partner in the development, has requested a zoning amendment.

The Department of City Planning had scheduled two public hearings - one at 2 p.m., the other at 6 p.m. - to field comments about CPC's 2.6 million square-foot proposal, which would contain residential, commercial, and community facility space.

Ostensibly, the hearings were intended for feedback regarding the Draft Scope of Work for the project's Environmental Impact Statement, which was released last week. But few attendees mentioned environmental aspects they would like to see added, concentrating instead of arguing the merits of a structure that will radically alter Williamsburg's waterfront.

The earlier session featured approximately 70 attendees, including City Council member Diana Reyna, as well as a representative from State Assemblyman Vito Lopez's office. In her testimony, Reyna expressed a willingness to support CPC's requested height increase if the number of affordable units also goes up to 1,000 units from the 660 planned.

On the other hand, the official for Lopez said the assemblyman was looking for a decrease in height and density while retaining affordability. "Why does affordable housing always have to manifest itself in height and density?" stated his testimony.

During the latter session, half as many attendees showed up, but evenly-matched numbers of people commented for and against the project. Some detractors, like Nancy Buivid, who has lived in the area since 1983, asked that DCP consider alternatives to the proposal in order to preserve the area's quality of life.

She complained the project, with its planned 300-foot and 400-foot towers along the waterfront, would shroud homes like hers in total darkness at sunset. "It's just not right," Buivid said.

Meanwhile, another neighbor, Susan Pellegrino, who lives on Wythe Ave., worried the development would tax the local infrastructure, including the L-train, beyond what it could handle. "I don't believe our tiny little neighborhood can support that many more people, even with ferry service," she said.

But supporters like James O'Shea, executive director of the not-for-profit Churches United Corp., said any negative aspects would be offset by one major positive - affordable housing for families who might otherwise be displaced by rising rents.

"There is not one family I know who needs a home who would bat an eye at taller buildings," he said, noting the market-rate units would finance the affordable ones. "Domino gives us the opportunity to be bold. The needs of our families demand nothing less."

You can read even more about the hearing at Times Ratner Report.