【Epoch Times, February 6, 2025】(Reported by Cai Rong from New York) The Bensonhurst Kings Highway 166 High-rise Apartment project underwent its second hearing at the Brooklyn Borough Hall on the evening of February 5. The project, proposed by a private developer, seeks to amend the zoning map from R6 to R7 to facilitate a 10-story mixed-use development. The developer emphasized the insufficient residential supply and aims to increase affordable housing through rezoning. However, multiple Chinese residents in attendance expressed opposition, concerned about the impact on the community environment and quality of life, strongly opposing large-scale development.
Developer’s lawyer Eric Palatinic stated that based on the recommendation of CB11 Community Board, the developer has revised the zoning proposal to R7A, reducing the building scale from the original 10 floors to 9 floors, including 76 apartments, of which 19 are designated as affordable housing. Additionally, despite no requirement for parking spaces in the regulation, the developer still provides 69 parking spaces in response to community needs.
Palatinic emphasized that the initial R7X proposal included the Senior Affordable Homeownership Program (known as the Sarah program), which required 30% of units to be allocated to former homeless individuals. However, the CB11 Community Board and local residents widely opposed this program. As a result, the developer withdrew the R7X proposal, adopting the current market rate development plan while retaining a certain percentage of affordable housing units.
The developer pointed out that the current residential supply in the area is far below demand. Despite a 9% population growth, housing supply has only increased by 1.8%. According to the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program by the city, new projects must provide affordable housing for different income levels, with rents based on the Area Median Income (AMI). Even affordable housing units have rents of $1,700 for one-bedroom, $2,000 for two-bedroom, and $2,500 for three-bedroom apartments, indicating the continued rise in rent pressure in New York City.
Many community members strongly oppose the project, primarily concerned about building height, infrastructure load, and parking issues.
Angela Liu, a resident of over 30 years, expressed opposition to the proposal on the grounds that the community’s infrastructure cannot withstand further development pressure, especially given the frequent flooding issues in the area. The R6 zone is already stressed environmentally, and a change to R7A could exacerbate the situation, potentially leading to a domino effect and more vacant lots being rezoned to R7A, further driving high-density development.
Resident Patricia Minoosh stated that the government initially planned the area as R6B for a reason – it is a small triangular area that cannot support high-rise development. Furthermore, the local infrastructure is already unable to meet existing demands, with the community facing flooding during heavy rains and a severe shortage of parking spaces. High-rises would not only worsen the parking issue but also block sunlight, leading to overcrowded schools and jeopardizing the existing residential environment.
Resident Shu Bin Zhu also strongly opposed the zoning change. He pointed out that the CB11 Community Board meeting on January 7 had discussed the R7X proposal, which faced community-wide opposition. However, the meeting on January 9 only rejected R7X without sufficient discussion on R7A before making a decision.
Another resident noted that the community had collected hundreds of petitions, with many residents unable to attend in person but still strongly opposing the change. He emphasized that the geographical conditions of 166 Kings Highway are not suitable for high-rise construction, with narrow roads and surrounding one-way streets posing significant fire safety hazards for tall buildings. Additionally, parking, sewage systems, and overcrowded schools have plagued the community for years. The community has held numerous hearings and expressed opposition, but it seems their concerns have not been adequately addressed. Therefore, he urged the Brooklyn Borough President to listen to the community’s voice and maintain the existing area planning.
During the public speaking segment, a representative of State Senator Chen Xueli stated that the development plan is detrimental to the Gravesend community, urging the Borough President and City Council to vote against it. He expressed that residents are weary of developers entering the community and pushing forward massive construction projects, fearing the plan will lead to overdevelopment, affecting the quality of life for existing residents. No one wants it to become “like Flushing, so congested that it takes residents 20 minutes to walk a block.”
A representative of Councilmember Zoe Wen Yi also spoke against the project, believing that the developer had not sufficiently consulted with the community, and residents’ concerns regarding parking, school resources, and infrastructure remained inadequately addressed. She emphasized that any zoning change should prioritize resident interests, thus requesting the developer to collaborate with the community to address their concerns and withdraw the application.
The zoning hearing for this plot is not yet concluded, with the final decision awaiting further review by the city government and City Council. ◇