Wednesday, January 20, 2010
News Williamsburg's Dormant Domino Sugar Plant To Return as 2,200 Apartments
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 2:54 PM
Since then, well, you know, real estate≠booming, but the revamped Domino project is slowly jumping through all the necessary planning and permission hoops, most recently earning certification from the City Planning Commission. The Times reported earlier this month that the project is now entering the seven months-long public land-use approval phase, which basically means that concerned community groups (who have an alternative plan), preservationists and the City Council will have their say. But what's to talk about?
On the other hand, thirty percent of the 2,200 apartments would be set aside for low- and middle-income housing, which is both more than most new developments, and not good enough. Maybe the real estate situation won't be so grim in 2021, when the project will be completed (pending approval), but if half or more of those apartments were kept affordable they'd be occupied no matter what the economy is doing.
Lastly, at least for now, there's the infrastructure problem. Can Williamsburg really handle the 3,000 or so people this development represents, over and above the already rapidly increasing local population? How will the L trains keep up? Will dwindling bus service be able to cope? What schools will these kids go to? As much as it would be nice for there to be something down there on that desolate stretch of road, does there have to be so much?
Also: The New Domino's neighbor to the south is a low-level radioactive and toxic material management and shipping company!
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