Flying Walentas

Quirky developer David Walentas and his son Jed--the duo that either ruined DUMBO or made it, depending on whom you listen to--is making inroads into Cobble Hill. Their somewhat bland Courthouse luxury residential apartments just opened up at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Court Street, and their company, Two Trees, is already angling for another development on the same intersection. For now, it doesn't look good. The company owns 130 Court Street-—the Independence Savings Bank building. Two Trees was seeking approval from Brooklyn Community Board 6 to demolish an extension and to build a seven-story residential building next-door. But in April, the board unanimously voted for a resolution calling on the Landmarks Preservation Commission to sink the Two Trees bid. Two Trees needs the L.P.C.'s nod because, unlike the Courthouse complex, 130 Court Street sits in the Cobble Hill historic district. Community boards serve a purely advisory role, but the L.P.C. often takes them pretty seriously. The main problem, according to community groups opposed to the plan, is that Two Trees didn't care much for the historic district's 50-foot-height limitation on new buildings. Jane McGroaty told us: "We consider the 50-foot height limit to be sacred." Diane Jackier, a spokesperson for the L.P.C., said a vote on the plan that was scheduled for July 12th had been tabled. The Real Estate hasn't yet gotten hold of anyone from Two Trees. - Matthew Grace