Solution to Affordable Housing? Old Prisons in Brooklyn. (Sort of)
Not this kind of Brig.
It's been exactly a year since we've heard about the City's plans for the fascinating Brig site in Wallabout. Today, however, brings an official Request for Proposals for the redevelopment of the former prison (conveniently neighboring the Brooklyn Navy Yard) into 400 new housing units.
According to the city's press release, commercial and community space--plus sustainable design--are also in the mix. The Brooklyn House of Detension (and retail shops, and "boutique hotel"?) has nothing on Brig.
But best of all: There will be 300 units of affordable housing, a small step towards Bloomberg's "$7.5 billion Housing Plan [for providing] homes for 500,000 New Yorkers over ten years, more than the entire population of Atlanta." Take that, Ted Turner.
But how much will the city charge potential developers for the 103,000-square-foot Brig? $1. - Max Abelson
Uh, I think the building is actually already gone, and has been for about six months at least. It is just abig vacant lot. Not quite as interesting.
The Brooklyn House of DetenTion is still sitting pretty on the North side of Atlantic Ave. The empty lot is the former Mobil gas station and car wash, soon to be luxury apartments.