D
eveloper Ian Bruce Eichner has reached a deal with City Council member Crystal Hudson to build apartments near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The agreement downsizes Continuum Company's project from 475 units to 355, including 106 income-restricted units. In exchange for lower building heights to minimize shadows on the garden, Hudson allowed Continuum to use the "workforce housing" option in the city's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program. This means 30% of apartments will be affordable to households earning an average of 115% of the area median income.

    The project now has a 10-degree slope, down from 15 degrees approved by the City Planning Commission, allowing for necessary sunlight to reach the garden's plant nursery and other crucial areas. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden hailed the agreement as ending the threat of permanent loss of sunlight for its living museum of plants.

    Eichner's original proposal in 2017 included two 39-story towers with over 1,500 apartments, but it drew opposition from community groups and politicians due to height concerns and shadow impact. The City Planning Commission rejected the project in September 2021. Continuum then filed a new application, which was still too tall for garden officials.

    The compromise replaces low-income units with workforce housing, allowing for higher rents in below-market-rate units. A union pension fund will finance the project, making it the first union-built, financed, and operated development in the city. The modified rezoning is expected to be approved by a City Council committee today.