From Bklyner: Proposed Tower at McDonald’s Site Faces Pushback, Questions Over Ownership

I have an article yesterday in Bklyner headlined Proposed Tower at McDonald’s Site Faces Pushback, Questions Over Ownership, with the subheading "Community Board 8 hears argument for density, details on the cultural tenant, but fears domino effect for building sites down Atlantic Avenue."

From the lead:

With the clock finally starting on the city’s land-use review process for 840 Atlantic Ave, Community Board 8 again reacted critically to a developer’s application to build an 18-story, 195-foot mostly residential building at the southeast corner of Vanderbilt and Atlantic avenues in Prospect Heights. The site is currently mainly occupied by a drive-through McDonald’s.

But the March 4 session was more than a reprise of the initial meeting last December, when board members—who’ve endorsed a significant but smaller rezoning for larger buildings—called the proposed tower, with 316 apartments, too big and argued it was not offering enough affordability in the 95 below-market apartments.

One member contended that the Department of City Planning (DCP) had drawn an unusual map to accommodate this irregular site within a proposed rezoning known as M-CROWN. But the developer, backed by DCP, argued that this site deserves increased density, given wide streets and large buildings nearby.

Also, some context:

While some neighbors have been scorned as NIMBYs—one said the neighborhood was “swimming in density,” which might describe the zone around the Pacific Park site, with four towers under construction— the difference between Community Board 8’s vision for development and that of the developer/DCP is one of degree, perhaps four stories in this case, and of precedent.

Also note questions I didn't get answered about ownership of the site and the make-up of the development team. For the rest of the article, go to Bklyner.