The development team at Breaking Ground has revealed proposals to redevelop a Jehovah’s Witness-owned property at 90 Sands Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn. The conversion would repurpose the building for supportive and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households.
Zoning amendments are required to construct the property, which sits on a tax lot designated for manufacturing use.
If approved, the 29-story building will yield 305 studio units of supportive housing for formerly homeless adults with chronic mental illness and 202 units for low- and moderate-income households with incomes ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent of the area median income (AMI). In addition to the supportive and affordable housing units, there will be a unit for the superintendent of the building, bringing the total to 508.
Residents will have access to a multi-purpose room for events, a fitness room, and a computer room. On-site social services would be provided by The Center for Urban Community Services. This includes individualized case management, primary medical care, mental health services, vocational guidance, and benefits counseling. A portion of the ground floor and cellar spaces would support the community facility and manufacturing tenants.
The developers have also proposed a new public plaza along the Jay Street boundary of the site.
90 Sands Street – Site Map
In August 2018, Aby Rosen’s RFR Realty sold the former Jehovah’s Witness building that occupies the site for $170 million to Breaking Ground. Rosen originally acquired the property for $135 million and planned to construct a 600-key hotel with developer Ian Schrager. Those plans were eventually scrapped by RFR.
Pending city approvals, the new project is expected to be fully operational by 2022. It is not clear which design architect has been retained for the project, or whether the scope of work also includes a redesign of the building’s aging masonry façade.
90 Sands Street – View from Northwest corner of Pearl and Sands Streets
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What a great project!
It’s a disgrace that the world’s wealthiest nation doesn’t take care of its people who need the most help. The homeless crisis started in the 80s when Saint Ronald closed down government mental institutions. Healthcare for all would be a big step toward addressing that horribly cruel presidential action.
This constantly uses the word “construct,” but as you can clearly see, the building is actually already there. The correct thing to say is “redevelop.”
It would be nice if the city and the MTA could arrange funding to reopen the mid-station exit to the overcrowded York Street station with both stairs and elevators. It’s near this project and, while I don’t expect a non-profit to contribute towards transportation improvements in return for zoning changes–their project is a public good in and of itself–I would hope that the city, the community board, and the MTA would look to other developments that want zoning changes or variances for transportation improvement dollars citywide as it has in individual projects as well as in the Midtown East rezoning.
Hi Marc. Dumbo residents, elected officials, the Dumbo Improvement District and Community Board 2 have all been advocating for a second means of egress from the York Street F train station. I have never heard anyone mention a mid-station exit; “reopen” implies that one was open in the past. Give me a call at the CB2 district office if you have more details. Thanks, Rob
Robert
There are provisions for a mezzanine towards the south end of the station, but it seems like this was never constructed up to street level.
Hey i had a room there on floor 13, wondering if there are any open to the public
It sounds great and very interested. Pls keep me updated.
I am a senior and retired. I want an application to a one or two bedroom for sale or for rent, please email me an application to [email protected] thank you very much.