WWW WT Funds at Work

blondie

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com

To watch towers rise
By HUGH SON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, November 12th, 2003

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/135859p-120938c.html

Evelyn Carr was happy, and why not? She had just put a down payment on a $375,000 loft apartment - with views of the waterfront - on Bridge St. in Brooklyn's trendy DUMBO neighborhood.

Then she heard the news: Those waterfront vistas will be blocked by four residential towers - the shortest, 14 stories; the tallest, 20 - proposed for the vacant 3-acre lot across the street.

"My heart sank," said the 32-year-old marketing assistant. "Right now, I have really great views of the Manhattan Bridge and this great expanse of sky, and all of that will be completely blocked.

"It makes me really sad, not just for me and others in this building, but because [the towers] would dramatically change the tone of the neighborhood."

Carr is not alone in her criticism of the plan by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society - the legal entity of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group - to develop a 1,000-unit apartment complex on the lot at 85 Jay St.

Nancy Webster, president of the DUMBO Neighborhood Association, says the proposed towers are too tall and would be "out of context and incompatible with existing buildings in DUMBO and Vinegar Hill."

While the tallest buildings in DUMBO are 12 stories high, Jehovah's Witnesses spokesman Richard Devine said that other, taller residential buildings also are being planned.

The towers "won't be the tallest buildings in the immediate area, by any means," he said.

The Jehovah's Witnesses originally intended to build a printing plant on the Jay St. site when they began buying parcels of land there in the 1980s, Devine said. But as the neighborhood experienced a rebirth as an enclave of trendy restaurants and lofts with panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline, the religious group shifted its focus, he said.

Now, Devine explained, plans call for the development of a large residential complex that could house up to 1,800 Jehovah's Witnesses, many of whom now live in smaller buildings scattered about Brooklyn Heights.

The complex, which Watchtower Society officials hope is completed by 2006, would consist of four towers - rising 14, 16, 18 and 20 stories, respectively - and a 700-car underground parking garage.

The religious group submitted an environmental assessment statement last week, said Regina Myer, director of the Brooklyn City Planning Department.

The statement is the first step in a months-long land use review process that will ultimately decide whether 85 Jay St. - now a light-manufacturing area - will be rezoned for residential use.

imallgrowedup

Ok! I am confused! I thought they were moving everything up to the Patterson facility! What's going on here? growedup

stillajwexelder

This is my take --- they ARE moving all printeries and book binding to Paterson - no shipping from Brooklyn -- but HQ will still be at Brooklyn along with support staff -- now the area has experienecd a rebirth -- you build the apartment complex with ~~slave~~ volunteer labor and in a few years time with all trendy restaurants in the area -- you finally move everyone to Paterson and sell the condo/apartments for an extortionate amount of money and make a huge fortune. It makes perfect sense for a publishing corporation to make money --- now wouldn't Jesus our Master have been proud - -storing up riches on earth instaed of heaven

sf

Awe, man...

{breathes deeply}

This stinks of 'something'. Not sure of 'what' yet though.

Charitable Donations to better whom?

{breathes deeply, again}

Thanks for the news Blondie.

sKally

imallgrowedup

So what you are saying is this is really just an investment for them? What do you mean the apartments will be built with volunteer labor? Does this mean that the JW's actually build the buildings, instead of hiring contractors to do the work?

imallgrowedup of the My Curiosity is Peaked class!

stillajwexelder

sure some contractors get used --but a huge amount of JW building work is done by Brothers /International Construction Workers etc.

imallgrowedup

exelder -

Ok! This 'splains a lot! However - don't they have all their Brooklyn properties up for sale, or just some?

Inquiring Minds Want To Know!

growedup

stillajwexelder

Not sure -- but I guarantee loads of money will be made -- the dollar is the king -- not the preaching work - sorry to be cynical

imallgrowedup

exelder-

Don't worry about it! I have no doubt this is one way they are building up some funds to pay lawsuits and/or bribe a few governments. I am sure someone will uncover the real reason once the dust settles! (No puns intended!)

growedup

JeffT

I'm not sure about New York, but I think it's worse than Seattle (where I work in Real Estate). First, getting all the permits will take years and buckets of money. Two, all the work will have to be done by licensed contractors. The unions will raise hell if they try to do it any other way.

The only thing that makes sense is that this is some long term investment strategy. What happened to 'the end is near."

WWW WT Funds at Work

Share this