Watchtower to build residential towers in DUMBO area of Brooklyn

Dogpatch

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

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

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

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.

Panda

OMG that poor woman..sheesh, I would complain no matter who was planning those towers. Maybe she can sue her realtor or builder for not disclosing the WTS ownership of those lots or perhaps even knowing about the plan to build.

Gamaliel

Thanks for the post Randy,

For anyone who cares, DUMBO stands for "Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass."

Gamaliel

searcher

Will the bethelites have to take out a loan from the society for building, then deed the property back to the society?

Gamaliel

Panda,

The realor may not have known. The WTS had become infamous for putting property in the names of wealthy brothers only to have them sign it over to the WTS at the last minute when plans and permits to build tall buildings were already in the works. This scandal was exposed a couple of times in Brooklyn and NY papers. It's possible they don't do that anymore, but I'm suspicious of the fact that this announcement came on the heels of rumors the WTS spread that they were selling buildings and moving operations upstate.

Gamaliel

blondie

searcher, these buildings are for Bethelites to live in but the WTS will own them just like other WT Buildings. These aren't private homes for JWs.

Blondie

searcher

Thanks Blondie.

It was just that I heard that congregations have to pay for kingdom halls, which are then signed over to the society, I thought they may do the same sort of thing here.

stillajwexelder

imallgrowedup

exelder -

Your link took me to the "edit" portion of your post in Blondie's thread. You might want to check it out.

blondie

Searcher, most Bethelites have little money or belongings and would find it hard to find a bank to loan them this kind of money.

The WTS gets donations through individuals, congregations, circuits and districts, some times asking for it specifically through the congregation level. It has been know for some individual JWs with contacts and money to buy the property/take out the loan and then turn it over to the WTS (usually there is some tax break for the WTS and the individaul).

As the the WTS owning KHs, I know some feel that and some newer ones may be, but my experience where I live is that the congregation corporation owns it. The WTS has wanted one congregation to sell some land they own for 10 years and the congregation refuses. Their hall is paid off. So if the WTS owned the property, how could the congregation refuse to sell. I think what it means is that if the congregation leaves the WTS that the building will revert to the WTS but not that the WTS has control over it before that point. This is based on statements made by family members who are elders on bodies in 7 congregations.

Blondie

Watchtower to build residential towers in DUMBO area of Brooklyn

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