Developer defends "Depot"

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper
A Bay Ridge developer showed off his proposal to build a new Home Depot--and hundreds of units of even-more-lucerative housing--along a vacant Bay Ridge rail yard, but activists quickly trashed the plan as too big for the surrounding neighborhood.
Developer Andrew Kohen made his case at a public hearing hosted by Community Board 10 on Monday night, where he asked the board to green-light an 11-story complez that will include 216 apartments (43 of which will be below-market-rate), office space and a 100,000-square-foot Home Depot, in the rail yard at 62nd Street and Eight Avenue.
The commercial land has already been cleared, but Kohen needs a zoning change to include the profitable residential homes in the complex.
And winning over the packed room was no easy task. Kohen began by stating his Brooklyn credentials.
"When I came to this neighborhood, many, manymoons ago, it was frequented by prostitutes and drug addicts," Kohen said. "But we improved the neighborhood one building at a time, and I want to continue that work."
And he reminded residents the he agreed to include the below-market-rate units in the project after CB10 asked for them.
He also pointed out that the manufacturing zone on 62nd Street between Seventh and Eight Avenues is currently an empty hole--one he would like to fill.
"We can take this empty hole and fill it with hundreds of new jobs," he said.
But the plan met resistance from many who believe the existing infrastructure can't support the growth.
"The traffic is horrendous already," said preservationist Victoria Hofmo. "The bulk of what this would be, which is three city blocks, is unbelieveable---and there is nothing comparable in our neighborhood."
Other residents shared Hofmo's concern about traffic on already busy streets that may not be able to handle double-parked trucks making deliveries, but a handful of residents did speak in favor of the project.
The developer took the critics in stride, and patiently answered all questions in a slow and deliberate manor.
"I have learned that nothing in life is perfect," said Kohen.
"If you measure all of the good with all of the bad, you will come to the conclusion that this project would be a good thing for the community."
Kohen is optimistic that any increase in traffic will be offset by the benfits the project will bring to what he called a blighted area.
The standing-room audience remained divided most of the night.
"There have been mixed reviews so far," said CB10 Distrcit Manager Josephine Beckmann. "The developer and his team have been very forthright in answering all of our questions and concerns, but this is a real big issue and wiull take some time and some more discussion
Community Board 10 will have two more meetings on the subject. The board's zoning and land use committee will meet on June 26th, at 7pm, at teh CB10 office (621 86th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and the BQE). The full board will follow up on July 11, location to be determined. Call (718) 745-6827 for information