37th Street Block Association List of Objections

Below is a list of the 37th Street Block Association’s list of specific objections to the FAC’s proposed tower, itemized by category. This list was developed from a blockwide survey of residents.

Neighborhood Context

Out of Context with Block - While 37th Street does not enjoy Landmark status, its homes retain the same historic facades as when they were constructed at the turn of the 20th century, and are considered a gem of the borough at large. A 125' tall building would be completely out of context with the two and half story homes on the block. More specifically, the street wall of the proposed building (125’) would be more than 3.5X the existing street wall of the homes on the block (35’). Further, most of the homes on the block are two-family structures with many multi-generational families residing on the block, as well as individuals who reflect the broader ethnic, national, age, and socioeconomic diversity of Brooklyn. These characteristics of the area have fostered a close-knit community of neighbors. This sense of community and the harmonious streetscape are one of the main reasons why many residents have chosen to live on 37th Street.

Out of Context with Neighborhood - Fifth Avenue, on which the site in question is located, has no high-rise structures comparable to what is being proposed. Even Fourth Avenue, which features numerous large apartment buildings, hardly has any buildings of this size. Current zoning designations for the proposed site (M1-2) and 37th Street (R6B) do not permit any building over 40’ or 50’ feet, respectively, and are more in keeping with the context of Sunset Park and its surrounding neighborhoods. There is also the fear among residents that a 125' tall building would set a precedent for future high rise buildings in the area, further damaging the intimate nature of the neighborhood.

Environmental

Groundwater - Building on a potentially polluted site could cause harmful substances, including oil and lead, to leak into the groundwater, polluting not just city drinking water, but the surrounding soil, which many residents plant directly into in their backyard gardens. Aquifers surrounding 37th Street are already polluted by leakage from old, buried fuel oil drums under the Jackie Gleason bus depot, as well as formaldehyde and other related chemicals seeping from wooden caskets in Greenwood Cemetery.

Sunlight for Residents - A building of this scale would significantly reduce natural light on the block, casting long shadows both on the street and in backyards for long periods during the day, especially during the winter when exposure to sunlight is most important. In fact, during the winter months, a building of this size would cast shadows as far north as Greenwood Cemetery, which is a National Historic Landmark. 37th Street receives excellent natural light and many residents consider this to be one of the main drivers of their quality of life on the block. Additionally, multiple residents on the block have converted their homes to solar energy, in part due to the city’s stated commitment to green energy; these panels would be rendered far less effective or even useless if shaded by a 125' tall building.

Sunlight for Light Sensitive Resources - 37th Street proudly features dozens of healthy trees, from decades-old oaks to newly-planted maples. Moreover, many residents tend expansive backyard gardens, featuring a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, as well as ornamental plants, vines, trees, and bushes. A 125' tall building would block these trees and these gardens from receiving the necessary light for healthy plant growth, which also contributes positively to air quality on the block.

Air Quality - 37th Street already has measurably poor air quality, due to its proximity to the BQE and Jackie Gleason Bus Depot. The diffusion of dust and potentially harmful chemicals into the air during the construction process, and the increase in car traffic that hundreds of new residents would bring, would only worsen this existing issue. Another concern is that the size of the building itself would stifle airflow and trap fumes caused by traffic. 

Wildlife - A large structure would disrupt a vital corridor used by native and migratory species of animals that make their home on the block, including hawks, owls, raccoons, and possums. These species are integral to controlling the rodent population on the block, which has been an issue for many residents.

Quality of Life

Residential Noise - The addition of upwards of 500 new residents to 37th Street would create a noticeable increase in noise to the block in the form of pedestrian traffic, car traffic, rooftop air conditioning units, as well as noise coming from open windows. 37th Street already has a great deal of excessive neighborhood noise, from buses and trucks regularly driving up the street, to patrons of Melody Lanes congregating outside the bowling alley late into the night, to our proximity to the BQE.

Construction Noise - A construction project of this scale would create significant unwanted noise and physical vibration – as a result of drilling, excavation, installing pilings, and other construction-related activities – for multiple years, creating a massive disturbance to residents of the block. There is also a concern about construction taking place at night. 

Garbage - Adding 178 units to the block would create untold quantities of waste on a daily basis, which in turns attracts insects and rodents. Currently, 37th Street is frequently littered with trash stemming from litter left by transient pedestrians and guests of local businesses. This existing issue has not been resolved and would likely worsen with the construction of a high-rise apartment building and potentially a ground floor retail location as well.

Privacy - A 125' tall building would not just tower over the homes on 37th Street, but provide vantage points into houses and backyards, especially on the south side of the street, from the individual units. A defining feature of 37th Street is each home’s sizable backyard plots, which residents use to garden, dine, relax, and congregate with friends and family. Being in full view of potentially hundreds of people while they spend time in their private spaces would tarnish residents’ experience of enjoying their own homes.

Views from Local Green Spaces - The proposed building would be so tall that it would block views of Manhattan from Sunset Park, which thousands of diverse neighborhood residents make use of every day. The park’s panoramic view of the city is its defining feature, and a large part of what makes it such a special and unique place. Greenwood Cemetery also enjoys views of Manhattan and the surrounding areas, which the building would obstruct as well.

Infrastructure

Sewer and Stormwater - 37th Street has suffered sewer and stormwater issues – particularly during heavy rains – for decades, resulting in multiple homes on the block flooding. These issues are primarily the result of the age of sewer pipes on the street, a lack of proper stormwater catchment at the top of the block, and the downward sloping angle of the street from Fifth Avenue to Fourth Avenue. Current infrastructure, which has already proven largely insufficient, was built to meet the needs of the 45 homes on the block. Adding 178 new units, a 4X increase to dwellings on the block, would likely put significant strain on drainage pipes, further exacerbating this pressing issue.

Gas Pipeline - An interstate gas pipeline runs up 37th Street, just four feet below street level. The vibration caused by driving footings for a 125' tall building could potentially damage this pipeline (sections of which are very old), resulting in costly and dangerous consequences. The pipeline is an important piece of infrastructure for the borough at large, so any disruption in service would have negative effects far beyond 37th Street or Sunset Park. Damage to the pipeline could also cause an explosion, which poses a severe threat to the residents of the block.

Structural Impact to Homes - The intense drilling that the construction of this building would necessitate could have a negative impact on the structures of existing homes, which are roughly 125 years old. Vibration from pile driving has been shown to cause damage to the structure, walls, plumbing, and electrical systems of nearby houses. Homes that are old, connected, and employ plaster and lath construction, like the homes on 37th Street, are particularly vulnerable to damage caused by excessive vibration.

Transportation

Parking - In accordance with City of Yes exemptions, the proposed site would offer no additional parking to accommodate the residents of the 178 units the building would house. Parking is already a major issue for the block, which is surrounded by three schools in a one block radius; searching for parking for 20 minutes or more, only to park blocks away is not an uncommon experience for residents, and a particularly strenuous one for those on the block with disabilities. A huge increase in residents on the block would very likely come with a corresponding increase in cars on the block, greatly exacerbating the existing parking issue. People driving to visit new residents, as well as to shop at potential ground floor retail, would further worsen this problem, as would the elimination of the MTA parking lot itself, which is a precondition of the proposal, and the parking spots that would be occupied, either by cars or machinery, during the construction process.

Strain on Public Transit - Since the 36th Street subway stop provides access to two express trains (the D and the N), it is already extremely crowded on a daily basis. Adding hundreds of new residents to the block would further strain this important public transportation hub, which is currently not accessible, creating even more crowding and delays. The same is true of the B63 bus line, whose buses are frequently too crowded to board, forcing block residents to use costly ride share services instead. 

Vehicular Traffic - Traffic patterns often approach gridlock on 37th Street and the surrounding streets nearly every day of the week. Since Exit 23 off the BQE sits at 38th Street, cars and trucks use these streets to drive west to 5th Avenue, which is abutted by Sunset Park, the Jackie Gleason Bus Depot, and Greenwood Cemetery, meaning there are not many through streets. As a result, Fifth Avenue becomes extremely congested. Further, 37th Street is a main thoroughfare for trucks and buses. Adding 178 units to the block, as well as ground floor retail, will invariably mean increasing vehicular traffic to an already overburdened street, avenue, and community.

Foot Traffic - 37th Street is a quaint, residential block comprised of 45 homes that already has issues with heavy foot traffic due to its proximity to the 36th Street subway station, the large bowling alley on the corner of the block, and the bus depot and three schools within a one block radius, who employ hundreds of workers. Adding hundreds of new residents to the block, as well as potentially ground floor retail on the proposed building, would almost certainly increase the density of foot traffic.

Safety

Local School Safety - There are numerous schools surrounding 37th Street, including three in a one block radius. Multiple families on the block send their children to these schools. There is concern among residents that construction of a 125' tall building would create noise pollution, safety issues involving large machinery adjacent to P.S. 24 and along routes children take to walk to school, and release harmful contaminants into the air, potentially leading to asthma and other negative health effects for growing children. Once completed, the building would tower over not only the homes on 37th Street, but P.S. 24 next to it, and P.S. 958 one block away, shrouding the schoolyards in shade. 

Pedestrian Safety - Given the large number of trucks and off-duty buses that drive up 37th Street at every hour of the day, at speeds often exceeding the speed limit, crossing the street can be treacherous, especially when double buses make a turn. Crowding these already densely populated streets with not only more cars, but more people, creates safety concerns for local residents and increases the risk of serious accidents occurring.