{"id":3802,"date":"2025-10-15T18:33:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T18:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/3802\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T18:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T18:33:10","slug":"proposed-dobro-tower-would-block-neighbors-windows-alter-landmarked-rowproposed-dobro-tower-would-alter-landmarked-row","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/3802\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed DoBro Tower Would Block Neighbors’ Windows, Alter Landmarked RowProposed DoBro Tower Would Alter Landmarked Row"},"content":{"rendered":"

The proposal for the 30-story glassy tower, already rejected by the local community board, is headed for Landmarks review next week. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"brooklyn\"brooklyn <\/p>\n

The row on Duffield Street in June of this year. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\"\" by Cate Corcoran<\/a><\/p>\n

A developer who bought the landmarked row in Downtown Brooklyn known as the Duffield Street Houses is proposing to build a glassy 30-story tower in their petite backyard that will swallow up the back half of the houses and obscure windows of apartments in the converted BellTel Lofts on the other side of the block.<\/p>\n

The proposal for 188 Duffield Street is headed for a public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission Tuesday, October 21. In May, Community Board 2 voted no on the plan, the Eagle was the first<\/a> to report. A rendering of the design published by YIMBY in June shows a glass and beige brick tower with symmetrical window openings and a stepped facade.<\/p>\n

\"downtownThe row on Duffield Street in October of 2024. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

The developer, Watermark Capital, proposes to combine the interiors of 19th century buildings and demolish their rear facades, according to the LPC and nonprofit Historic Districts Council. At the CB2 meeting, HDC \u201cstrongly voiced our concern to CB2 and local elected officials that this precedent would suggest that every historic structure is only as meaningful as its facade, and thereby fair game to be window dressing for a tower,\u201d the group said in an update<\/a> about New York City landmarks at risk.<\/p>\n

A resident of the BellTel Lofts had previously told Brownstoner they were concerned a tower at 188 Duffield Street would likely block the windows of rear units.<\/p>\n

A permit application for a new mixed-use building filed with the Department of Buildings in 2024 said the tower will have 115 apartments and cover 50 percent of the site. It will be set back 36 feet \u2014 approximately the depth of some of the landmarked houses \u2014 and measure 323.32 feet tall, with a footprint of 9,854 square feet, as Brownstoner reported at the time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The build will include a healthcare facility in the cellar and on the first and second floor, but no parking. The square footage of the building will total 102,224.7, with 546.8 square feet of commercial, 3,658.2 community space, and 98,019.7 for residential. (Elsewhere the permit application says the total square footage will be 136,842.)<\/p>\n

The site previously belonged to Forest City Ratner, which moved the early 19th century houses from their original sites nearby and promised to maintain<\/a> them as part of a deal to develop MetroTech.<\/p>\n

\"exteriorThe houses in 2001 when they were documented for designation as individual landmarks. Photo via the Landmarks Preservation Commission Designation Photo Collection<\/a><\/p>\n

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