Just 13 years ago, Williamsburg & Greenpoint was coined as a decaying waterfront in desperate need of a makeover. Both neighborhoods had the luxury of the Manhattan skyline, but suffered greatly from New York City's zoning restrictions. Doomed to be an industrial hodge podge and waste of prime real estate. But in 2005 city officials announced developers were now welcome. When the naysayers scoffed and said it wouldn't happen, it happened. The same was said for Red Hook, Gowanus and even East New York. History has a habit of repeating itself... So it can happen for Columbia Waterfront. THE BASICS 14-18 Carroll Street (Block 352, Lots 16, 17 and 18) consists of three (3) vacant lots that total 6,229 square feet of lot area. The site is an irregularly shaped property with a total of 70 feet of frontage on Carroll Street and lot depths which vary from 100 feet to 74.33 feet. The parcels are zoned M1-1 and surrounded by single- and multi-family residential, commercial, and manufacturing structures, as well as parks, community gardens, and vacant lots. Close to Van Brunt and Columbia Streets, this area borders Red Hook Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens , and is serviced by the B61 bus, F/G subway lines, NYC Ferry, Brooklyn Queens Expressway, and Battery Tunnel. The BEAUTY A year ago there were rumors of Brooklyn's smallest neighborhood, Columbia Waterfront being rezoned. The area has not witnessed any major new developments compared to the surrounding and flourishing Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, and Cobble Hill communities. But with a new resurgence of residential properties, this tiny oasis can be a destination instead of a detour. THE BENEFIT The good news is people want to live in The Columbia Waterfront. They also want to be part the urban culture, walk to their favorite local restaurants, meet friends, at a neighborhood cafe and commute by bike along the Brooklyn Greenway. The Columbia Waterfront is one of the key neighborhoods in Brooklyn that was designated long ago for change. Brooklyn Bridge Park an the new ferry stop has increased property values in the area immensely. You have a strong argument that the Columbia Waterfront has outgrown itself and is no longer a neighborhood to be overlooked. The city wants to fill in those blighted empty lots and build housing. Developing the property at 14-18 Carroll St with the community in mind will provide value to current and future residents. Don't call this rezoning, but a reshaping... 114-18 Carroll Street has the potential to reshape the idea of the Columbia Waterfront.
