LOWER EAST SIDE — Developers planning to bring three massive residential developments to the Two Bridges waterfront are asking locals to give feedback on the controversial projects this Wednesday.
The meeting at P.S. 184 at 327 Cherry St. will be the second public gathering hosted by the JDS Development Group, Starrett Development and Two Bridges Associates as their skyscrapers undergo a review process to assess the project's impact on factors like public health, noise pollution and infrastructure.
JDS plans to build a 77-story tower at 247 Cherry St., while Two Bridges Associates is planning to build two towers on a shared base at 260 South St. Starrett is also planning a 62-story residence at 259 Clinton St.
All of the developments — located in a three-block radius and slated to hit Two Bridges within the next five years — must undergo a review process that will yield an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the Department of City Planning. The agency decided to evaluate all of the towers together in a joint statement in order to assess their combined impact.
The feedback-gathering workshops are part of a ramped-up community engagement process developed in response to concerns from community members and elected officials that the cluster of skyscrapers may negatively impact neighbors' quality of life.
Locals have expressed fears the developments will overwhelm the neighborhood's infrastructure and block views and cast shadows on their homes.
While the EIS process calls for only two public hearings, city officials and developers are hosting four. A community "task force" representing local interests is also informing the process.
The first meeting, held on Dec. 15, served as an introduction to the process. Chaos briefly ensued when incensed locals shouted down presenting developers, and several community members silently held protest signs throughout the meeting
Locals still silently hold signs as developers present - "stop destroying our community," reads one. pic.twitter.com/U9xU49Mv2X
— Allegra Hobbs (@AllegraEHobbs) December 16, 2016
Initially, Wednesday’s workshop was set to discuss urban design, shadows potentially cast by the towers, impacts on open space and community facilities, according to city officials.
The meeting at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. will instead provide a broad overview of the EIS process, according to DCP and developer reps, and will allow community members to identify which topics are most important to them.
The third meeting, slated for March, will focus specific chapters of the EIS. The content of the fourth meeting has not been determined.
