City Council Approves 30-Story Tower Atop Destroyed Beth Hamedrash Hagadol
Photo: Gotham Organization
City Council last week unanimously approved the rezoning of the former Beth Hamedrash Hagadol site at Broome and Norfolk Streets, paving the way for a gargantuan new development.
As previously reported, the proposed project (aka GO Broome) is a two-tower joint venture between the Chinese-American Planning Council nonprofit and the Gotham Organization, and sits directly across from Essex Crossing. The now-approved zoning change (R-9) essentially legalizes the block-long beast at 60 Norfolk. Its size and heft are approximately two-and-a-half times bigger than current zoning allows (R-8).
Designed by Dattner, the development is composed of two towers and a total of 488 apartments, 115 of which are affordable for seniors. Mandatory Inclusionary Housing earmarks 25% of units at 60% of Area Median Income.
There is also a 4,000 square-foot commercial condo for Beth Hamedrash Hagodol, located in the sixteen-story section built atop the charred synagogue ruins. (The original design was to incorporate elements of the building, but a fatal wall collapse in October changed that.)
The second contiguous building is a 30-story high-rise with a portion of space dedicated to the new flagship headquarters for co-developer Chinese-American Planning Council (owner of the Hong Ning residence next door). It’s built on the parking lot owned by the organization.
City Planning approved the zoning change in January, then went before the City Council Committee on Land Use with equal results.
Next stop, the Mayor’s desk…
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