CCA design guidelines: building heights creep up to nine stories
A revised design for the CCA site showed some improvements but increased building heights to nine stories and 95 feet. UBA and allies responded with detailed comments to the City's Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board.
The developer of the CCA site, Emerald Fund / Equity Community Builders, released a revised design in Fall 2022 showing some improvement over the Spring 2022 iteration: added height variation and setbacks would reduce the visual impact of these two very large buildings, and the historic wall and gates would be retained.
But the new design and its accompanying Design Guidelines (administrative draft of October 2022), made public at the City’s Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board (LPAB) on September 12, also have serious problems. They show increasing height — now up to nine stories and 95 feet in several places, with one building over 450 feet in length. The project increased the number of units to 510, of which 55% are studios or apartments of less than 800 square feet. The percentage of affordable units remains at 10%, with “affordable” defined as a family of four earning up to $157,075.
The LPAB declined to endorse the project, because it would destroy an important historic site — an Area of Primary Importance (API) — and asked for further study.
Importantly, the Design Guidelines would overrule existing ordinances and codes, and would remain in force for any project built on the site, whether by this developer or another. We see no way that guidelines sanctioning building heights up to 95 feet reflect the API or the neighborhood context.
UBA’s position has been consistent. We have advocated for: a height limit of seven stories (75 feet); 20% affordable housing including units for low-income families; a large public park; and a robust arts program in the two historic buildings to be preserved.