Just across the Manhattan bridge, downtown Brooklyn is bustling with shoppers running from store to store, and stores there are a plenty! That’s why it’s a little confusing to us that the city of New York has just delegated 20 million dollars in stimulus funds to jump-start the building of the LEED Certified Citypoint Mall. The mall is the first phase of a larger construction project to take place on the site of the old Albee Mall — demolished in 2007 — and is part of the city’s efforts to make-over downtown Brooklyn. Call us crazy, but it’s a little odd to build a green building in order to sell more presumably not-green stuff. Especially in an area awash in retail spots already.
The project also includes a future office building, an apartment complex, and a small green space at Willoughby Street. We’re confident the building will feature some significant sustainable features as the developers, Cook + Fox have projects such as the Bank of America Tower under their belts. Still, as deep as our excitement runs for LEED certified buildings, part of being green is only creating what you need. If you’ve been in Downtown Brooklyn lately you’d have noticed the plethora of empty spaces there, including unoccupied luxury housing, desolate office space and empty retail fronts. So why the new building if we can’t fill what’s already there? Plenty of people in Brooklyn seem to be dumbfounded.
I know that neighborhood.The only reason for building a new structure, is demand.
Empty stores and empty new apt buildings are not time.I wonder what Ratner will do with his Atlantic Yards? He doesn’t care whether it’s needed or not.It will turn Brooklyn into Manhattan.Most of structures in Brooklyn are 3 stories.Sort of like sf.
As a resident of Downtown Brooklyn, I am excited for this project. Before these residential and commercial projects commenced, Downtown Brooklyn was a rather inhospitable place. In fact, grimy Willoughby St. is still in desperate need of an overhaul. It’s awash in discount clothing stores, $5 barber shops and more fast food joints that I could count on two hands. I think the aim of the City Point Mall is to offer healthier, lifestyle-orientated alternatives to those currently available. Moreover, rents and occupancy are skyrocketing in the recently completed residential buildings. I think we are witnessing a large demographic shift in the neighborhood. It’s only a matter of time before those empty commercial spaces are filled.