City Hall, NY – Following months of negotiations, New York City Council Member Stephen Levin has brokered an agreement with Community Preservation Corporation Resources (CPCR) on the New Domino development. CPCR has agreed that they will shrink the size of their tallest towers from 40 stories to 34 stories while maintaining the promised 660 units of affordable housing.  All units will remain permanently affordable. CPCR will also provide a shuttle bus to nearby subway lines to mitigate transportation problems. CPCR has also agreed to provide prevailing wage to building services workers, construction trade workers, and supermarket workers.

“I want to thank Speaker Quinn, Assembly Housing Chair Vito Lopez, Mayor Bloomberg, Council Finance Chair Recchia, Council Housing Chair Dilan, Land Use Chair Comrie, and Zoning and Franchise Subcommittee Chair Weprin for helping to negotiate this agreement for the community. I truly appreciate all of their support and with their help the community will have a project that will address the needs of the neighborhood. Assemblymember Lopez tirelessly worked on this project for many years.  His commitment to building a development that will suit the needs of his community was essential to the agreement we built. I look forward to continue working with CPCR to ensure that all of the community’s needs are addressed as the project is built and inhabited,” said Council member Levin, after City Council’s Land Use Committee voted on the project.

In addition, Councilmember Levin was able to obtain the commitment of the Bloomberg Administration to work with the Williamsburg community on the issues that Councilmember Levin has been advocating for in recent months.  These issues include:
 
·         the continuation of the Tenant Anti-Harassment Fund which has protected hundreds of Williamsburg residents in recent years;
·         the need for capital funding for more and higher quality open space on the Williamsburg waterfront;
·         a comprehensive traffic and transit study and a plan to mitigate the adverse effects of development in the area;
·         upgrades to drainage and sewer systems and other infrastructure improvements;
·         a cultural and community center in Williamsburg and support for local arts organizations in the neighborhood;
·         the creation of a Community Advisory Council to oversee the project through the duration of the development; and
·         a job training initiative to recruit and train hundreds of local workers.

(YWN Desk – NYC)