The strongest impetus for development along the Williamsburg waterfront comes from the area's explosive population growth coupled with a severe shortage of housing. Other conditions in Williamsburg, however, preclude a simplistic prescription for additional housing. Unfettered housing development could threaten Williamsburg’s viable industrial community and local employment base. Additionally, the location of housing in close proximity to certain industries raises environmental issues. The full potential of the Williamsburg waterfront can only be realized through an integrated approach that addresses the economic and environmental needs of the community as well as housing and related community services.
The 197-a study area encompasses three neighborhoods along Brooklyn’s East River waterfront: the Northside, the Southside and South Williamsburg. While there is a strong consensus among the diverse communities that comprise these neighborhoods about the issues, goals and general recommendations pertaining to waterfront development, each community is distinctive in terms of prioritizing issues and putting forward certain recommendations.
The main objective in the Northside is to ensure that development along the waterfront is compatible with the adjacent residential and business community and is in keeping with the neighborhood’s mixed use character. Of particular concern to people in the Northside is development of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal site. The former rail yard comprises half of the Northside's East River frontage and how it develops will inevitably have a substantial impact on how the neighborhood as a whole develops.
The Latino working class community in the Southside is concerned that development pressures pose a threat to affordable housing as well as jobs. In addition to preventing residential displacement and developing affordable housing and related community facilities, the community’s priorities include job creation and retention, job training, and youth development.
The high birth rate in the Hasidic population, which is concentrated in South Williamsburg, makes the development of new housing and related community facilities and retail services imperative there. The priority in this community is to free up as much land as possible for residential development.
The prevalence of large families in the Hasidic community as well as the Latino community, indicates the need for more large-unit housing in this part of Williamsburg.
The following recommendations generally focus on land use and development in the waterfront planning area. However, the waterfront does not exist in isolation and broad policy recommendations have also been made for the study area as a whole.
