Developer Withdraws Controversial Brooklyn High-Rise Project

The developer Continuum has announced its intention to withdraw plans for a high-rise building near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, following modifications that reduced its height from 14 to 10 stories and decreased the number of apartments from 475 to 355. These changes, approved by the New York City Planning Commission, were aimed at minimizing shadow impacts on the garden's sensitive plants. David Rosenberg, the developer's attorney, stated that the adjustments made the project financially unviable, undermining commitments to affordable housing and union jobs. Despite the approval, Rosenberg emphasized that a project unable to secure financing will not be built. The community had expressed concerns that even the revised building would harm the garden's exotic flora. The developer's withdrawal highlights ongoing tensions between urban development and environmental preservation in Brooklyn.