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The Sea Crest linen site, 46 Crown St. (aka 902 - 920 Franklin) becomes four, 7 story buildings — Brooklynian

The Sea Crest linen site, 46 Crown St. (aka 902 - 920 Franklin) becomes four, 7 story buildings

whynot_31
whynot_31
edited September 2015 in Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens



Located at 46 Crown St, Sea Crest Linen has occupied a large site for decades. Though originally slated to close back in Sept 2013, the plant closed a few weeks ago.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130715/HOSPITALITY_TOURISM/130719929

Behind, it leaves a large site which is close to the museum, Prospect Park and other attractions....I don't think a factory will be opened in its place.
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Comments

  • eastbloc
    eastbloc
    I used to run past this site with my dog regularly. Along with many industrial sites in this area, it is definitely ripe for redevelopment.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    The site has been a laundry for a really long time.Prior to becoming Sea Crest, it used to be the site of Erasmus Laundry, with a smoke stack so old that they took off the top "E" and the "R" for safety reasons.http://forgotten-ny.com/2013/07/smokestacks/
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited December 2014
    The chimney can be seen in the center of the black roofs. All of the single story buildings with a black roof are part of the property.

    (dead link)

    Lots of alternate addresses
    42 44 48 56 58 60 62 64 Crown St
    902 904 906 908 910 912 914 Franklin Ave
  • mugofmead111
    mugofmead111
    I'm shocked that the business was open this long. I'm also surprised the spice factory in the next block is also still standing.I used to pass by this site every day on the way to elementary school. You can smell the laundry substances in the air.
    Behind, it leaves a large site which is close to the museum, Prospect Park and
      other attractions
    .
    The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is also right down the street.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2014
    If I am understanding this correctly, two parties had liens on the property (Central Laundry Service Corp and GE Capital), and these liens were satisfied on 12/12/2013.


    ...given the financial shape of Sea Crest Linen, I suspect that some entity (i.e. an investment firm) paid off these liens in exchange for control of some the corporation's assets. Sure beats foreclosure....
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2014
    A little more digging indicates that Central Laundry Service Corp seems to be the same entity as Sea Crest Linen:


    At this very moment, several lawyers are working their butt off to get the legal affairs in order to the degree that the assets can be sold.

    Pssst: The linen trucks and the equipment aren't very valuable in comparison to the land.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited December 2014
    image
  • homeowner
    homeowner
    I'm not surprised it was in business that long. There is a huge demand for industrial laundry services for things like restaurants, hotels, hospitals, etc. You'd be shocked at how many places use these laundry services even in the neighborhood.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2015
    As a result of its massive size, this site has been added to the list of the "big developments coming to Western Crown Heights" that I watch closely:


    There are two large developments in the immediate area of this site, which will add to the impact.   

    The repopulating of Tivoli Towers:

    The redevelopment of 931 Carroll:
  • dmiami2
    dmiami2
    The entire lot and all the buildings were bought for $14.25M.    It looks like Cornell Reality will be handling the development of whatever is to come....  http://cornellrealty.com/

    This morning crews were on site removing the old industrial equipment left over from the laundry.

    No demo permits yet...  
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2014
    Thanks. Given the market, It would not surprise me if they were pouring a foundation next Spring.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Today, I learned that 931 Carroll has sold, and was where Sea Crest used to repair its trucks. 


    @dmiami2 do you know how many build able sq ft is allowed at the 46 Crown St site? 
  • dmiami2
    dmiami2
    I don't know off hand but technically this "site" is 3 separate lots.   I'd guess they need to combine the lots and reset on FAR etc. especially if they are looking for a large development.  I think one of the lots was acquired from the city fairly recently actually.   

    This area is zoned R7 so i think they'd be able to go big with all that space.   Which would be in context in this particular area.

    Also, the site on Carroll was bought by the same people.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2014
    Today, I was able to talk to one of the lead guys in charge of getting scrap metal out of the site. He reports the new owners take possession tomorrow, and that he removed a dryer and two 60' washers successfully. The washers sold for about $150k each, and are now in route to their new home: An industrial laundry in Las Vegas.

    A third washer could not be sold, and will be sold as scrap and parts. "When the folk lift lifted it, it bent." It is pictured below.

    This company will get the low value scrap:   

    image

    This is what a 60' long industrial washer looks like, as it is being attacked by guys with cutting torches:image
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2014


    This motor, belt, wheel assembly is one of several that turns the drum.     The drum is about 15' diameter, as depicted by the guys standing by it in the photo above.image
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2014
    A system of racks (like one sees at the dry cleaners) used to be suspended from the blue beams. It has been removed and sold for a "pretty good price".   

    This is the folk lift that barely fits underneath the ceiling, that bent the 3rd washer to the degree that it could not be sold as a unit:image

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited May 2014
    Using Brooklynian as a base for her story, Rachel of DNA confirmed the sale today:


    Brownstoner echoed the news:


    Brooklynian beat them by over two weeks.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited May 2014
    The site is zoned R7A, which is defined here:

    Which means that (unless it gets a variance) it can not be as tall as nearby Tivoli Towers or Ebbets Field.  

    The only way I expect it to get a variance would be if the developer agreed to include affordable units.   

    [DeBlasio, are you reading this?    You've said you'd like the city to have more affordable units.] 

    If the site were to get a variance for affordable units, it could use the high floor, market rate units to subsidize the lower floor affordable units.   The market rate units would be high enough that they would get lovely views of BBG, Prospect Park, and Manhattan. 

    Even if they build as of right (as zoned), they can still create a lot of units on this site, in a very nice neighborhood with lots of amenities.
  • Esperanza
    Esperanza
    What about environmental impact that this has had or soil composition? I used to walk by it when it was operational and saw them hauling the solution they used for cleaning. Always wondered what was in it (and if it safe, especially when clothes were drying).
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Soil testing is part of the DOB approval process.

    A part of me is glad that Sea Crest is out of business, because it means the city finally got (or will be) paid for the outstanding water bills.

    Sea Crest was said to owe over $1M in water bills, and the DOB won't issue demolition or building permits if they have not been resolved.

    I suspect the bills have already been paid during the foreclosure/bankruptcy process that allowed the guy I spoke with to purchase and remove the equipment before the new owners took possession.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Just to get our minds thinking about what the upper floors of a mixed unit building in this location might fetch:

  • Esperanza
    Esperanza
    Let's hope that some of this might be affordable housing mentioned in an earlier comment.

    Thanks for responding about the soil / environmental impact.

    Though I am glad the City will get there money, I grieve for those who lost their jobs. I used to see folks going to work in the morning. There are fewer and fewer industrial jobs for folks who were trained in them. And the current economy is still unforgiving.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited May 2014
    Curbed covered it as well.      ...my work here is done.     I "started" the story in January..   Lots of eyes are on the site now.
     
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Just adding DOB links


    Note, we have several BINS to watch.   None of the BINS have any demolition permits YET.
  • lilern
    lilern
    I am VERY curious to see what happens with this site - I would think things should start moving quickly in the near future.  Is this area zoned for a high rise?
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Please see my post on May 6th. Thanks.
  • lilern
    lilern
    Ahhhhh got it - looks like approximately 7 stories is as tall as it could be - but could still be ALOT of apartments given the size of the lot. 
  • mcpoet
    mcpoet

    http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/12/29/crown_heights_franklin_avenue_will_get_200_new_apartments.php

    Looks like it will be 200 apartments spread across 4 seven story buildings.

  • southeast
    southeast
    YIMBY: Permits Filed: Four-Building Residential Project at 902 Franklin Avenue, Crown Heights - http://newyorkyimby.com/2014/12/permits-filed-four-building-residential-project-at-902-franklin-avenue-crown-heights.html

    "The filing calls for nearly 168,000 square feet of residential space, spread over 209 apartments and four seven-story structures, labeled buildings A through D. Each full residential floor of the building is planned to have between five and 10 apartments per floor – likely rentals, given the unit sizes and relatively untested market south of Eastern Parkway.

    The cellar and sub-cellar would hold 120 parking spaces, about 15 more than required by the zoning code. The buildings would rise 70 feet into the air, the maximum height allowed in R6A zones."

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited December 2014
    We should note that all of the units will be market rate.

    It is about to be a very good time to run and own the Associated supermarket at 905 Franklin Avenue, near Tivoli towers.

    I guess I was looking at outdated zoning maps when I concluded it was in a R7A zone. It is in a R6A. Regardless, they sound nice and the height max is the same.

    By creating individual buildings (as opposed to one big one), the developer can put some air and light between them and get the max height allowed.
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