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CB2’s Land Use Committee voted against the proposal for the 27-story development, which would rise from a landmarked Fort Greene church

After more than a year of speculation about the future of the landmarked Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church in Fort Greene, plans are now clear: The owners want to use the church’s shell as the base of a 27-story, 240-unit apartment tower that would rise beside the iconic Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower.

On Wednesday, the development team presented the proposal to Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee, outlining plans to convert the early 1930s neo-Gothic church at 144 St. Felix Street into a high-rise residential building. While some support was signaled for the project, it was largely met with criticism from locals and board members, an attendee told Brownstoner.

The project includes restoration of the church’s facades on St. Felix Street and Hanson Place; repairing masonry and cast-stone ornamentation, restoring stained glass, removing and preserving religious iconography, replacing windows to meet light and air requirements, and adding new doors, skylights, a roof, and retail and community spaces. The attached 27-story brick-clad tower, which would step down along both Hanson Place and St. Felix Street, would contain 240 apartments, 60 of them permanently affordable, the presentation says.

However, board members and residents pushed back on that, and the committee ultimately voted to disapprove the plan (four members were opposed, two in favor, and there was one abstention).

According to a local resident, around 25 community members spoke at the meeting and the majority were against the proposal. The condo board at One Hanson Place told Brownstoner in a statement following the meeting, “we are not opposed to the reasonable development of 144 St. Felix Street. However, we believe the proposed residential tower is out of character for our historic neighborhood and inappropriate for the site.”


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Behind the church, the lot at 130 St. Felix Street remains undeveloped and in question. In 2021, City Council and LPC approved plans for a controversial 23-story condo tower on the site, which would include affordable condos and space for the Brooklyn Music School, but the development has stalled. FXCollaborative was also working on those plans.

City records show no new building permits have been filed for the project, though in October 2024 a permit application was submitted for foundation work related to a previous plan for a parking lot with 39 lifts for 58 cars. The site has long been used as a parking lot. Brownstoner reached out to owner Gotham Organization for comment, but did not hear back by publication.

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https://www.brownstoner.com/development/...h-144-st-felix-street-tower-development/