Permits are in to swap out the single-story building at 903 Dean Street in Crown Heights for a 12-story, mixed-use development that would rise roughly 125 feet and bring about 73 apartments to the block. Plans call for commercial space at street level and a small rear yard, setting up yet another mid-rise arrival on a stretch of Dean Street that has already started catching developers’ eyes.
According to New York YIMBY, the filing pegs the project’s total size at about 54,137 square feet. That breaks down to roughly 49,229 square feet of residential area and 4,908 square feet of commercial space, with the 73 units averaging about 674 square feet each. The concrete-based structure would include a cellar, a second-floor terrace and a 28-foot-long rear yard. The application lists Joseph Frankl of JFA Architects & Engineers as the architect of record and names David Salamon as the owner on the permits.
Sale records complicate the picture
Property records show the Dean Street lots were part of a recent multi-parcel deal, which could complicate who ultimately controls what gets built. As reported by PincusCo, Eitan Binet’s Dean Street Ventures LLC paid about $10.5 million for 901, 903 and 905 Dean Street, with the sale recorded on March 24, 2026. That transaction, together with demolition permits filed in March, points to active pre-construction maneuvering behind the scenes.
Design and timeline
Demolition permits for the existing single-story structure were filed last month, but no estimated completion date has surfaced yet. For now, the filings emphasize a concrete build and modest amenity areas rather than splashy design details, according to New York YIMBY. If the project moves forward as proposed, the roughly 125-foot profile would make it one of the taller mid-rise contenders on this block of Dean Street.
What it means for neighbors
For residents near Franklin Avenue, all this likely translates to a familiar playbook: a spell of construction noise and truck traffic now, followed by an influx of new rental units if approvals fall into place. Analysts watching the corridor say compact site assemblies and quick conversions of low-rise or parking lots into mid-rise housing are increasingly common in Crown Heights, a pattern reflected in recent sales and permit filings along Dean Street, according to PincusCo.
The proposal still has to make it through Department of Buildings review and any required public land use steps before excavation or above-grade work can start. That leaves some runway for neighbors, community groups and local officials to dig into the filings. We will keep an eye on the DOB docket and property records as this project advances through the permitting maze.
