The concrete skeleton that has loomed over Bedford Avenue and Eastern Parkway for years may finally get a second act. A developer is pushing to swap the long-stalled hotel project for an 18-story residential building with roughly 250 apartments, reusing the foundations that were already poured and instantly reviving neighborhood debates over height, shadows and how meaningful the promised affordability will be.
Avery Hall Files For Rezoning And DOB Review
A land-use application and fresh Department of Buildings paperwork show Avery Hall Investments has moved to reposition the site for housing, shifting it from an unfinished hotel into a mostly residential tower, as reported by Crain's New York Business. The filing seeks zoning changes so the property can accommodate higher-density residential use than the current commercial zoning allows.
Community Board Presentation Lays Out Unit Mix
According to Brooklyn Community Board 9 meeting minutes, Avery Hall outlined the proposal in March, asking to rezone the 19,200-square-foot lot from C8-2 to R9A and pitching about 254 apartments, with 77 units subject to Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, or roughly 30 percent of the total. The minutes note that the team is in pre-application talks with the Department of City Planning and is preparing an environmental assessment.
Filings Describe A Mostly Residential Tower
Commercial filings reviewed by Commercial Observer put the project at roughly 173,184 square feet, with the bulk of that space devoted to housing. Plans call for a residential lobby on Eastern Parkway, while retail and service entrances would line Bedford Avenue. Trade coverage frames the concept as a roughly 250-unit development that would set aside dozens of apartments as affordable homes.
From Hotel Bankruptcy To A New Buy
The site’s bumpy backstory helps explain the change in course. A previous hotel plan led by Yoel Goldman stalled after foundations were poured, and the ownership entity ultimately landed in bankruptcy, The Real Deal reported. Avery Hall picked up the parcel in August 2025 through the bankruptcy process for about $10.1 million, and public records spell out the property and lot specifics, summarized on PropertyShark.
What Avery Hall Says And What Neighbors Want
The firm’s project page confirms Avery Hall acquired what it calls a “stalled development site” and says it is exploring a range of programs for the property, while highlighting nearby transit and cultural anchors like Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum. Representatives for Avery Hall Investments told the community board they are considering ground-floor daily-needs retail and intend to hold the building for the long term. CB9 minutes show board members pressed for deeper affordability, details on parking and more information on how the tower would affect shadows and the streetscape.
Where This Fits Into Crown Heights’ Growth
The proposal lands in the middle of a building boom in Crown Heights, where a steady flow of infill and mid-rise projects has added hundreds of new apartments in recent months, reshaping foot traffic and stoking debate over who benefits from all the new construction. Coverage in outlets like cram 230 new homes into Crown Heights blocks underscores how fast new buildings are appearing and how central affordability has become in neighborhood conversations.
Next Steps: A Lengthy Public Review
Because Avery Hall is seeking a zoning change and a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing designation, the proposal will head into Department of City Planning review and, if it is certified, into the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP. That public process includes advisory votes by the community board and borough president, followed by binding decisions by the City Planning Commission and the City Council. Planning observers note that ULURP and any required environmental reviews can last for months, especially if a full Environmental Impact Statement is triggered. The Citizens Budget Commission and other planning resources outline the standard steps and timelines that now await the Bedford Avenue proposal.
