Condo foes eye ways to fund Brooklyn waterfront park without towers

NY Daily News

BY Erin Durkin
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Brooklyn's gleaming new waterfront park could raise up to $7 million a year without building controversial condo towers, according to a report released Tuesday.

Taxing nearby businesses or building restaurants, stores or parking spots could raise the $7 million - a big chunk of the $8 million to $9 million set to be raised from high-end housing at Pier 6 and John St.

Some of the money depends on a controversial idea to create a Park Improvement District, charging fees to surrounding businesses and property owners. Or officials could build new parking lots or step up private fund-raising. In total, the efforts could raise between $2.4 million and $7 million, consultants found.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe quickly shot down many of the ideas, saying the numbers were too "optimistic."

But housing opponent Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn Heights) said the report "shows it's possible to fund the park without imposing a new fee on Brooklynites or building new ... luxury housing."

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