Council member Steve Levin says in a statement that he's proudthat the communities he represents "stood up" to demand a projectthat would benefit the area. With 144 family-sized apartments aswell, "We are now guaranteed a development that will accommodatethe needs of the greater Williamsburg community." According to theNew York Post, Levin had taken the developer to task at ahearing of the council's land use committee last week, at whichtime the affordable-housing quotient was still less than 30% andthe number of family-sized apartments was 60.

Along with three residential towers, the 800,000-square-footRose Plaza will include approximately 30,000 square feet ofcommercial and community facility space and about 500 parkingspaces. This is in addition to the 30,000 square feet of publicwaterfront space, from Division Avenue and Schaeffer Landing alongthe East River, that will be developed into a public walkway and acirculation path.

According to City Planning documents, Rose Plaza on River LLChad filed its application for rezoning 3.7 acres of waterfrontproperty to build the project in early 2008. In January of thisyear, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz tied hisrecommendation of council approval for the project to the conditionthat the developer add more affordable units as well asfamily-sized apartments, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.