Brooklyn rezoning paves way for waterfront haven.

Greenpoint and Williamsburg will soon be turned into a waterfront haven, after the Council's Land Use Committee voted unanimously this week to approve a historic plan to rezone 175 blocks of the Brooklyn neighborhoods.

"For the past three years, our Administration has worked to open New York City's waterfront to the public, add much-needed housing affordable to a range of incomes, and create new public open space," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "The plan reclaims the magnificent Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront by adding 54 acres of public open space. And through a variety of incentives and the City's commitment of several publicly owned sites, we have been able to increase the amount of affordable housing from 23%, in the plan approved by the City Planning Commission, to 33% for a total of 3,500 affordable units, making Greenpoint-Williamsburg the most aggressive affordable housing strategy in the City's history."

In total, the plan will create 10,818 housing units, cap buildings at 400 feet and include a range of tax incentives to developers, who would also build a waterfront esplanade along and turn it over to the city.

The construction industry will benefit greatly from the plan.

"Local 32B J, New York's building service workers union, commends Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council for adopting a rezoning plan for the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront that ensures an equitable, fair and sustainable development for workers, residents and the real estate industry," said 32BJ President Mike Fishman. "The development will create some 500 good-paying building service jobs that will help workers support their families and provide a much-needed boost to local businesses."