Alexandros Washburn, a professor, architect, city planner and lately a real estate developer who owns a house on Van Brunt Street, made a name for himself after Hurricane Sandy by attaching himself to the many resiliency groups that sprung up after that disaster.
His latest project is what he is calling a “Model Block.” He and a group of partners have quietly purchased a city block adjacent to the planned UPS distribution center (see map). The block is zoned for manufacturing and is in Red Hook’s IBZ zone, a city directive meant to preserve local industry.
What Washburn’s group is proposing is not allowed by current zoning. He is asking to build a 15-story residential tower in the middle of a neighborhood with mostly 5 and 6 story buildings. He is asking to sell or rent 210 apartments of which 61 would be earmarked for affordable housing. Part of the block will also…
