Permits & development · Deals & development · 11/06/2026, 2:52 PM
Vacant Columbia Street Waterfront bank building eyed for residential rezoning
A vacant former bank building in Brooklyn's Columbia Street Waterfront District is being considered for a rezoning that would allow residential use. Owner Jack LoCicero bought the property in 2021 for $2.3 million through the entity Hamilton House 79. The available report gives few other details about the plan.
Reported by Crain's New YorkRead the original ↗
What happened
A vacant former bank building in the Columbia Street Waterfront District of Brooklyn is being eyed for a residential rezoning, according to a Crain's New York report published 11/06/2026.
Crain's reported that Jack LoCicero bought the property in 2021 for $2.3 million through an entity called Hamilton House 79.
The available material does not give the building's address, how many apartments could be built, whether any would be affordable, or whether a rezoning application has been formally filed.
Key facts
- Neighborhood
- Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn
- Property
- Vacant bank building
- Proposal
- Eyed for residential rezoning
- Owner
- Jack LoCicero, through the entity Hamilton House 79
- Purchase
- $2.3 million in 2021
- Reported by
- Crain's New York, 11/06/2026
What it means
Landlords
This is an early-stage proposal for a single vacant building. Nothing in the report changes rules or obligations for existing rental owners nearby.
Tenants and voucher holders
No apartments, rents or lottery are announced yet. Any new units would come only after a rezoning is approved and the building is converted or rebuilt.
Buyers and owners
Owners near the site may want to follow the rezoning if it moves forward, since a change in zoning can affect what gets built on the block.
The highlights
- Jack LoCicero bought the property in 2021 for $2.3 million.
- The purchase was made through an entity called Hamilton House 79.
Why it matters Landlords
A rezoning here could bring new apartments to a small Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood and signal more conversion interest nearby.
Not known yet
- The building's exact address
- How many apartments are planned and whether any would be affordable
- Whether a rezoning application has been filed with the Department of City Planning
- Any timeline for public review or construction
Background
In New York City, many private rezonings go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). After the Department of City Planning certifies an application, the local community board and borough president give advisory recommendations, the City Planning Commission votes, and the City Council can approve, modify or reject it. Projects that rezone to allow more housing are often subject to Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, which requires a share of permanently affordable units.
Summary written by Bulwark from Crain's New York’s reporting. The original story is at crainsnewyork.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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