Eighth Avenue to get shopping mall and residential complex

A group of Chinese developers plans to transform a lot at 6208 Eighth Avenue, purchased for over $50 million this spring, into a commercial-residential complex that includes a shopping mall, hotel, business offices and residential apartments. Tentatively titled the Eighth Avenue Center, the project is scheduled to begin construction in spring of 2015.

At 160,700-square-feet, the project would have a significant impact on the current low-rise commercial environment of Brooklyn’s Chinatown.

That is because the site is zoned C4-2—a “regional commercial district” with both commercial and residential floor area units—and thus allows for some high-rise buildings.

The site, which spans from 6128 to 6224 Eighth Avenue—was once considered as a potential site for a new Home Depot plus a large residential complex, despite community opposition to the size and scope of the project.

“The prior owner, Andrew Kohen, had a proposal back in 2007 for a mixed-use development which I believe was certified by the Department of City Planning (DCP) for an 11-story building that included the Home Depot and some residential units,” said Josephine Beckmann, district manager for Community Board 10, which represents residents in the area.

“Back then, the board had some concerns about the size, but [the final consensus] was to support it with some height restrictions,” Beckmann said. “But that plan never moved forward.”

According to Raymond Chan, one of the developers and owner of Flushing-based Raymond Chan Architect PC, the current plan balances community and commercial interests.

In an interview with the Chinese-language World JournalThe Eighth Avenue Center project does not require the support of CB 10, but community input is highly recommended and allows for an easier transition as the project moves forward.

According to Beckmann, Chan and his colleague’s plan “has not been presented [to CB 10, so] we haven’t considered it yet.”

The plan has not been officially filed with DCP yet.