Fort Hamilton Mews Rezoning: What Bay Ridge Residents Need to Know Before the April 15 Meeting By Laurie Savino | Destination Bay Ridge
If you've been seeing articles about the Fort Hamilton Mews rezoning circulating in Bay Ridge Facebook groups and neighborhood feeds, you're probably walking away with more questions than answers. As a Bay Ridge native with over 40 years of roots in this community, I've read through the full NYC Department of City Planning presentation and the official project description so you don't have to.
Here is everything you need to know — including how to show up prepared for the Community Board 10 Zoning and Land Use Committee meeting on April 15, 2026.
What Is the Fort Hamilton Mews Rezoning?
Fort Hamilton Mews is a proposed 11-story mixed-use rental building at 9305 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn — currently the site of the Staples store and its large surface parking lot, located between 92nd and 94th Streets.
The applicant, 9305 5th Ave LLC, has filed an application with the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) under Project ID 2025K0284 (case numbers 260238 ZMK and N 260239 ZRK). You can track the application's progress through the city's Zoning Application Portal (ZAP) by searching for the project ID. The project is in Community District 10 (CD10), City Council District 47, represented by Council Member Kayla Santosuosso. DCP presented the proposal to the City Planning Commission on March 16, 2026.
Is Fort Hamilton Mews Rentals or Condos?
Fort Hamilton Mews will be rental apartments, not condominiums. The official project documents consistently reference monthly rents, income-based leasing, and lottery-based marketing for affordable units. There is no mention of for-sale condominiums anywhere in the application.
What Zoning Changes Are Being Requested?
The developer is requesting two land use actions:
1. A Zoning Map Amendment from the existing R6B/C2-3 (BR) and R5B (BR) districts to R7X/C2-4 (BR). This is a significant upzoning that unlocks far greater building height and density than what is currently permitted on the site.
2. A Zoning Text Amendment to NYC Zoning Resolution Appendix F, designating the site as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) area under Option 2 — requiring 30% of all residential units to be permanently income-restricted.
Fort Hamilton Mews: Full Project Details
- Address: 9305 5th Avenue, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY 11209
- Block/Lot: Block 6109, Lot 1
- Building Type: 11-story mixed-use (plus cellar and sub-cellar)
- Total Units: 292 rental apartments
- Affordable Units: 88 (30% of total, income-restricted)
- Residential Square Footage: 220,151 sq ft
- Commercial Square Footage: 12,093 sq ft (ground floor retail)
- Community Facility Space: 1,117 sq ft
- Underground Parking: 75 spaces (attended, sub-cellar level)
- Building Height: approximately 111 feet, 10 inches
- Floor Area Ratio (FAR): 6.0 (with MIH)
What Does "Affordable" Mean in This Building?
The 88 income-restricted units would be distributed across three Area Median Income (AMI) bands. The following rents are illustrative figures based on 2025 AMI and will be recalculated at the time of construction:
| Income Level | Units | % of AMI | Studio Rent | 2BR Rent | 1-Person Income | 4-Person Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Income | 29 | 60% AMI | ~$1,700/mo | ~$2,190/mo | ~$68,000 | ~$97,200 |
| Low Income | 30 | 80% AMI | ~$2,270/mo | ~$2,920/mo | ~$90,700 | ~$129,600 |
| Moderate Income | 29 | 100% AMI | ~$2,840/mo | ~$3,650/mo | ~$113,400 | ~$162,000 |
| Market Rate | 204 | N/A | ~$2,000/mo | ~$3,200/mo | — | — |
For context: the annual median household income in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights is $88,927 — higher than both Brooklyn and New York City overall. That matters when evaluating who these income-restricted units actually serve.
How Does the Proposed Zoning Compare to What Exists Now?
The scale difference between current and proposed zoning is significant:
| R6B/C2-3 (Current) | R5B (Current) | R7X/C2-4 (Proposed) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Building Height | 55 ft | 35 ft | 145 ft |
| Base Height | 45 ft | N/A | 105 ft |
| Max Residential FAR | 2.0 | 1.5 | 6.0 (with MIH) |
| Commercial FAR | 2.0 | N/A | 2.0 |
The proposed building at approximately 112 feet stays below the 145-foot maximum the new R7X zoning would allow — but it represents a dramatic departure from the scale of the surrounding neighborhood.
Why Is This Site Being Targeted for Development?
The developer points to several factors supporting this location:
Underutilized land. The existing Staples store has no windows facing the street, a large surface parking lot, and no active ground-floor presence — creating a gap in what is otherwise a vibrant 5th Avenue retail corridor north and south of the site.
Housing supply gap. From 2010 to 2024, housing units in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights grew by just 1% while the population grew by 9%. Between 2014 and 2024, Community District 10 produced only five new affordable housing units — all at 121%–165% AMI.
Transit access. The 95th Street R train station is 137 feet from the development site. The B63 bus (Bay Ridge to Cobble Hill) stops one block north on 5th Avenue. The B8 bus (Dyker Heights to East Flatbush) runs along 92nd Street directly adjacent to the site.
What Is Near the Development Site?
The site is surrounded by significant community assets and infrastructure:
- PS/IS 104 (Fort Hamilton School) — directly across the street at 5th Avenue and 92nd Street
- FDNY Engine 242 — immediately north of the development site
- Brooklyn Public Library, Fort Hamilton Branch — corner of 95th Street and 4th Avenue
- John J. Carty Park and Fort Hamilton Parkway — approximately 500 feet east
- Shore Park — a 58-acre park with passive and active recreation facilities
- Fort Hamilton Triangle — at the foot of 5th Avenue; the open space that inspired the building's name
- 95th Street R Train Station — 137 feet from the site entrance
What Is the ULURP Process — and Where Is This Project in It?
ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) is New York City's formal public review process for land use applications like rezonings. The sequence is:
- Community Board review ← We are here
- Brooklyn Borough President review
- City Planning Commission vote
- City Council vote
- Mayoral review (if applicable)
The Community Board's recommendation is advisory, not binding — but it carries real political weight, especially with the City Council member representing the district.
⚠️ There Is a Public Meeting on April 15 — Show Up
Community Board 10 Zoning and Land Use Committee 📅 Wednesday, April 15, 2026 🕖 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM 📋 Agenda Item: DCP Application 2025K0284 — 9305 5th Avenue Rezoning, Fort Hamilton Mews
This is the community's formal opportunity to go on the record before this application advances. The developer will have professional representation. Bay Ridge residents should be in that room too.
How to prepare:
Sign in to speak as soon as you arrive — you'll typically have 2–3 minutes at the microphone. Choose one or two focused points rather than covering everything. Personal testimony about life in the neighborhood carries real weight with committee members. And bring neighbors — turnout signals to elected officials how much the community is paying attention.
Key questions worth raising:
- Will CD10 residents receive lottery preference for the affordable units?
- What is the current enrollment and capacity at PS/IS 104, directly across the street?
- Has a traffic impact study been completed for 5th Avenue and 94th Street?
- What will the community facility space actually be used for — and who decides?
- Is the developer open to a Community Benefits Agreement?
Beyond April 15: This process continues through multiple review stages. Council Member Kayla Santosuosso (District 47) will ultimately hold significant influence when this reaches the City Council — her office should hear from you regardless of whether you support or oppose the project. You can reach her Bay Ridge office at 718-748-5200 or by email at heykayla@council.nyc.gov.
My Take as a Bay Ridge Native
I'm not here to tell you how to feel about Fort Hamilton Mews. What I am here to do is make sure you have the real information — not a partial headline or a reposted summary with half the facts missing.
Bay Ridge has a genuine housing supply problem, and the Staples block is objectively underutilized. At the same time, an 11-story building is a significant shift in neighborhood scale, and the questions around school capacity, traffic, affordability levels, and community character are all completely legitimate. This community has earned the right to ask hard questions and expect real answers.
April 15th. 7:00 PM. Be the
Laurie Savino is a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with The Corcoran Group (The Savino Team) and a Bay Ridge native with over 40 years of ties to the community. She is the founder of Destination Bay Ridge, a local business promotion platform and neighborhood magazine serving Brooklyn's Bay Ridge neighborhood.
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