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DRAFT SCOPE OF WORK FOR AN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
SUNSET MARKETPLACE PROJECT
CEQR No. 08DME008K
May 20, 2008
Lead Agency: Office of the Deputy Mayor for
Economic Development
253 Broadway – 14th Floor
New York, NY 10007
Prepared by: Urbitran Associates, Inc.
71 West 23rd Street, 11th Fl.
New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 366-6200
Fax: (212) 366-6214
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. Proposed Project and Development Goals 1
1.2. Required Actions and Discretionary Approvals 1
1.3. Project Site Description 2
1.4. Federal Building #2 History, Description and Site Access 3
2.0. THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS 4
2.1. Public Review Procedures 4
2.2. Scoping 5
2.3. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 6
2.4. Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario (RWCDS) 6
2.4.1 Future Development without the Proposed Actions (Future No-Action Scenario) 6
2.4.2 Future Development with the Proposed Actions (Future Action Scenario) 9
3.0. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT 11
3.1. Project Description 11
3.2. Land Use, Zoning and Public Policy 11
3.3. Socioeconomic Conditions 12
3.4. Community Facilities and Services 14
3.5. Open Space 14
3.6. Shadows 15
3.7. Historic Resources 16
3.8. Urban Design and Visual Resources 17
3.9. Neighborhood Character 18
3.10. Natural Resources 18
3.11. Hazardous Materials 19
3.12. Waterfront Revitalization Program 19
3.13. Infrastructure 20
3.14. Solid Waste and Sanitary Services 21
3.15 Energy 21
3.16. Traffic and Parking 21
3.17. Transit and Pedestrians 23
3.18. Air Quality 24
3.19. Noise 26
3.20. Construction Impacts 27
3.21. Public Health 28
3.22. Summary Chapters 28
3.23. Alternatives to the Proposed Actions 28
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tables and Figures
Table1: Proposed Uses 10
Table 2: Estimated Peak Hour Person-Trip Generation After 22
Table 3: Estimated Peak Hour Vehicle-Trip Generation After 22
Figure 1: Location of Proposed Project in Brooklyn After 1
Figure 2: Tax Map of Project Site After 2
Figure 3: Sanborn Map of Project Area After 2
Figure 4: Aerial Photo of Project Site After 2
Figure 5: Existing Zoning After 2
Figure 6: Proposed Zoning After 2
Figure 7: Proposed Project Conceptual Site Plan After 9
Figure 8: Open Space Study Area Map After 14
Figure 9: NYC Coastal Boundary Map After 19
Figure 10: Traffic Study Locations After 21
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Proposed Project and Development Goals
The Sunset Marketplace project (“the proposed project”) would involve the development of an
approximately 1.93 million square foot (SF) mixed-use commercial, and industrial project,
including redevelopment of an approximately 1,120,000 SF, eight-story vacant industrial
building (Federal Building #2) and construction on an adjacent lot of a new five-story complex
comprised of retail space and associated support facilities and required accessory parking. The
location of the proposed project in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn is shown in Figure 1.
The project will be developed by Time Equities, Inc. (TEI) in partnership with the Brooklyn
Economic Development Corporation (BEDC). Further information about the proposed project is
provided in Section 1.3 below.
The property is owned by the United States Government and administered by the U.S. General
Services Administration (GSA). New York City is scheduled to acquire title to the property
from the GSA. Subsequent to the City’s acquisition of the property, the City will dispose of the
property to TEI as the selected developer. TEI was selected by the New York City Economic
Development Corporation (NYCEDC) as the developer of this site by a process through which
proposals were received from the development community, consistent with the goals of the
Industrial Policy released by New York City in January of 2005. The initiatives of the Industrial
Policy include: (1) the establishment of new Industrial Business Zones (IBZs); (2) new IBZ
incentives; and (3) area planning studies to identify infrastructure improvements that create a
friendlier environment for industrial businesses. The redevelopment of the proposed project site
would create new commercial and industrial space on an under-utilized site, which is critical to
retaining and attracting industrial business in the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn. To achieve the
City’s development goals, the project site would be rezoned from an M3-1 zoning district to an
M1-3 zoning district, and special permits would be required to allow large-scale retail operations
and for signage.
1.2 Required Actions and Discretionary Approvals
Development of the proposed Sunset Marketplace project requires several public approvals in
order to be implemented. Discretionary approvals under the purview of the NYC City Planning
Commission subject to the requirements of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP)
are as follows:
• Zoning: The proposed amendment to the New York City zoning map to rezone Blocks
671 and 675 from a M3-1 zoning district to a M1-3 zoning district.
• Special Permit: Development of retail uses with more than 10,000 sq. ft. of floor area in
an M1-3 zoning district pursuant to Section 74-922 of the Zoning Resolution.
• Special Permit: General Large-Scale Development for new retail development and for
Federal Building #2 site pursuant to Section 74-74 of the Zoning Resolution. Signage
would be by special permit pursuant to Section 74-744 of the Zoning Resolution.
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Figure 1 - Project Location and Area Map
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
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• Disposition: The disposition of the property to a private entity to allow for proposed
redevelopment.
The disposition of the property will require approval through ULURP under City Charter
Section 197(c) and separate Borough Board and Mayoral approval pursuant to City
Charter Section 384(b)(4).
1.3 Project Site Description
The project site is identified as Block 671, Lot 1 and Block 675, Lot 1 on the tax map of the
Borough of Brooklyn (see Figure 2 for a tax lot map of the project site). The site is bounded by
30th Street to the north, Third Avenue on the east, 32nd Street on the south and Second Avenue on
the west. Blocks 671 and 675 form a super block that extends from 30th Street to 32nd Street,
with 30th and 31st Streets closed to local traffic between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The northern half of
the super block (Block 671, Lot 1) is comprised of Federal Building #2, with the building’s
footprint extending the full length and width of the lot. The southern half of the super block
(Block 675, Lot 1) is comprised of a former power plant, a one-story building, and a paved lot
with a capacity for approximately 500 vehicles. The former power plant building and the one-
story building, both situated on the western portion of the southern half of the super block,
together account for approximately one-quarter of the site area of this southern block. The
portion of the site with the one-story building is referred to as the GSA motor pool site (“Motor
Pool Parcel”), and its projected disposition and development are described further in Section 1.4
of this document. Figure 3 provides a Sanborn map showing the existing buildings on the project
site and adjacent properties, and Figure 4 provides an aerial view of the project site with the
locations of the buildings currently on site (including the Motor Pool Parcel). All buildings and
related lot areas on the project site are presently vacant. Figure 5 shows existing zoning on and
around the proposed project site. Figure 6 shows the area proposed to be rezoned from M3-1 to
M1-3. The project site encompasses approximately 343,000 square feet. The parcel on which
Federal Building #2 is located accounts for approximately 161,000 square feet, with the
remaining 182,000 square feet occupied by the former power plant, the Motor Pool Parcel and
the paved lot.
The Motor Pool Parcel is currently undergoing a separate disposition from the GSA to a non-
governmental organization, which has proposed the development of approximately 200 units of
supportive housing for the homeless in an 11-story building on the Motor Pool Parcel. This
proposal has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). If the transfer of this approximately 40,000 sq. ft. parcel from the federal
government to this organization were approved, the proposed housing project would still require
additional zoning changes and/or variances from the City of New York to permit the
development of residential units in a manufacturing zone and within an Industrial Business Zone.
Therefore, the potential for the proposed supportive housing project to be developed on the
Motor Pool Parcel is in question. If the Motor Pool Parcel disposition for homeless services is
not consummated, NYCEDC will seek to acquire the parcel from the GSA for economic
development purposes. For the purposes of CEQR and analyzing the reasonable worst-case
2
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Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
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Figure 3 - Sanborn Map
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
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Figure 4 - Aerial of Sunset Marketplace Project Site
Sunset Marketplace
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Sunset Marketplace
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Figure 6 - Proposed Zoning
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
development scenario, the Motor Pool Parcel would be incorporated into the proposed project
plan and the proposed action would rezone all of Block 675 (including the Motor Pool Parcel)
from M3-1 to M1-3. The EIS will include an alternative analysis of the Sunset Marketplace
development that does not include the approximately 40,000 square-foot Motor Pool Parcel as
part of the proposed project site. Under this alternative analysis, the Motor Pool Parcel will be
developed with approximately 200 units of supportive housing units for the homeless in an 11-
story building on the Motor Pool Parcel. This alternative analysis is discussed further in section
3.23, “Alternatives to the Proposed Action.”
1.4 Federal Building #2 History, Description and Site Access
History of Federal Building #2
Federal Building #2 was built as a warehouse for the Department of the Navy in 1916. The
building is typical of waterfront storage warehouses built during the early 20th century: eight
stories high; solidly built of masonry and reinforced concrete, capable of sustaining heavy loads;
and large open floor areas with natural light exposure. The building served as one of two U.S.
Naval Supply Activities Warehouses in the New York City area during the First and Second
World Wars. The building’s two rail tracks were connected to the Bush Terminal Company
Railroad tracks, which service Bush Terminal and connected to the U.S. Army Base Port of
Embarkation and the Long Island Railroad at 65th Street.
The warehouse housed all types of supplies utilized by the Navy Department, including
ordinance. In the 1960s the building was decommissioned and GSA assumed ownership. Since
that time, the building has housed a variety of trades and service, including laboratories,
warehouses and government office space. The building was last occupied in 2000 and has since
been vacant.
Description of Federal Building #2, Power Plant and Motor Pool Parcel
Federal Building #2’s structure is two-way slab poured-in-place reinforced concrete, with slab
thickness of 11 inches and stout columns 2-3 feet in diameter located 20 feet on center. The
structure is capable of sustaining floor loading over 200 pounds per square foot. The footprint of
the building extends the full length of the lot; 700 feet along the north-south portion of the lot
and 200 feet wide along the east-west portion of the lot. The building has over 1.1 million
square feet of floor plate, 23 elevators and nine stair cores. Federal Building #2 has floor heights
(floor to bottom of slab) of 12 feet on the ground and eighth floors and 11 feet on floors two
through seven.
The exterior of the building is organized into base, shaft and attic stories. The one-story board
formed-reinforced concrete base is articulated by large 20-foot bays and a variety of doors and
window openings, ranging from large roll up gates to conventional doors, topped by a simple
classical entablature. The shaft portion of the building rises six stories above the base, its bays
are filled with large tripartite multi-pane steel windows secured to a cast concrete window sill,
which in turn is supported by red brick spandrels bearing on concrete floor edges. The corner
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
bays of the building are articulated by board-formed concrete spandrels punctuated by a single
window at each floor.
The attic or 8th floor is separated from the building shaft by a cast concrete entablature and
boasts rusticated piers dividing the tripartite windows in each bay. The building is capped by a
cast concrete cornice and parapet wall. There are two expansion joints on the north and south
facades and the roof approximately 200 feet from the ends of the building at column lines eleven
and twenty-six. Elevator and stair bulkheads are cast concrete with a simple cast-in-place
cornice.
The Power House, located on 2nd Avenue and 31st Street, was developed to provide heat and a
portion of the electrical power needs for the adjacent Navy office and warehouse buildings. Built
on an emergency basis, the plant’s 3,000 horsepower capacity boilers were generating heat
within five months. The reinforced concrete building had a 2,000-ton coal bunker to supply the
boilers, which were exhausted through a flue to the stack. The Power House was designed to heat
not only the immediate Fleet Supply Base but also several adjacent Navy-owned buildings. The
Motor Pool Parcel located at 2nd Avenue and 32nd Street recently served as a garage and
management center for a motor pool operated by GSA. The building was part of the original
buildings on site, but underwent alterations through its history.
The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), in its review of the
eligibility of the buildings on the project site for listing on the State or National Register of
Historic Places, found that the Federal Building #2 and the Power Plant were “contributing
structures of the National Register-eligible [US Navy Fleet Supply Base].” However, due to
alterations to the building on the Motor Pool Parcel the existing structure is considered a non-
contributing structure. 1
Vehicular Access to the Project Site
The Sunset Marketplace project site is adjacent to the Gowanus Expressway (I-278), linking the
site to major City and regional expressways and river crossings. Drivers on the southbound
Gowanus Expressway would exit at 39th Street and use Second or Third Avenue to access the
site. Northbound Gowanus Expressway traffic would exit at 38th Street and travel north along
Third or Fourth Avenue, using 30th or 32nd Street to access the site. Local traffic would travel
along Third or Fourth Avenue and, to a lesser degree, Second Avenue, to reach the project site.
2.0 The Environmental Review Process
2.1 Public Review Procedures
The proposed actions are subject to City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR). Under the
State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and its implementing regulations set forth in
Title 6 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (6 NYCRR Section 617), State and local
government agencies must complete a review of the possible environmental impacts before
1
OPRHP, U.S. Naval Fleet Supply Base, Brooklyn, NY. Resource Evaluation (July 6, 2006).
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Draft Scope of Work
undertaking, funding or approving any discretionary actions. Further, local government agencies
are permitted to promulgate their own environmental rules, provided the rules are no less
protective of the environment than the State regulations. The City of New York has established
CEQR as the process that agencies of New York City use to review discretionary actions for the
purpose of identifying the potential impacts to the environment.
The proposed action is a Type I action and presumed to have a significant adverse impact on the
environment. Pursuant to 6 NYCRR Section 617.4 (6) (v), an action that would result in the
construction of a non-residential facility of more than 240,000 gross square feet in a city of more
than 150,000 population, or an action that would result in the expansion of an existing non-
residential facility by more than 50 percent of the 240,000 square feet gross floor area threshold,
is considered to be a Type I action. The anticipated floor area of the proposed project would
exceed 240,000 square feet.
An Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) and Positive Declaration for the Sunset
Marketplace project have been released concurrently with the publication of this Draft Scope of
Work. The EAS is the initial step in determining a project’s potential impact on the
environment. Its primary purpose is to provide the lead agency with the background and
descriptive information needed to make a preliminary decision as to whether or not a project is
likely to have one or more significant impacts.
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, as lead agency, has determined
that the proposed project has the potential for significant adverse impacts. The redevelopment of
the proposed project site will require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) due to the
potential for significant adverse impacts as demonstrated in the EAS.
2.2 Scoping
A thorough and open scoping process, as required under CEQR procedures, enables the project’s
lead agency to understand at the beginning of the process the issues of importance to government
agencies and the potentially affected community. The scoping document and public
participation process require these issues (and the procedures to be used to address them) to be
clearly stated at the start of the CEQR process, making possible a properly focused and
responsive scoping process.
Draft Scope of Work
This draft scoping document sets forth the analyses and methodologies proposed to be used in
the preparation of the EIS. The public, interested agencies, Brooklyn Community Board 7 and
elected officials are invited to comment on the scope, either in writing or orally, at a public
scoping meeting to be held on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 6:00 P.M. at Brooklyn Community
Board 7, 4201 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11232. Comments received during the draft
scope of work’s public meeting, and written comments received by 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday,
July 16, 2008 will be considered and incorporated as appropriate into a final scope of work. The
final scope of work will be used as the framework for preparing the Draft EIS (DEIS) for the
proposed action.
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
The public scoping session will enable the public to clarify its understanding of the proposed
project, the planned EIS analyses, and to comment on the proposed scope of the EIS. The
comment period will remain open until 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, so that written
comments may be received and relevant concerns incorporated into the final scope.
Final Scope of Work – Following the comment period, the lead agency will review the comments
received on the Draft Scope of Work, makes changes to that document where warranted, and
releases a Final Scope of Work, which will be used as the framework for the preparation of the
Draft EIS.
2.3 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Once the lead agency is satisfied that the DEIS is complete, the document will be made available
for public review and comment. The DEIS will accompany the ULURP application through the
public hearings at the Community Board, Borough President, and City Planning Commission
(CPC). A public hearing will be held on the DEIS in conjunction with the CPC hearing on the
ULURP applications to afford all interested parties the opportunity to submit oral and written
comments. The record will remain open for 10 days after the public hearing to allow additional
written comments on the DEIS. At the close of the public review period, a Final EIS (FEIS) will
be prepared that will incorporate all relevant comments made on the DEIS, along with any
revisions to the technical analysis necessary to respond to those comments. The FEIS will then
be used by the decision makers to evaluate CEQR findings, which address project impacts and
proposed mitigation measures, before deciding whether to approve the requested discretionary
actions. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, as lead agency, and any
other involved agencies, will issue statements of findings based on the information disclosed in
the FEIS and any other appropriate criteria.
2.4 Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario (RWCDS)
2.4.1 Future Development without the Proposed Actions (Future No-Action Scenario)
If the proposed actions are not approved, the proposed project site is expected to remain in its
existing vacant condition. No other projected or potential development is planned or considered
likely to occur on the site by the 2013 build year of the proposed Sunset Marketplace project.
The technical chapters of the EIS would therefore assume the existing conditions on the project
site would continue without the approval of the proposed actions. Proposed projects that are
expected to occur in the area surrounding the proposed project site will be included as
appropriate in the analysis of the future without the proposed actions. General background
growth (e.g. population, traffic etc.) will be applied when analyzing future development on the
site without the proposed actions.
The following is a list of known projects that will be considered in the analysis of the future
without the proposed actions:
• Bush Terminal Piers Open Space – NYCEDC and the New York City Department of Parks
and Recreation are finalizing designs for a new public open space to be created at the Bush
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
Terminal Piers 1 through 5 along the Sunset Park waterfront in Brooklyn. The proposal calls
for the provision of approximately 23 acres of open space to address the longstanding need
for additional community open space and new waterfront access. Historic land filling
operations at the site resulted in the presence of hazardous substances in the soil,
groundwater and sediments and in the presence of landfill-related gasses beneath the
landfill’s surface. NYCEDC’s conceptual plan for the piers calls for remediation of the 14-
acre contaminated landfill and the redevelopment of the entire site as a public open space
featuring a variety of both active and passive recreational uses as well as pier rehabilitation,
shoreline stabilization, and the preservation of mature trees. The New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation continues to be an essential partner on this
project and recently awarded $17.8M for the remediation of the site, which accounts for 90%
of the total anticipated costs for remediation. Site remediation and park construction are
anticipated to begin early 2008.
• Realignment of the Railway Along First Avenue – NYCEDC has approval to acquire
property located along First Avenue between 39th and 41st Streets for an easement within the
roadbed to permit the realignment of a portion of the First Avenue Rail Line. The freight rail
line, which links the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the Brooklyn Army Terminal with
the 65th Street Rail Yard, would be realigned, replacing the existing circuitous “S-curve”
with a straight at-grade track. The application for the acquisition of property (ULURP
#030527 PQK) was approved by the New York City Planning Commission on October 8,
2003. Work related to the realignment of the rail line is expected to be completed prior to the
completion of the proposed project.
• Axis Group, Inc. Facility – In November 2004, the NYCEDC announced that it reached an
agreement with Axis Group Inc. to lease and develop a modern automobile-processing
facility at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT), located north of the project site
between 29th and 39th Streets. The $40 million project will create approximately 165 auto-
processing jobs and more than 140 jobs related to stevedoring, warehousing and associated
activities. Construction of the facility will create more than 300 jobs. Axis Group, Inc. plans
to lease about 74 of the terminal’s 88-acres for 20 years, with provisions for two 5-year
extensions. The Axis Group. Inc. facility receives new vehicles and prepares the vehicles for
sale at automobile dealerships. In addition to handling new automobiles from ocean-going
vessels, the company will also use rail barges to transport vehicles from the site to New
Jersey railheads and distribution centers. The Axis Group, Inc. has already begun operations
on the western portion of the SBMT site, and will phase in the remaining development of its
auto-processing facilities over a three-year period.
• Proposed Recycling Plant at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal – In September 2004,
NYCEDC and the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced an agreement with
Hugo Neu Corporation (HNC), one of the nation’s largest scrap metal processors, to
construct a new recycling plant at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. The company plans
to build a modern recycling facility that the City commits to deliver all metal, glass and
plastic, and a portion of the mixed paper that the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) currently
collects through its residential curbside recycling program for the next 20 years. A total of
85 percent of the recyclable materials would be delivered to the facility via barge, and after
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processing, 75 percent would leave via barge. The construction of the $25 million facility,
financed by HNC, would create 160 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs. Construction
is expected is expected to be completed prior to the completion of the proposed project.
• Redevelopment of the 65th Street Rail Yard – NYCEDC has issued an RFP for the northern
portion of the 65th Street Rail Yard. The RFP offers 14.9-acres of the 33-acre rail yard for
development for intermodal rail or waterborne uses. The rail yard is adjacent to the Brooklyn
Army Terminal, a former military facility that is currently home to more than 70 companies
and thousands of employees. The RFP is for potential use and occupancy of only the
northern, intermodal portion of the Yard, for an area of about 1,665 feet long by 250 feet
wide with water frontage with unimproved shoreline. NYCEDC is currently reviewing
submitted proposals and no completion date has been set for the project.
• Bush Terminal Pier 6 Cement Facility - NYCEDC proposes a long-term lease of Bush
Terminal Pier 6, located along the Upper New York Bay (a.k.a. Gowanus Bay) waterfront in
an M3-1 zoning district within the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, to CP Cimento E
Participacoes, for the redevelopment of the pier as a cement import, storage and distribution
facility. The project site consists solely of the entire pier structure, which is currently vacant.
The project would restore the pier and construct an import, storage and distribution facility
for cement slag, which would be transported via ocean-going carriers from the company’s
production plants located in Brazil. The proposed facility would also include a new small
office and guardhouse areas, as well as parking for approximately 20 vehicles. It is
anticipated that approximately 11 employees would work at the facility over varying shifts.
Rehabilitation of the pier and construction of the proposed facility is expected to be
completed prior to the completion of the proposed project.
• Moore McCormack Buildings - The development site is located on Third Avenue between
23rd and 25th Streets in the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Business Zone. The total
developable land area measures approximately 52,728 square feet. There are four vacant
buildings on site, with a combined footprint of approximately 29,100 square feet. All
buildings on the development site are in disrepair and require demolition. The site is
anticipated to be redeveloped with industrial-related uses.
• Hamilton Avenue Marine Transfer Station - The existing Hamilton Avenue Marine Transfer
Station (MTS) is located off of Hamilton Avenue, at the mouth of the Gowanus Canal in
Brooklyn, in CD 7. It is bounded by the elevated Gowanus Expressway to the north and east,
17th Street to the south and the Gowanus Canal to the west and has a gross acreage of 7.4
acres. The site contains the decommissioned Hamilton Avenue municipal incinerator
currently being demolished. In accordance with the City’s proposed Solid Waste
Management Plan (SWMP), the Hamilton Avenue MTS will be a state-of-the-art MTS
constructed at four of DSNY’s existing MTS sites. These new facilities would receive and
containerize DSNY-managed waste for transport by barge from the MTSs. The SWMP was
approved by the City Council and by the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation in October 2006. DSNY anticipates that the Hamilton Avenue MTS will
become operational by the end of 2011. Therefore, the Hamilton Avenue MTS will be
included in the No Build condition.
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• Bush Terminal Redevelopment - Bush Terminal consists of nine industrial buildings built
between 1895 and 1910. They total approximately 1.4 million square feet and are almost
fully occupied by 46 businesses that employ more than 900 people. NYCEDC is formulating
a redevelopment strategy that will preserve the existing space for ongoing use as light
manufacturing and warehouse and distribution space. The redevelopment strategy will yield a
net increase of 100,000 square feet of space, which will also be used for light manufacturing,
warehouse, and distribution.
• Sunset Park High School - The New York School Construction Authority (SCA) proposes to
construct an approximately 191,000 gross square feet, five story high school facility, housing
three school organizations with a total of approximately 1,640 seats. As part of the proposed
project, traffic flows on 34th Street and 35th Street between Third and Fourth Avenue could
be reversed to facilitate safe drop off of students (requires the approval and implementation
of NYC Department of Transportation). The build year for the project is anticipated to be
2009.
2.4.2 Future Development with the Proposed Actions (Future Action Scenario)
The proposed actions would allow development of the proposed Sunset Marketplace project.
Figure 7 provides a conceptual site plan of the proposed project. The Sunset Marketplace would
involve:
• the historic renovation and re-occupation of the Federal Building #2, creating a state-
of-the-art mixed use commercial-industrial complex;
• A similar restoration of the Power Plant building, which would include a small
amount of ground-floor retail, with other areas in the building to house mechanical
systems to support the adjacent commercial buildings; and
• construction of a 5-level vertical retail center with associated auxiliary parking.
As noted in Section 1.3, GSA and HHS have preliminarily approved the transfer of the Motor
Pool Parcel for development of a proposed supportive housing building, but current and/or
proposed zoning, as well as the City’s position on future development in the Southwest Brooklyn
IBZ would preclude the location of a residential development at this location. Since the nature of
that parcel’s future development is uncertain, the project outline presented below and the
proposed analyses in the DEIS assume that this parcel would be incorporated into the proposed
Sunset Marketplace project. In the event that this approximately 40,000 sq. ft. parcel would not
be available, the amount of retail space and parking would be proportionately reduced. In any
event, the proposed amount of development assumed for the DEIS would represent a worst-case
maximum for this project.
9
NORTH
For Illustrative Purposes Only
Figure 7 - Conceptual Site Plan
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
Table 1 provides the proposed mix of uses within the Sunset Marketplace project:
Table 1: Sunset Marketplace Proposed Uses
FLOORS GROSS SF % OF TOTAL SPACES
FEDERAL BUILDING
RETAIL 1-2 240,000 21% -
OFFICE 3-8 320,000 28% -
LIGHT
3-8 460,000 41% -
INDUSTRIAL
TOTAL 1,120,000 100%
NEW RETAIL BUILDING
RETAIL1 1-5 344,635 43% -
RECEIVING 1 12,545 2% -
ATRIUM/LOBBY 1-5 23,220 3% -
STORAGE UTILITY 1-5 11,967 1% -
PARKING2 2-3 418,060 51% 1,181
TOTAL 810,427 100% 1,181
TOTAL PROJECT 1,930,427 1,181
1
Includes ground-floor retail in the Power Plant building
2
Additional on-site spaces to be provided along 31st Street
Federal Building #2 is an existing non-conforming structure, and its re-occupation would not
require the provision of any on-site parking under zoning regulations. However, most of the
parking demand generated by the projected commercial and industrial uses in this building
would be during normal weekday business hours. As the parking demand at the proposed
adjacent retail center would be relatively low during those periods, many of the employees and
visitors to the Federal Building would use the retail center’s parking garage.
It is anticipated that the proposed project would employ a substantial number of local workers, as
the mission of the project is to promote economic development in Sunset Park. The retailers in
this building would be either neighborhood or destination, and either large (>10,000 SF) or small
format. The balance of the building would be a mixture of light industrial and commercial/office
uses – a roughly 50%/50% split is assumed for the DEIS analyses.
It is projected that the Sunset Marketplace project would be developed in one phase. For the
purposes of these analyses, the project site is projected to be completed and fully occupied by
2013. The Sunset Marketplace project, as described above, is considered the reasonable worst-
case development scenario that would occur on the project site. The analysis of the potential for
environmental impacts associated with the proposed Sunset marketplace project will be based on
the incremental development difference between the Future No-Action and Future Action
Scenarios.
10
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
3.0 The Environmental Impact Statement
The following sections describe the objectives of each potential impact area that may be included
in the EIS. The descriptions also offer background information to place the potential impacts
within the context of the Sunset Park neighborhood and proposed methodologies where
applicable. The EIS will include an Executive Summary that will summarize the key points of
the individual technical assessment areas that are described below.
3.1 Project Description
The first chapter of the EIS introduces the reader to the Sunset Marketplace project, identifies the
involved and interested agencies and describes all public actions necessary for the proposed
project to proceed. The chapter will contain:
• project identification (brief description and location of the project);
• the background and/or history of the project;
• a statement of the purpose and need of the project;
• key planning considerations that have shaped the current proposal;
• a detailed description of the proposed project; and
• a discussion of the involved agencies and approvals/actions required.
This chapter is key to understanding the proposed actions and their impacts, and gives the public
and decision-makers a base from which to evaluate the project in the future against the future
without the project. The present conceptual designs and plans for the proposed project were
presented earlier in Section 2.5.
Each chapter of the EIS that requires a detailed analysis will include an analysis of the Future
Action condition compared to the Future No-Action condition, as set forth in the CEQR
Technical Manual. The technical analyses of the EIS will examine the potential impacts related
to the completion of the proposed project by the year 2013.
3.2 Land Use, Zoning and Public Policy
This section of the EIS will consider the project’s compatibility with existing surrounding land
use, zoning and development trends in the area, as well as public policy related to land use and
economic development.
The study area for this chapter of the EIS will be the area extending one-quarter mile from the
boundary of the proposed project site. The study area will be divided into a primary study area,
defined as the area 800 feet from the project site boundary, and a secondary study area that
encompasses the area 800 feet to one-quarter mile from the project site boundary. The EIS will
consider the primary study area to be the area where direct potential impacts of the proposed
project would be felt and the secondary study area to be where potential indirect land use impacts
related to the proposed project could occur. Existing land uses in the primary and secondary
study areas will be surveyed and the results presented in a graphic format and prevailing land use
11
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
patterns would be identified and discussed in the text. The consistency and compatibility of the
proposed land use and built form with zoning, land uses and other State and City policies and
programs will be evaluated. Similarly, the existing zoning districts in the study area will be
identified and their key features (e.g., FAR, special districts, etc.) summarized. This chapter of
the EIS will include the following:
• Discussion of predominant land use patterns for the primary and secondary land use
study areas and a description of recent land use trends in the study area and major factors
influencing land use trends.
• Description of existing zoning in the primary and secondary study areas, any recent
zoning actions in the study area and the consistency of the proposed rezoning action with
existing zoning in the study area.
• A list of future development projects in the primary and secondary study areas that would
be expected to influence future land use trends and pending zoning actions or other public
policy actions that could affect land use patterns and trends in the study area.
• Assessment of impacts related to the proposed project on land use and land use trends,
public policy, and zoning, including assessment of project impacts related to the import
or loss of manufacturing zoning, and the effect of the project on ongoing development
trends and conditions in the area.
3.3 Socioeconomic Conditions
The New York City Environmental Quality Review Technical Manual (CEQR Technical Manual)
states that a project may have a socioeconomic impact on the surrounding community if it
directly or indirectly changes area population, housing stock or economic activity. The purpose
of a socioeconomic assessment is to disclose changes that would be created by the project and
identify whether these potential changes may result in significant adverse impacts and require
mitigation measures to address such potential impacts. This section will first review potential
direct and indirect displacement impacts, related to the proposed project.
The analysis will provide a qualitative assessment of potential socioeconomic changes associated
with the proposed actions, including direct displacement of residential population, businesses, or
employees; a new development that is markedly different from existing uses and activities within
the neighborhood; an adverse effect on conditions in the real estate market in the area; or an
adverse effect on socioeconomic conditions in a specific industry (with a specific focus on
service and retail). The preliminary assessment will examine five areas of concern including:
• Direct residential displacement (none projected to occur)
• Direct business and institutional displacement (none projected to occur)
• Indirect residential displacement
• Indirect business and institutional displacement
• Adverse effects on specific industries (with a specific focus on service and retail).
For each area of concern, the EIS socioeconomic analysis will determine, based on a preliminary
screening assessment, whether a detailed analysis will be conducted. The study area for
socioeconomic conditions will be generally delineated by adjusting the land use study area
boundary (i.e., a quarter-mile radius from the project site) to reflect boundaries of census tracts
12
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
generally lying within that radius. For some specific analyses, however, the specific boundaries
will be tailored according to the industries affected.
Assessment of Direct Residential and Commercial Displacement. Direct displacement is the
involuntary displacement of residents or businesses from the actual site of a proposed project.
Since there are no residents on the project site, no residents would be directly displaced as a
result of the proposed project and no significant adverse socioeconomic impacts as a result of
direct residential displacement are expected. Similarly, since no businesses are currently located
on the project site, no commercial businesses or employees would be displaced by the proposed
action and no significant adverse socioeconomic impacts related to direct business displacement
are expected. The EIS will qualitatively discuss the CEQR thresholds for direct displacement
relative to the proposed project.
Assessment of Indirect Residential and Commercial Displacement. Indirect displacement is
the involuntary displacement of area residents, businesses or employees resulting from a change
in the socioeconomic conditions created by the proposal. Examples include rising land values
and rents in the project area directly influenced by the project, or flight from a neighborhood
caused by the introduction of a new use that creates adverse living or working conditions in the
community.
The proposed project would introduce a new development of approximately 1.93 million sq. ft.
plus associated on-site parking. A detailed assessment of significant adverse socioeconomic
impacts from the indirect residential and business displacement as a result of the proposed
actions is warranted. The detailed assessment included as part of this chapter of the EIS will
assess potential significant impacts related to indirect residential and business displacement,
including the following:
Potential Indirect Residential Displacement
• Based on the U.S. Census of Population and Housing, a description of the 2000
population and housing characteristics of the study area.
• A discussion of population trends in the future without the proposed action.
• An estimate of the population associated with the proposed action, and assessment of any
potential indirect impacts on population.
Potential Indirect Business Displacement
• Description of existing economic activity in the study area, including the number and
types of businesses and institutions and employment by key sectors.
• Description of the physical characteristics of the existing commercial and manufacturing
buildings in the study area, including the general size of the structures, configurations,
and condition. Discussion of the approximate vacancy rate and rent levels for buildings in
the study areas, based on visual inspections, discussions with the Brooklyn Borough
Office of DCP, and discussions with real estate brokers.
• Description of trends in commercial, manufacturing, and institutional use in the future
without the project.
• Estimation of net new employment and other economic activity in the study area under
the reasonable worst-case development scenario.
13
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
• Estimation of direct displacement of commercial and manufacturing businesses and
assessment of the impact of indirect displacement, if any. Identification of likely
relocation areas nearby, if necessary.
Adverse Impacts on Specific Industries
The existing conditions analysis will identify the extent to which there are specific industries in
the area affected by the proposed project (directly or indirectly). The analysis of this section of
the EIS will focus on specific industries in the study area that may potentially be affected by the
proposed actions. The proposed redevelopment will include approximately 585,000 square feet
of retail floor area and 880,000 square feet of office/back office and light industrial floor area.
The EIS will examine the potential for the retail and industrial industries in the surrounding area
of the project site to be adversely affected by the proposed actions. The future conditions
analysis of the EIS will assess whether retail and industrial businesses will be specifically
affected by existing trends or the proposed actions.
3.4 Community Facilities and Services
The CEQR Technical Manual indicates that there is a need for an assessment of community
facilities and services only if a project directly displaces an existing facility, or if a project
generates more than 100 residential units. The proposed project is not proposed to have
residential units and no direct or indirect increase in residential population to the study area is
anticipated to occur as a result of the proposed actions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the
effect of the proposed actions on public educational facilities, libraries, public day care centers or
public health care facilities would not be required, as per CEQR. The EIS will include a
discussion of each of the CEQR thresholds for the community facility types mentioned above
and a discussion of why the proposed actions would not cause the thresholds to be exceeded.
Police Protection, Fire Protection. The Fire and Police Departments will be informed of the
proposed project in writing, and a letter will be requested stating that existing local resources are
sufficient to service the proposed project. The Police and Fire Departments routinely assess the
need for manpower across the City and make adjustments when warranted. The Police and Fire
Departments will give an independent assessment of the impacts, if any, of the proposed actions,
which will be incorporated into the EIS.
3.5 Open Space
As per the CEQR Technical Manual, an open space analysis considers whether a proposed action
would directly or indirectly impact open space resources. The EIS will include an open space
study, in accordance with CEQR guidelines. As the proposed project is not expected to result in
the generation of a new residential population, the EIS will focus on the potential open space
impacts related to the non-residential worker open space users that would be generated as a result
of the proposed project. As the expected users generated by the action would be non-residential
workers, the focus of the open space assessment will be on the potential impacts related to
increased passive open space utilization with the proposed action.
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Figure 8 - Open Space Study Area
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
The proposed project would introduce over 1.93 million sq. ft. of retail, office, and light
industrial space. As the number of employees generated by the project would exceed the CEQR
threshold of 500 workers for non-residential workers, a detailed assessment of the impact on
passive open space resulting from the non-residential worker user group will be performed.
The non-residential workers that would be generated as a result of the proposed actions would
likely use the open space resources during the mid-day time period. In accordance with the
CEQR Technical Manual, the study area (see Figure 8) used to assess the potential for impacts
from non-residential open space workers will include all census tracts having at least 50 percent
of their area within a quarter-mile perimeter of the project site. The open space analysis of the
EIS will consider changes in passive open space usage levels anticipated from the potential non-
residential open space users within the study area. The EIS will analyze the impact of the
potential non-residential worker open space user groups combined with the existing residential
open space users.
The EIS will include an inventory of existing passive open spaces within the open space study
area. The condition and use of existing facilities will be described based on the inventory and
field visits. Jurisdiction, features, user groups, factors affecting usage, hours of operation, and
access will be included in the description of facilities. Acreage of these facilities will be
determined and total study area acreage calculated. The percentage of active and passive open
space also will be calculated. Based on the inventory of facilities and study area population, the
open space ratios for the non-residential population will be calculated and compared to City
guidelines to assess adequacy. This is expressed as the amount of open space acreage per 1,000
user population.
The EIS will assess expected changes in future levels of open space supply and demand in the
build year, based on other planned development projects within the open space study area. It
will also take into account any new open space and recreational facilities expected in the open
space study area. Open space ratios will be developed for future conditions without the action
and compared with open space ratios for future conditions with the action to determine changes
in future levels of adequacy.
The analysis also will take into consideration the Bush Terminal Piers Open Space project being
developed by NYCEDC and the Department of Parks and Recreation. NYCEDC anticipates that
this will include ballfields that will be active in early 2010 with the full build out by 2013. The
proposal calls for the provision of approximately 23-acres of open space at Piers 1 through 5
along the Sunset Park waterfront to address the longstanding need for additional community
open space and new waterfront access.
3.6 Shadows
15
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
The CEQR Technical Manual requires a shadow assessment of projects that are at least 50 feet in
height or for projects directly adjacent to a park, light-sensitive historical resource, or important
natural feature. Federal Building #2 is an existing structure precluding the need to assess shadow
impacts related to the project. The proposed retail center would have a maximum height of
approximately 100 feet, requiring that it be screened for potential adverse shadow impacts on
light sensitive features in the area surrounding the project site.
As per CEQR Technical Manual guidelines, the preliminary screening for potential shadow
impacts multiplies the proposed height of the new development by 4.3 (the longest shadow that
any structure can cast during a given year is 4.3 times its height, or approximately 430 feet in this
instance). The assessment of shadow impacts for a proposed action is based on the potential for
significant adverse shadows generated by the project that adversely impact open space resources
or historic resources (with features that depend on sunlight) within the calculated shadow
distance. If such open space or light-sensitive historic resources are present, a further shadow
impact analysis would be warranted.
As discussed in the EAS, no open space resources or light-sensitive historic resources are located
within the potential worst-case shadow distance of 430 feet, and no significant adverse shadow
impacts are anticipated. No further detailed shadow assessment is assumed necessary for the
proposed actions. The EIS will therefore limit the potential shadow impacts discussion to why
the proposed project does not exceed the preliminary screening shadow assessment threshold.
3.7 Historic Resources
According to the CEQR Technical Manual, historic resources assessment is required if there is
the potential to affect a historic resource. Historic resources encompass districts, buildings,
structures, sites, and objects of historical, aesthetic, cultural, and archaeological importance.
These include designated New York City Landmarks, Interior Landmarks, Scenic Landmarks,
and properties within designated New York City Historic Districts; properties calendared for
consideration as one of the above by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
(LPC); properties listed on or formally determined eligible for inclusion on the State and/or
National Register of Historic Places (S/NR), or contained within a district listed on or formally
determined eligible for the S/NR; properties recommended by the New York State Board of
Historic Preservation for listing on the S/NR; National Historic Landmarks; and properties not
identified by one of the programs listed above, but that meet their eligibility requirements.
No designated historic resources exist on the project site. No buildings in a 400-foot radius of the
project site have been designated a New York City landmark, are located in an historic district,
or have been listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places. However, the New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and NYCLPC have
determined that Federal Building #2 and the Power Plant meet eligibility criteria for listing as
State and/or Federal landmarks. While supporting the eligibility of these buildings, OPRPH and
NYCLPC indicate that the one-story building on the Motor Pool Parcel is a “non-contributing”
structure not considered eligible for landmark status.
16
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
Given that the Federal Building #2 and the Power Plant meet eligibility criteria for State or
National Register listing, a detailed assessment of potential impacts on these resources will be
included as part of the EIS. It is the intent of the developer of the proposed project to seek tax
benefits through the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program -- a joint program of
the National Park Service and the Interval Revenue Service that fosters private sector
rehabilitation of historic buildings and promotes economic revitalization. Properties for which
such benefits are sought must be income-producing and rehabilitated according to standards set
by the Secretary of the Interior. As such, the program can generate jobs, both during the
construction phase and in the spin-off effects of increased earning and consumption, and attracts
new private investment to the historic core of cities.
The DEIS will include a detailed assessment of Federal Building #2 and the Power Plant,
including the specific aspects of those structures that make them historically important. The
nature of the proposed rehabilitation of those buildings and the manner in which important
contributing elements will be preserved and enhanced will be presented. All work will be done in
cooperation with OPRHP and NYCLPC as appropriate.
NYCLPC has already determined that the proposed project site does not include any potentially
significant archaeological resources. Therefore, no further assessment of potential impacts on
archeological resources will be included in the EIS.
3.8 Urban Design and Visual Resources
The CEQR Technical Manual notes that an urban design/visual resource assessment is typically
required only when the proposed action would result in buildings or block forms substantially
different from the existing context, or if important visual resources (e.g., historic landmarks,
scenic views) would be obstructed. This section of the EIS will evaluate the impacts that the
proposed project will have on urban design and visual resources. An area’s urban design
components and visual resources together comprise the “look” of a neighborhood, according to
CEQR guidelines. To determine whether the change constitutes a significant adverse impact, an
assessment will be performed in accordance with the requirements of the NYC CEQR Technical
Manual.
Zoning and land use relationships will be evaluated in the EIS to identify the key features of the
existing neighborhood context; a photographic survey will then be prepared, submitted and
included in the EIS to document existing conditions. The bulk, height, and massing of the
proposed building will be examined in relation to the surrounding context and addressed. The
proposed action includes a rezoning of the project site from an M3-1 zoning district to a M1-3
zoning district. The EIS will assess the potential for urban design impacts to occur as a result of
changes in bulk and use on the project site that are expected as a result of the proposed action.
Existing neighborhood conditions will be evaluated to identify any truly unique local features
(e.g., topography); the site treatment will be examined for consistency with such features. The
resultant environmental conditions will be studied to ascertain how issues of light/air/view are
impacted by the proposed project site. If further analysis is warranted, the EIS will review the
17
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
proposed development’s impacts on the surrounding neighborhood related to the following
factors:
• Building, bulk, height, setbacks and density;
• Building use, as it relates to visual character;
• Building arrangement;
• Block form and street patterns;
• Streetscape elements, including street furniture, streetwall, stoops, median strips,
etc.; and
• Street hierarchy.
The EIS would also include suggestions, if necessary, for mitigating any potential impacts,
including criteria for materials, massing, and functional arrangements. Since the proposed
development could potentially result in changes to the streetscape, and because the proposed new
retail center and associated site plans for the Sunset Marketplace project would include two
landmark-eligible buildings, a detailed assessment of visual impacts will be included in the EIS,
consistent with the procedures outlined in the CEQR Technical Manual.
3.9 Neighborhood Character
The character of a neighborhood is established by numerous factors, including land use patterns,
the characteristics of its population and economic activities, urban design and scale, and a variety
of other physical features that include traffic and pedestrian patterns. The key components that
help define the neighborhood surrounding the project sites will be identified in the EIS. Since
most of the elements that make up neighborhood character will already be covered in other EIS
chapters, the neighborhood character chapter will represent a summary of the key thoughts of
these other analyses and include the following:
• Drawing on other EIS sections, a description of the predominant factors that contribute to
defining the character of the neighborhood.
• Based on planned development projects, public policy initiatives, and planned public im-
provements, a summary of changes that can be expected in the character of the
neighborhood in the future without the project.
• Analysis of project impacts on various EIS sections that will serve as the basis for
assessing and summarizing the proposed action's impacts on neighborhood character.
Given the subjective nature of neighborhood character, potential changes will be discussed
qualitatively. The textual findings may be supplemented by graphical materials such as a
photographic survey of properties throughout the area and renderings of the proposed project.
3.10 Natural Resources
The CEQR Technical Manual defines natural resources as areas “capable of providing habitat for
plant and animal species or capable of functioning to support environmental systems and
18
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
maintain the City’s environmental balance.” Surface waters, groundwater, drainage systems, and
wetlands may be included, as well as dunes, beaches and coastal resources, grasslands,
woodlands, and even landscaped areas, gardens, and built structures used by wildlife.
The project site is a fully disturbed urban site, and no impacts on natural resource are anticipated.
A qualitative discussion of natural resources will be provided as part of the EIS.
3.11 Hazardous Materials
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
A Phase I ESA has been prepared for the project site (Block 671, Lot 1 and Block 675, Lot 1),
pursuant to the CEQR Technical Manual. That document, Phase I Environmental Assessment for
Federal Building #2, Brooklyn, NY prepared for NYCEDC by Sandstone Environmental
Associates, Inc. (May 2007), includes a number of recommendations for further studies,
including asbestos and lead paint surveys and soil tests for various compounds associated with
various past on-site activities (e.g., vehicle maintenance operations, paint shops, munitions
storage, etc.).
Based on a review of the findings of this Phase I report by NYCDEP, the potential need for
Phase II site investigations and possible remediation would be identified. These
recommendations and the results of the associated survey and testing studies would be presented
in the DEIS, along with an assessment of the potential for the construction or operation of the
proposed project to result in significant impacts associated with hazardous or toxic substances.
3.12 Waterfront Revitalization Program
The CEQR Technical Manual states that actions located within the designated boundaries of
New York City’s Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) are subject to an assessment for consistency
with the City’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP). The LWRP includes policy
objectives that prioritize the development of water-dependent and water-enhancing uses on
Coastal Management Zone properties that mandate public access to the waterfront within certain
zoning districts, offer construction guidelines for flood zones, and address the maintenance of
water quality.
As the proposed project site is located within the New York City Coastal Zone boundary (see
Figure 9), the policies described in the City’s LWRP apply to the proposed actions. For the
Waterfront Revitalization Program chapter, the EIS will include:
• A detailed costal zone consistency evaluation addressing applicable policies of the
LWRP, as well as a review of project characteristics reviewing project consistency with
the LWRP; and
• The review will also be conducted against the background of the City’s Comprehensive
Waterfront Plan and its most recent updates.
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Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
As shown in Figure 9, while all areas west of 3rd Avenue in this portion of Sunset Park are within the
City’s Coastal Management Zone, this portion of the Brooklyn waterfront, including the project site, is
within a Significant Maritime and Industrial Area, a designation by the City intended to, among other
things, maintain manufacturing zoning.
3.13 Infrastructure
The CEQR Technical Manual recommends that a detailed assessment of infrastructure be
performed for proposed actions that would have an exceptionally large demand for water, such
as power plants or very large developments (e.g. those that would potentially use more than one
million gallons per day); for proposed actions located in portions of the system known to have
limited supply capacities (e.g. Rockaway Peninsula or Coney Island); for proposed actions that
involve discharges that might impact wastewater treatment facilities; or for proposed actions that
involve the construction of new separate sewer systems or storm water outfalls necessitating
State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permits.
The proposed development would result in induced development in a fully urbanized area of the
City already connected to water and storm sewer mains. Because induced development would
occur on sites which contain existing buildings or paved areas, the proposed action would not
increase the amount of impervious surface area and would not significantly affect storm water
runoff.
Given the size of New York City’s water supply system and the City’s commitment to
maintaining adequate water supply and pressure, few actions have the potential to cause
significant impacts to the system. As stated above, only very large developments or actions
having exceptionally large water demands (more than one million gallons per day) would
warrant a detailed water supply assessment. Similarly, only projects with unusually large water
flows could potentially impact wastewater treatment.
No significant adverse impacts are anticipated as a result of the proposed project. However, the
EIS will include an inventory of the distribution/collection systems of infrastructure servicing the
study area, including:
• Water supply systems and storm/sanitary sewers serving the project sites and surrounding
area, including identification of known capacity constraints (data will be gathered from
the NYC DEP);
• Future No-Action Conditions will be assessed by projecting the additional demand placed
on the area's infrastructure by other separately planned developments that will be
completed by the proposed project’s build year. This analysis will also take into account
any expansion or improvement to the existing infrastructure system planned for
completion by the build year; and
• An accurate estimate water usage and sewage generation for the residential and retail
components using the standards provided in the CEQR Technical Manual. Once the total
usage levels have been calculated, an assessment of the project's impact on local utilities
will be made.
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
• An assessment of the light industrial users of the project site compliance with the City’s
Industrial Pretreatment Program.
3.14 Solid Waste and Sanitation Services
According to the CEQR Technical Manual, proposed actions involving construction of housing or
other development generally do not require evaluation for solid waste impacts unless they are
unusually large (e.g. a rate of 10,000 tons or more per week would be considered large). The
proposed actions are not expected to adversely impact solid waste and sanitation services in New
York City as the waste produced by private businesses will be collected and disposed of by contracted
private waste carting businesses. The solid waste and service demand generated by the proposed
project will be disclosed in this chapter of the EIS to show that the proposed actions conform to the
City’s Solid Waste Management Plan.
3.15 Energy
According to the CEQR Technical Manual, because all new structures requiring heating and cooling
are subject to the New York State Energy Conservation Code, which reflects State and City energy
policy, actions resulting in new construction would not create adverse energy impacts. Such actions
would not require a detailed energy assessment.
The proposed project would not create adverse energy impacts as defined by the CEQR Technical
Manual. Such new construction would not significantly affect the transmission or generation of
energy, or generate a substantial increase in indirect consumption of energy. A qualitative assessment
of the anticipated amount of energy projected to be consumed during long-term operation of the
proposed action will be disclosed in the EIS, as appropriate.
3.16 Traffic and Parking
Traffic
The EIS will evaluate the potential impact of project-generated traffic on the transportation facilities
and services in the study area. The analysis of traffic conditions is also a precursor to the air quality
and noise impact sections as well as providing an estimate of the impacts upon traffic circulation and
pedestrians in the study area.
Preliminary traffic analyses associated with the proposed project site and its potential redevelopment
have already been completed by NYCEDC as part of its assessment of potential redevelopment of the
project site. It is projected that the same traffic network will apply, and that no additional traffic
counts, speed runs or related traffic field work will be required. All data collection and intersection
selection were done in consultation with New York City DOT. Based on field observations and the
anticipated origins and destinations of project-related traffic, the following intersections were selected
for detailed analysis (see Figure 10):
• Prospect Avenue/3rd Avenue • 30th Street/4th Avenue
21
NORTH
Site
LEGEND
Traffic study loation
Figure 10 - Traffic Study Locations
Sunset Marketplace
P r e p a r e d b y U r b i t r a n A s s o c i a t e s
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
• 31st Street/3rd Avenue • 38th Street/4th Avenue
• 31st Street/4th Avenue • 39th Street/2nd Avenue
• 32nd Street/2nd Avenue • 39th Street/3rd Avenue
• 32nd Street/3rd Avenue • 39th Street/4th Avenue
• 32nd Street/4th Avenue • 42nd Street/3rd Avenue
All traffic data and associated field inventory information (e.g., roadway geometry, signal timing, curb
regulations, etc.) were collected in May of 2006 for these locations.
Establish Baseline Conditions. The Existing Conditions (2006) traffic analyses will be prepared,
Traffic volume flow maps will be developed for the weekday AM, MD, and PM peak hours and the
Saturday Midday peak. The analysis locations will be evaluated using the latest version of the
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) as required by the CEQR Technical Manual. Results of the
analysis will provide a quantitative assessment of current operations, levels of service (LOS), delay,
speeds and volume to capacity (V/C) ratios that will be used to assess the supporting street/highway
system performance.
Future No-Action Conditions. The No-Action (and Build) traffic analyses identify how the study
area’s transportation system will operate in the year that the proposed development is expected to be
built and open for public use. All future year traffic analyses done for the DEIS will be done for the
2013 Build year. Projections of future, non-project-related traffic volumes are typically divided into
two components:
• a background growth rate attributable to regional traffic growth throughout the study area
over time, and
• traffic growth attributable to specific developments in the site vicinity.
The background growth rate reflects regional changes in population, development, travel patterns,
and/or economic activity that increase future traffic volumes. As recommended in the CEQR
Technical Manual, a background growth rate of 0.5 percent per year will be used. In addition, traffic
volumes generated by other significant developments in the project vicinity will be added to these
adjusted volumes. Trip generation rates and related factors for these uses will be confirmed with
NYCDOT. Full traffic LOS analyses for the study area will then be prepared.
Future Build Conditions. Full traffic analyses will be prepared for the proposed Sunset Marketplace
project, using trip generation rates and related factors approved by NYCDOT as well as standards
established by the CEQR Technical Manual. The resultant trips will then be assigned to the study
street network, and future LOS conditions will be established. Potential significant impacts will be
based on the criteria contained in the CEQR Technical Manual.
Mitigation of Significant Impacts. Based on the identification of significant impacts, appropriate
mitigation measures to ameliorate the project impacts will be identified and evaluated. The likely
range of measures would include adjustments to signal timing and phasing, possible changes in curb
regulations (to provide additional travel lanes) and creation of new or additional turning lanes. The
22
Table 2
Estimated Peak Hour Person-Trip Generation Characteristics
Sunset Marketplace - Brooklyn, NY
Size Temporal Distribution (Peak Hour %) Estimated Person-Trip Generation
Weekday Daily Saturday Daily
Land Use Person Trip Rate Person Trip Rate
(Per 1,000 GSF) (Per 1,000 GSF) Weekday Weekday Weekday Saturday Weekday AM Weekday Midday Weekday PM Saturday Midday
(GSF)
AM Midday PM Midday Peak Hour Peak Hour Peak Hour Peak Hour
Light Industrial 1, 5 460,000 14.67 2.78 13.2% 11.0% 14.2% 9.5% 891 742 958 121
Neighborhood Retail 2, 6 240,000 205 205 3.1% 19.0% 9.6% 13.9% 1,525 9,348 4,723 6,839
3, 7
Commercial Office 420,000 18 0.9 11.8% 14.5% 13.7% 15.0% 892 1,096 1,036 57
Destination Retail 4, 8 345,000 98 119 2.3% 13.7% 10.7% 15.4% 778 4,632 3,618 6,322
TOTAL SIZE = 1,465,000 TOTAL PERSON TRIPS 4,086 15,818 10,335 13,339
Footnotes:
1 - Light Industrial Weekday and Saturday Daily Person Trip Rate: Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
2 - Neighborhood Retail Weekday Daily Person Trip Rate: CEQR Technical Manual , 2001; Saturday Daily Person Trip Rate: Coliseum Redevelopment FSEIS, 1997
3 - Commercial Office Weekday Daily Person Trip Rate: CEQR Technical Manual , 2001; Saturday Daily Person Trip Rate: Coliseum Redevelopment FSEIS, 1997
4 - Destination Retail Weekday and Saturday Daily Person Trip Rate: ITE Trip Generation Handbook , Code Number 820, expanded to person trips
5 - Light Industrial Temporal Distribution Weekday: Greenpoint-Williamsburg Rezoning FEIS, 2005; Saturday Temporal Distribution: Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
6 - Neighborhood Retail Temporal Distribution Weekday: CEQR Technical Manual , 2001; Saturday Temporal Distribution: Coliseum Redevelopment FSEIS, 1997
7 - Commercial Office Temporal Distribution Weekday: CEQR Technical Manual , 2001; Saturday Temporal Distribution: Coliseum Redevelopment FSEIS, 1997
8 - Destination Retail Temporal Distribution Weekday: Greenpoint-Williamsburg Rezoning FEIS 2005; Saturday Temporal Distribution: Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
Table 3
Estimated Peak Hour Vehicle-Trip Generation Characteristics
Sunset Marketplace - Brooklyn, New York
Estimated Modal Split Estimated Vehicle-Trip Generation
Size Weekday Saturday
Weekday AM Weekday PM
Land Use Auto Taxi Subway/ Railroad Bus Walk Total Midday Peak Midday Peak
Peak Hour Peak Hour
Hour Hour
(sq. ft.) AM/PM MD Sat. AM/PM MD Sat. AM/PM MD Sat. AM/PM MD Sat. AM/PM MD Sat. AM/PM MD Sat. Total In Out Total In Out Total In Out Total In Out
Light Industrial 2, 6, 10 460,000 31% 2% 31% 1% 1% 1% 44% 7% 43% 14% 7% 14% 10% 83% 10% 100% 100% 100% 219 193 26 17 9 8 236 28 208 30 14 16
Neighborhood Retail 1, 3, 7, 10 240,000 2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 2% 6% 6% 6% 6% 85% 87% 83% 100% 100% 100% 29 15 14 175 88 87 89 45 44 128 65 63
3, 8, 10
Commercial Office 420,000 31% 2% 31% 1% 1% 1% 44% 5% 43% 14% 7% 14% 10% 85% 10% 100% 100% 100% 220 211 9 25 10 15 255 13 242 14 9 5
Destination Retail 1, 5, 9, 10 345,000 32% 32% 40% 1% 1% 1% 43% 43% 43% 14% 14% 10% 10% 10% 6% 100% 100% 100% 96 48 48 573 302 271 448 236 212 972 501 471
TOTAL SIZE = 1,465,000 TOTAL NET NEW VEHICULAR TRIPS = 564 467 97 791 409 382 1,027 322 705 1,144 589 555
Footnotes:
1 - 25% pass-by and linked trip reduction for neighborhood and destination retail trips per CEQR Technical Manual , 2001
2 - Light Industrial Modal Split: AM, PM and Sat. Based on Reverse Journey to Work US Census 2000 (Census Tracts: 2, 101, 145); MD Based on Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
3 - Neighborhood Retail Modal Split: Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
4 - Commercial Office Modal Split: AM, PM and Sat. Based on Reverse Journey to work US Census 2000 (Census Tracts: 2, 101, 145); MD Based on Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
5 - Destination Retail Modal Split for Auto and Taxi: Queens Crossing Mixed Use Development EAS, 2004; Subway, Bus, and Walk: based on discussions with NYCDOT
6 - Light Industrial In/Out Split Percentage: AM (88/12), MD (50/50), PM (12/88), SAT (47/53) - Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
7 - Neighborhood Retail In/Out Split Percentage: AM (50/50), MD (50/50), PM (50/50), SAT (50/50) - Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
8 - Commercial Office In/Out Split Percentage: AM (96/4), MD (39/61), PM (5/95), SAT (60/40) - Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS
9 - Destination Retail In/Out Split Percentage: (50/50), MD (53/47), PM (53/47), SAT (52/48) - Queens Crossing Mixed Use Development EAS, 2004
10 - Vehicle Occupancy Rate Assumptions (Auto & Taxi): Light Industrial (1.30), Neighborhood Retail (2.0) from Brooklyn Piers 7-12 EIS; Office (1.30), Destination Retail (2.0) from Greenpoint Williamsburg FEIS
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
potential need for new traffic signals will be considered, particularly at the intersection of 31st Street
and 3rd Avenue – the proposed main pedestrian and vehicular entrance to the proposed project. These
and other possible measures will be identified, analyzed in terms of their potential to mitigate
identified significant adverse impacts of the proposed project, and reviewed with NYCDOT.
Parking
As noted in Section 2.5, the proposed project would include a significant amount of on-site parking to
help meet the project’s own parking demand. Preliminary “shared” parking assessments indicate that
because of differences in the peak parking periods for the project’s various uses (i.e., retail vs. office
and light industrial operations); the same parking space can be used by different groups at different
times of the day and week. Given the magnitude of the project’s parking demand and the importance
of adequate parking supply to the community and existing business, a detailed on- and off-street
parking analysis will be completed for the DEIS, as per CEQR guidelines. This would include a 2-day
(one Saturday and one weekday) off-street and on-street utilization analysis for an approximately
1,200 foot distance from the project site. Data to be collected for the on-street survey will include
parking regulations, legal parking supply, parking demand and utilization from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.,
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. The off-street survey will be performed during the
same hours and will record facility name, address, licensed capacity, and utilization for a nearby off-
street facility. The off-street parking survey will include a peak hour accumulation parking survey that
will be performed for off-street facilities.
Future conditions under the 2013 No-Build and Build alternatives will then be estimated; taking into
account other planned development projects and anticipated background growth. The parking
projections for the proposed project will be based on projected trip generation rates, accounting for
shared parking assessments of the various uses and temporal distributions throughout the day and
week. The potential for significant on- and off-street parking impacts of the proposed project, based
on impact guidelines in the CEQR Technical Manual, will then be assessed.
3.17 Transit and Pedestrians
The objective of a transit and pedestrian analysis is to determine whether or not a proposed action
would have a significant adverse impact on public transportation facilities and services and on
pedestrian flows. According to general thresholds used by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
specified in the CEQR Technical Manual, detailed transit and pedestrian analyses are required if the
proposed project is expected to result in more than 200 peak hour rail or bus transit riders. The
proposed project has the potential to result in more than 200 peak hour rail or bus transit riders. As
such, the EIS will include a detailed analysis for transit and pedestrian impacts as discussed below.
Transit
Public transit is convenient to the project site. The nearest subway station is the 36th Street subway
station located at Fourth Avenue. The major bus routes in the vicinity of the proposed project
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
include the B35, B37, and B70 routes. Future projections of transit users expected to be generated by
the proposed development will be obtained from the trip generation/modal split analyses to be
performed for this study.
It is projected that the proposed project would exceed the preliminary CEQR transit screening
thresholds (i.e. 200 or more transit riders generated in a peak hour). Therefore, the EIS will analyze
current loadings, service frequency, and utilization of subway and bus service identified in the project
study area. The analysis of two subway access stairways at the 36th Street subway station would be
included as part of the EIS. The counts will be performed at the same times as the traffic counts
(morning, mid-day, afternoon and Saturday peak periods). For buses, the analysis would examine
bus ridership levels at peak load points within the study area.
Potential impacts on current transit services will be determined based on the assignment of new transit
riders to bus and subway service generated by the proposed actions. Appropriate transit mitigation
measures will be developed, if necessary, based on potential impacts on transit services.
Pedestrians
As part of NYCEDC’s preliminary assessments of the potential impacts of redevelopment of the
project site, pedestrian counts and analyses were conducted for 30th Street/4th Avenue
intersection and 31st Street/3rd Avenue for sidewalk, street corners and crosswalks. Counts were
taken in morning, mid-day, afternoon and Saturday peak periods. Using HCM techniques, the
capacity of all four corners and crosswalks will be evaluated for existing, Future No-Build and
Build conditions. This subchapter will also include a safety assessment that will be based on the
accident database from NYC Department of Transportation, if warranted.
3.18 Air Quality
New York County is within a carbon monoxide (CO) maintenance area, and it is classified as
nonattainment (Severe-17) for the 1-hour ozone standard, nonattainment (Moderate) for the 8-hour
ozone standard, and nonattainment (Moderate) for inhalable particulates (PM10). Therefore, potential
increases in the emissions or concentrations of these pollutants may be a source of concern for the
project. As the proposed action would primarily increase the volume of passenger cars, CO is a
pollutant of concern. Emissions of the precursors for ozone (nitrogen dioxides and volatile organic
compounds) are not a source of concern for motor vehicles because the potential traffic air quality
impacts of the proposed action are limited to the surrounding blocks, and the project would not
significantly increase the volume of diesel-powered vehicles. However, emissions of nitrogen oxides
(NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) are a source of concern for the heating, venting and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems of existing and proposed buildings. Fine particulates have been shown
to be an irritant for those with compromised respiratory systems, especially children and senior
citizens. Because the project is in a PM10 nonattainment area, PM10 and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5)
from project-generated sources are an issue.
Air quality analyses would be carried out in accordance with the New York City CEQR
Technical Manual, as well as other relevant guidance and protocols provided by the New York
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) and U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). Pollutants of concern include (1) project-generated CO from motor vehicles, (2)
emissions of fine particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) from project generated diesel-powered vehicles,
(3) PM10, SO2, and NOx from fuel combustion for boilers associated with the proposed action,
and (4) project generated CO, PM10, and PM2.5 from parking facilities, trucks, and employee
vehicles. If appropriate, available environmental studies for other projects within the study area
would be reviewed.
Mobile Sources
A screening analysis to determine whether microscale intersection modeling of CO or
PM10/PM2.5 will be conducted for mobile sources generated by the proposed project. For this
area of New York City, the screening analysis threshold for CO would be a project-generated
increment of 100 vehicles through an intersection during any peak-hour period. For PM2.5, the
screening threshold is 21 diesel-powered vehicles as per NYCDEP guidelines.
As the number of project-generated vehicles is projected to exceed the CEQR 100-vehicle
criterion, modeling of CO impacts using MOBILE6.2 emission factors and the CAL3QHC
dispersion model would be carried out. CO concentrations would be modeled for up to three
worst-case intersections in the project study area for one worst-case peak period. The parameters
to use with MOBILE6.2 would comply with the most recent protocols provided by the NYC
Department of Environmental Protection. The results of the modeling would be compared with
both the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the NYC de minimis standards.
Due to the light industrial use proposed as part of the project, PM10 and PM2.5 from diesel
vehicles may require modeling. If warranted by the results of the traffic study for the proposed
project, up to three worst-case intersections for diesel vehicles would be selected for modeling of
PM10 and PM2.5. Intersection modeling of PM10 or PM2.5, if required, typically uses the more
refined CAL3QHCR model and 5 years of meteorological data. Emission factors would be
obtained from MOBILE6.2.
Parking Facilities
If appropriate, new parking facilities would be analyzed according the guidelines in the NYC
CEQR Technical Manual Appendices. Vehicles would be divided into autos and SUVs according
to information from the traffic study. Emission factors for autos and SUVs would be obtained
from MOBILE6.2. Analyses would be based on the worst-case peak period for parking facilities,
which is typically the hour that has the highest number of exiting vehicles. Exiting vehicles,
which are in cold-start mode, have higher emissions of CO than arriving vehicles. If multiple
parking facilities are planned, one or two parking facilities that are considered worst-case due to
their size or location would be analyzed for CO. If substantial parking is planned for trucks or
vans, the parking lot analysis would address PM2.5 and PM10. Pollutant concentrations due to
parking facilities must show compliance with the NAAQS as well as the NYC de minimis
standards. Line source CO from passing traffic in front of the parking facility also may be
included in the analysis, if warranted.
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
Stationary Sources
No quantitative analysis of boiler impacts under Future No-Action Conditions is anticipated as
Future No-Action Conditions would be similar to current conditions. For the proposed project,
potential adverse effects from proposed development on surrounding land uses may occur due to
fuel combustion for heating and hot water. Analyses would include the effects of existing land
uses on the proposed action, the proposed action’s impacts on existing developments, and, if
warranted, project-on-project impacts (i.e., impacts to the project from its own emission
sources). Impacts are a function of fuel type, stack height, minimum distance from the source to
the nearest building of similar or greater height, and square footage of the proposed
development. A stationary source screening analysis will be conducted as per CEQR Technical
Manual guidelines. For Future Action Conditions, potential stack heights and development size
using #6 fuel oil (as a worst case) would first be plotted on the appropriate graph(s) for NO2 in
the CEQR Technical Manual Appendices. These graphs indicate the minimum distance between
emission stacks and buildings of a similar or greater height in order to avoid a potential
significant impact. If the development passes this screening analysis, then no impacts from fuel
combustion type are likely.
The results of the initial screening analysis may indicate that a more detailed analysis is
warranted. If more detailed modeling is warranted, then modeling with SCREEN3 or AERMOD
would be included as part of this chapter of the EIS. The concentrations would be added to
background concentrations and compared with the NAAQS. Fuel consumption factors would be
obtained from the NYC CEQR Technical Manual and EPA sources such as the Compilation of
Air Pollutant Emission Factors (AP-42). Estimates of the percentage of sulfur in the fuel would
be obtained from the CEQR Technical Manual. Where appropriate, information from similar
permitted boiler sources would be included.
3.19 Noise
Sources of concern for noise include the effects of noise from mobile and stationary sources on future
residential units. This may include manufacturing/industrial sources, rail noise, and noise from at-
grade and elevated roadways.
Because the sound pressure level (SPL) that humans experience typically varies from moment to
moment, a variety of descriptors are used to evaluate environmental noise levels over time. Some
typical descriptors are defined below:
• Leq is the continuous equivalent sound level. The sound energy from the fluctuating
sound pressure levels is averaged over time to create a single number to describe
the mean energy or intensity level. High noise levels during a monitoring period
will have greater effect on the Leq than low noise levels. The Leq has an advantage
over other descriptors because Leq values from different noise sources can be added
and subtracted to determine cumulative noise levels.
• Lmax is the highest SPL measured during a given period of time. It is useful in
evaluating Leqs for time periods that have an especially wide range of noise levels.
• Lmin is the lowest SPL measured during a given period of time.
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
• L10 is the SPL exceeded 10% of the time. Similar descriptors are the L50, L01, and
L90.
Passenger Car Equivalents (PCEs) are the number of autos that would generate the same noise
level as the observed vehicular mix of autos, medium trucks, and heavy trucks. PCEs are useful
for comparing the effects of traffic noise on different roadways or for different future scenarios.
Based on the NYC CEQR Technical Manual, PCEs would be calculated as follows:
• autos and light trucks = 1 passenger car
• medium trucks = 13 passenger cars
• buses = 18 passenger cars.
• heavy trucks = 47 passenger cars, and
A site survey would be carried out to identify noise sources and to generally determine worst-
case periods for noise in the vicinity of the development site. Existing noise levels would be
monitored during both peak and off-peak periods using standard field procedures. The noise
analysis would be carried out according the techniques and procedures in the NYC CEQR
Technical Manual and will include the following analytical steps:
• Select receptor locations for noise monitoring based on increases in passenger car
equivalents (PCEs) or sensitivity to industrial noise.
• Monitor existing noise levels at the receptor sites identified above for one worst-
case peak period and one off-peak period during the day. Both auto and truck traffic
peaks will be considered in selecting the monitoring periods.
• Project future noise levels without and with the proposed action using PCEs.
• Compare noise levels with standards, guidelines, and other impact evaluation
criteria.
• Assess potential impacts, if any, due to noise from proposed industrial sources.
• Recommend mitigation measures, if necessary, to attain acceptable interior noise
levels and to reduce noise impacts to acceptable levels will be made.
Typically, noise monitoring includes A-weighted sound levels, and the L10 and Leq are used to
characterize the existing noise levels and impact thresholds. Allowable increases in noise would
range from 3 to 5 dBA, depending on the noise levels projected for No Action Conditions. Future
noise from traffic can be calculated by converting traffic into PCEs for No Action and Action
Conditions, then using logarithmic calculations to compare the PCEs. If appropriate, mitigation
measures would be recommended in this chapter of the EIS.
3.20 Construction Impacts
The EIS will assess the potential for significant adverse impacts from construction related to the
proposed project. Construction is expected be completed in 2013. Typical construction equipment
27
Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
expected to be used includes, but is not limited to the following machinery: pile drivers, dump trucks,
backhoes, cranes, pavers, and concrete mixers and pumps.
Typically, construction impacts from a project of the scale the proposed project would be related to air
quality, traffic and noise. The EIS will review diesel emissions of trucks and construction equipment
on site, as well as potential increases in emissions from adjacent roadways. Locations where dust
from demolition that might be a problem will be identified, along with methods for controlling
fugitive dust problems. The EIS will also address the potential for noise and traffic impacts related to
the proposed project.
3.21 Public Health
A CEQR assessment of public health considers the effects of a proposed action on the health of the
local community and the City as a whole. Many public health concerns are closely related to air
quality, hazardous materials, construction and natural resources (water quality). The EIS for the
proposed project will assess the potential for the development to have significant adverse impacts on
the public health of the community involved and/or the City as a whole. The EIS will assess whether
the proposed actions will create a substantial increase in particulate matter or other elements that
would put the public at risk.
3.22 Summary Chapters
Environmental Impact Statements include a number of summary chapters, as appropriate. These
include:
• Unavoidable adverse impacts - This chapter of the EIS will summarize and describe from
the previous chapters those adverse impacts, if any, that cannot be avoided or mitigated if
the proposed actions are implemented;
• Mitigation Measures - This chapter of the EIS will summarize and describe from the
previous chapters those mitigation measures, if any, proposed to be implemented to offset
any avoidable adverse impacts;
• Irretrievable Commitments of Resources - This chapter of the EIS will discuss those
resources that will be committed (irretrievable) by the proposed actions, including land
and materials; and
• Growth Inducing Aspects - This chapter of the EIS will describe the potential growth
inducing aspects related to the proposed actions, most likely to include additional use of
local retail and other businesses by the introduction of new workers that the proposed
actions would create.
The EIS will examine these sections and how they relate to the proposed project.
3.23 Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Under CEQR, a certifiable DEIS must demonstrate that all reasonable efforts have been made to avoid
adverse environmental impacts. This requires that reasonable and plausible alternatives to the
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Sunset Marketplace EIS
Draft Scope of Work
proposed action have been explored to determine if the goals of the proposed action could have been
achieved with fewer negative effects on the environment. Specific alternatives have not been
identified at this time, but it is assumed that the EIS will include an analysis of the following
alternatives:
• No-Action Alternative - The No-Action Alternative assumes no development will take place
on the project site and existing conditions will remain the same.
• No-Impact Alternative – The No-Impact alternative assumes that the project site will be
developed in such a way as to avoid the potential for significant impacts and the need for
mitigation measures.
• Supportive Homeless Housing Alternative - The northwest portion of the Sunset Marketplace
project site currently contains a vacant one-story building that is referred to as the GSA motor
pool site (“Motor Pool Parcel”). The Motor Pool Parcel is currently undergoing a separate
disposition for the proposed development of approximately 200 units of supportive housing
for the homeless in an 11-story building. This proposal has received preliminary approval
from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This alternative assumes
that the supportive housing would be developed. This would require that:
o the Federal government retain title to the parcel and contract with the non-
governmental entity that would develop the housing to be able to override the local
zoning; or
o the parcel is disposed to the non-governmental entity, which would then require
additional City approvals, which may include a rezoning and/or other actions, to
construct a residential facility in a manufacturing zone and Industrial Business Zone.
This alternative will describe and discuss actions required to implement either of the above scenarios
and prepare an analysis of the environmental effects for the proposed actions of each scenario.
The specific details of the alternatives to be analyzed will be finalized with the lead agency as
project impacts become clarified. The alternatives analysis is primarily qualitative, except where
specific significant impacts have been identified. The qualitative analysis would be of sufficient
detail to allow comparisons of associated impacts and attainment of project goals and objectives.
For the technical chapters of the EIS where impacts have been identified, the alternatives
analysis will determine whether these impacts would still occur under each alternative.
29
