Edited by: TJVNews.com

New York City’s relentless vertical growth continues apace, with a striking new proposal unveiled for 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension, a mixed-use residential development that could dramatically alter the Downtown Brooklyn skyline. As first reported by YIMBY.com, the towering 80-story project, rising to 840 feet, is being spearheaded by TenBerke Architects, in collaboration with developers Rabina and Park Tower Group, and in partnership with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD).

If realized, the tower would rank as Brooklyn’s second tallest building, trailing only the 1,066-foot Brooklyn Tower. This ambitious vision blends ultra-modern design with strategic adaptive reuse, making it a defining statement of urban regeneration and housing development in the borough.

According to the information provided by YIMBY.com, the tower’s base will repurpose a mid-century, seven-story structure currently on site, transforming it into a podium with 66,000 square feet of retail across the first two floors and office space on levels three and four. This respectful nod to the existing structure underscores the project’s commitment to sustainability through adaptive reuse, while still embracing bold architectural expression above.

A landscaped amenity deck will cap the podium, providing green communal space for residents. From there, the skyscraper will ascend with an L-shaped massing, marked by staggered setbacks and dramatic cantilevers. As YIMBY.com reported, the tower will feature red brick-framed, floor-to-ceiling windows arranged in a geometric grid pattern, blending a classic New York material palette with the clarity of modern glass curtain walls. The three western-facing cantilevers and the angled setback on the southern elevation give the tower a dynamic silhouette that shifts depending on the viewer’s perspective.

Renderings also show a cutout at the northwest corner of the podium, exposing rooftop greenery to pedestrians and inviting visual engagement from the street level. The primary entrance will sit beneath this opening, tucked into a recessed diagonal wall that adds depth and architectural intrigue to the building’s base.

The proposed tower would deliver 1,263 rental units, making it one of the most significant residential injections in the borough in years. According to data published by YIMBY.com, 20 to 30 percent of the apartments will be designated as affordable housing, aligned with HPD’s citywide affordability initiatives. This equates to between 253 and 379 affordable units, potentially serving households earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which currently stands around $155,300 for a family of four.

This affordability commitment could have transformative effects on Downtown Brooklyn, which has seen escalating rents and mounting concerns over gentrification and displacement. By including a substantial percentage of below-market-rate apartments, the developers hope to create a more inclusive urban core while maximizing density near mass transit.

As the report at YIMBY.com highlighted, the developers are working closely with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to integrate a new subway entrance to the DeKalb Avenue station, located at the northwest corner of the property. This direct subway access to the B, Q, and R lines enhances transit connectivity and aligns with New York City’s transit-oriented development goals.

The project will also introduce a 4,750-square-foot public plaza, providing badly needed green space and pedestrian-friendly design elements. This plaza, concentrated at the southern tip of the lot, will feature seating, landscaping, and pedestrian pathways. As per the YIMBY.com report, this is intended not just as a benefit for residents, but also for neighborhood visitors and workers in nearby office buildings.

Currently, the 1.2-acre site—bounded by DeKalb Avenue, Fulton Street, Hudson Avenue, and Flatbush Avenue Extension—is zoned exclusively for commercial use. Rezoning is necessary to permit the residential tower, and the city has scheduled a public hearing for later this spring.

The developers intend to apply for the 485-x property tax abatement, the successor to the now-defunct 421-a program, which incentivizes affordable housing and mandates prevailing wages for construction workers. This aligns with Mayor Eric Adams’ broader “City of Yes” zoning reform agenda, which champions higher residential density, affordability, and modernization of outdated zoning frameworks.

As the report at YIMBY.com pointed out, the proposed tower will carry a floor area ratio (FAR) of 21.8, significantly surpassing the previous cap of 12 FAR, which was recently lifted under new city housing mandates. The development is a test case for how city planners and private developers can push the limits of height and density in responsible, community-integrated ways.

If approved, 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension could become a new benchmark in high-rise housing that balances vertical ambition with neighborhood context and affordability.

More than just a skyscraper, this project represents a critical experiment in 21st-century urbanism: a fusion of market-rate development, architectural innovation, transit integration, and housing equity.