כ״ח אב ה׳תשפ״ו | August 11, 2026
13-Story Project Raises Questions About Crown Heights Housing
A major new development planned at the corner of Troy Avenue and East New York Avenue is raising concerns among Crown Heights residents about the direction of development in the neighborhood.
A major new development planned at the corner of Troy Avenue and East New York Avenue is raising concerns among Crown Heights residents about the direction of development in the neighborhood.
Permits have been filed for a 13-story, 94-unit mixed-use building at 767 East New York Avenue, with Yonah Grunhut of Grun Group LLC listed as the developer. The project would replace the former 770 Auto, a longtime car repair and maintenance shop, with a building that will dramatically change the site and surrounding streetscape.
The proposed apartments will average approximately 561 square feet.
That number has caught the attention of local residents, particularly in a neighborhood where many families are looking for larger, family-sized apartments. Critics question whether another development dominated by smaller units will do much to address the housing needs of Crown Heights families.
Community members also say the property was sold by a Lubavitch resident who owns the neighboring ODA building to a Satmar developer from Williamsburg, and that unused development rights from the neighboring property were included in the transaction.
The development is fueling a broader conversation about whether Crown Heights is getting the kind of housing it actually needs.
Residents point to Williamsburg and ask why projects of this scale and nature appear to face a different level of community scrutiny there. Why is Crown Heights so willing to accept development that may add density without providing the family-sized housing the neighborhood needs?
There is nothing wrong with development or new housing. The issue is what is being built, who it serves and whether the existing community benefits.
A 13-story building with 94 small apartments may increase the number of housing units, but that does not automatically mean it will make housing more accessible to the families who already live in Crown Heights.
As development continues to reshape the neighborhood, residents are increasingly asking whether Crown Heights is planning its future—or simply allowing developers to determine it.
The question is no longer whether Crown Heights will grow. The question is what kind of neighborhood that growth will leave behind.
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COMMENTS
The purpose of this project is to make the maximum amount of money possible that is any real estate project there are zoning laws and if he does need to get those laws adjusted people in Crown Heights have a right speak up rest assured that if he does go ahead and do larger Apartments I won’t be at the prices that you want this is a for-profit entity the only way to fix this is by addressing the zoning but that doesn’t mean you’re getting apartments at the price bracket that you want they don’t call Crown Heights people entitled for no reason it’s not our property we don’t own it. A developer doesnt owe you housesvat the prices that u want
A lubavitcher with a property in the community should ask himself if he cares about the community he is in before selling it.
Boruch Hashem most Anash won’t sell their soul for money and they will rent or sell to a Yid even if it means less profit. Money comes from Hashem and when you do what’s right (תמכרו ממכר לעמיתך), Hashem pays you back.