Protestors are rallying in Crown Heights against the controversial Bedford Union Armory Project ahead of next month’s public hearing.
They are demanding the city go back to the drawing board and scrap the current plan.
In 2015, the city announced it wanted to turn the 1903 building into a mixed-use complex called Bedford Courts, featuring 300 units, some of them affordable.
Critics say that is not enough and they are afraid of they'll be pushed out of the neighborhood.
"Crown Heights, in this section, is a densely populated neighborhood, largely comprised of apartment buildings, some coops, but we have a high component to our residents here," said one protester. "This will only drive further the unaffordability and embolden property owners to do displacements and force people out."
"We don’t want this place sold; we don’t need housing. We don’t need it. We need a community based place right here," said another.
The developer defends the project, saying in a statement that 50-percent of the apartments will be affordable housing and the space will also include a recreation center and low cost office space.
The first public review hearing is set for March 7.