Bushwick’s 132-136 Melrose Street rezoning reaches Brooklyn review

A Bushwick land-use proposal centered on 132-136 Melrose Street has moved deeper into Brooklyn’s public review process, but it is not approved. The project came before the Brooklyn Borough President’s ULURP hearing stage on June 10 and would change the site from light-manufacturing zoning to a mixed-use district.

According to the city filing, Melrose Towers Corp. is seeking a zoning map amendment from M1-1 to R6A/M1-2A and a zoning text amendment that would map the site as MX-22. The application would allow a six-story mixed-use building with 18 apartments, including five MIH affordable units, plus about 6,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. City planning materials show the proposal was certified on March 16 before reaching borough-level review.

Why the Melrose Street plan is drawing attention

Community Board 4’s April minutes show that the debate is not just about adding housing. Residents and board members raised concerns about the loss of manufacturing space, truck traffic, parking, and whether the affordability component is strong enough for the zoning change being requested.

That tension is familiar in Bushwick, where land once used for industrial activity often sits in areas now under pressure for housing and neighborhood-serving retail. Supporters of the proposal can point to new apartments and a commercial use on the ground floor. Critics worry that another manufacturing site will be converted away from jobs and production uses that still matter in the district.

What happens next

The June 10 hearing was one step in ULURP, not the finish line. The proposal is still moving through review, and further action would depend on the rest of the land-use process. For neighbors on and around Melrose Street, the key question is whether this version of redevelopment adds enough housing to justify reducing industrial zoning on the block.

That tradeoff is now in public view, and it is likely to stay there as the proposal advances.

Sources

• City Record notice for the Brooklyn Borough President ULURP hearing
• NYC Department of City Planning review sessions agenda
• Brooklyn Community Board 4 April 2026 minutes