Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex could become 600+ apartments
Renderings courtesy of CIM Group
Brooklyn Heights’ iconic Watchtower Building, the longtime world headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, may soon be transformed into a waterfront development with hundreds of homes. Developer CIM Group is proposing a mixed-use redevelopment at 25-30 Columbia Heights that would include 661 apartments, some of them affordable, along with 113,000 square feet of commercial space. The project is expected to enter the city’s uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). CIM presented the plan to Brooklyn Community Board 2 last June before filing a land-use application in December, according to city records.
The sprawling waterfront complex consists of five interconnected office and warehouse buildings—two dating to the 1920s and three smaller structures from the 19th century. Each building features distinctive architectural elements, including sky bridges, terraces, roof decks, and other historic details, according to Brownstoner.
Originally constructed as part of the former Squibb pharmaceutical complex, the properties were purchased by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1969 and became known as the Watchtower buildings. The complex featured several “Watchtower” signs, including a brightly lit red one that was removed and replaced with a “welcome” sign in 2017.
In 2016, ahead of their relocation to Warwick, New York, the Jehovah’s Witnesses sold the property for $340 million to CIM, Kushner Companies, and LIVWRK. The development team initially proposed a retail and office redevelopment called Panorama, but LIVWRK and Kushner withdrew from the project in 2018, and the plan fell through.
Now the sole remaining partner from the original proposal, CIM has tapped acclaimed architectural firm Morris Adjmi Architects to redevelop the site as a mixed-use complex with a residential component.
According to CityRealty, CIM plans to expand the 12-story 25 Columbia Heights building to 17 stories, converting the ground floor into 14,850 square feet of commercial and community facility space, with 392 residential units above.
The 13-story 30 Columbia Heights would rise to 14 stories, offering 269 apartments along with commercial or facility space and residential parking. About 25 percent of the units in each building would be designated affordable.
Both buildings currently sit vacant, according to the Department of City Planning’s (DCP) assessment of the proposal, as reported by Brownstoner. If approved, the rezoning would add a net 1,446 residents while reducing the workforce by 1,752 by 2029.
The property represents a prime development opportunity amid the city’s ongoing housing shortage and the broader trend of office-to-residential conversions. Local Council Member Lincoln Restler told Gothamist that he wants “to see empty buildings activated,” noting that the site has “essentially sat vacant for six or seven years” during a citywide housing crisis.
David Wellspring, vice president of development at CIM, added in a statement that the company plans to transform the site from “largely vacant former industrial buildings into a thoughtful mixed-use residential community, including much-needed permanently affordable housing” near the Brooklyn waterfront, according to Gothamist.
On Thursday, City Planning will host a virtual public scoping meeting, giving residents a chance to weigh in on the proposal. Written comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. on March 23.
After the meeting and the release of the final environmental impact statement, ULURP will officially begin. The process includes review by Community Board 2, the Brooklyn Borough President, and the City Planning Commission, and concludes with a hearing and vote by the City Council.
If the ULURP proceeds as expected, construction could begin in early 2027, with completion projected for 2029, according to CityRealty.
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these affordable housing needs to start with 30,40,60 etc AMI also truly affordable for our seniors from 1 bedroom apartments and up, get rid of these shoe box studio