Diocese of Brooklyn Files Plans for 99-Unit Apartment Building in Coney Island

A new residential development might go up on a Catholic Church-owned site in Brooklyn’s Coney Island.

Robert Dadona from Rocklyn Asset Corporation, the real estate arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn, has filed plans to build a 13-story, 99-unit apartment building at 2978 Ocean Parkway, which is currently home to the Guardian Angel Roman Catholic Church, according to a Wednesday filing with the New York City Department of Buildings.

The proposed 154,188-square-foot building would include 18,164 square feet of space for community facility and daycare purposes, as well as 80 parking spots, the filing shows.

If approved, the residential project near Brighton Beach would be built on a vacant lot adjacent to the church. The project would be developed by Daniel Grinshteyn‘s BWH Group and Alex Vaynshteyn, who are currently in contract to buy the adjacent parcel of land from the diocese for $17 million, PincusCo reported.

Newmark‘s Daniel O’Brien, Frank Liantonio, Caroline Hodes and Loren Valla are marketing the property.

Spokespeople for Newmark and the diocese did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Spokespeople for the developers and Yuriy Menzak, the architect listed on the project, could not be reached for comment. Crain’s New York Business first reported the news.

The Guardian Angel church was constructed around 1900 after being founded by Bishop John Loughlin in 1880, according to the church’s website. It has undergone several renovations since its completion, receiving new organs, chandeliers and altars.

News of the project comes amid a popular trend of developers turning parish-owned properties into housing.

Just last week, Brooklyn-based developer Candor Capital submitted an application to build a 12-story, 99-unit residential building at 331 Maple Street in Brooklyn’s Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, as Commercial Observer previously reported.

And, in May, Rivington Company filed plans to convert the former church building at 53 Catherine Street in Lower Manhattan’s Two Bridges neighborhood into 38 housing units and 8,491 square feet of retail space, CO reported.

UPDATE: This article was updated to reflect that Daniel Grinshteyn and Alex Vaynshteyn are the developers working on the project.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.