GREENPOINT — A major developer wants to build market-rate and affordable housing in two separate buildings, and Greenpointers are slamming it as classist.

At a Brooklyn Community Board 1 meeting on June 9, a spat erupted after a development team from TF Cornerstone presented plans for a project on a vacant East River lot to build two residential towers — a 792-unit market-rate building at 10 Noble Street, and a 267-unit 100% affordable housing building at 2 Oak Street with a live-in superin- tendent and provided social ser- vices.

The project, developers argued, would provide much-needed af- fordable housing and community benefits like publicly accessible waterfront and retail space with- out having to pursue a complicated rezoning. But Community Board 1 members, with debates over nearby affordable developments housed in separate buildings instead of inter- spersed with market-rate fresh in mind, slammed the development team and expressed outrage that such a proposal is even being con- sidered.

“This community worked so hard to get a change of policy, so that in this district affordable units are integrated with the market rate and people who live in the afford- able units get access to the same amenities, so that they’re not treat- ed differently,” said CB1 Second Vice Chair Del Teague.

“SoallIcansayis,ifthisis where the city is going…my heart’s broken.”

Board members drew compari- sons to nearby developments with separated affordable units, like West Wharf, where rent-regulated tenants have described squalid con- ditions and neglect.

“Across the street, at West Wharf, the segregated tenants have been living in horrible conditions,” said CB1 Land Use Committee Co- Chair Stephen Chesler. “I’ve had contact with some of these resi- dents, and they are still experienc- ing some of those problems, and it just adds insult to injury, the segregation.”

Unlike a rezoning — which would require a lengthy public review process — TF Cornerstone seeks to build “as of right,” meaning in accordance with existing zoning rules. The developers are applying a universal affordability preference, or UAP, to the project, which allows them to build 20% more housing in medium-and high-density residen- tial districts if the additional homes are permanently affordable.

TF Cornerstone, for its part, as- sured the Board that they would manage both buildings responsibly.

“We are considered to be one of the best landlords in the city,” said TF Cornerstone Senior Vice President Jon McMillan. “We never sell anything, we keep it forever, we manage it forever, so we build it very well, and it’s our own man- agement that will be living in the building, so I can promise you it will be very well constructed and managed.”

In a statement to the Brooklyn Star, a TF Cornerstone spokesper- son — via PR firm Berlin Rosen — added that separating the buildings makes financial sense and allows the developer to maximize housing units.

“Breaking the project into small- er components helps us bring more housing to Greenpoint by making the development easier to finance and operate,” they wrote. “Organizing the development into smaller buildings allows us to deliver a higher level of management and customized service, maintaining the quality standards that define our portfolio.”

At the June 9 board meeting, however, Greenpoint City Councilmember Lincoln Restler was skeptical of the proposal.

”I think there are some good things about this project,” the councilmember said.. “I don’t like this segregated hous- ing, and I do think we should look at what we can do about that mov- ing forward.”

“It’s morally and ethically of- fensive that they’re allowed to do this purely for financial gain,” added Chesler in an interview. “They could do the right thing, they would still be incredibly lucrative apartments if they were mixed.”