A controversial proposal to build a series of apartment towers near Brooklyn Botanic Garden will not receive the approval of the City Planning Commission, reports Brooklyn Paper.

Continuum Company, the developer behind the mixed-use project at 960 Franklin Avenue, has proposed the construction of two 34-story buildings one block east of the horticultural museum.  Plans call for a maximum of 1,578 rental units, with up to 789 apartments set aside as affordable housing.

The height of the proposed buildings and the shadows that they are expected to create have underpinned the opposition to the project. A report by the Municipal Art Society recently indicated that the project would reduce shade portions of the botanic garden for more than three hours per day in June, and between one and two hours in March.  Shadows would also reach the nearby Jackie Robinson Playground and the Medgar Evers College campus.

Brooklyn Paper reports that Continuum has also proposed a 17-story alternative to the larger design, which was not reviewed by the Planning Commission.

While the denial by the City Planning Commission is not a death knell for the current plan at 960 Franklin Avenue, it sets the stage for a potential rejection when the project reaches the City Council.  Mayor Bill de Blasio has already voiced opposition to the towers. 

If the current plan is ultimately rejected, Continuum has announced its intent to develop the property with an as-of-right project with over 500 market-rate condominiums.