Residents who were furious over the Berkeley Carroll School’s expansion plans when they were first presented in July have now come away pleased—for the most part.

For the past several months, a coalition of residents fought the proposed project at the Park Slope school, located at 181 Lincoln Place between 7th and 8th avenues.

In a complete 180-degree turn, residents of neighboring brownstones along St. John’s Place presented a statement to Community Board 6 at the board's January 13th meeting calling the plans “a reasonable compromise between the school and its neighbors,” and urging CB6 to approve the expansion.

CB6 approved the landmarks portion of the project. (The land use component did not require approval, as it was an “as of right” expansion designed to comply with existing zoning).

“It’s not a land use issue, it’s a landmarks issue,” said Community Board chair Richard Bashner, who clarified he was speaking as a resident and a parent of children who attend the school.

Originally, the plans called for the demolition of the backyards and gardens of abutting brownstones on St. John’s Place and the construction of a controversial rooftop playground.

But the revised plans have come a long way in the eyes of residents who reversed course on the project. The approved expansion will no longer affect the gardens, and will leave intact a wall that will diminish construction impacts on neighboring properties.

The proposed rooftop playground will be 15 feet farther from neighboring windows and enclosed with a fence made of matching materials to the current Berkeley Carroll structures.

“It’s remarkable how many changes they’ve made in only three months, motivated in part by the desire to be a good neighbor,” said Bashner. “I would like to personally commend the Berkeley Carroll team on what I think has been a tremendous improvement to their plans. We don’t often see that level of commitment from institutions in our neighborhood who are building.”

The majority of CB6 members voted to approve the alterations, although not without some dissent.

“I don’t care for the obstructed views that Lincoln place would have to face,” said one board member, Derrick Vito.

Various organizations, including the Brownstone Revival Coalition of New York and the Historic Districts Council, echoed the sentiment in written statements to CB6 asking it to reject the proposal.

“Expansion is not new to Berkeley Carroll,” wrote the St. John’s Place Block Association. “Where and when will it end? Why not here and now?”

Residents of 209 Lincoln Place, another neighboring property, expressed continued concern as well. They currently have views of the school’s courtyard and play area, but once the expansion is finished, they say the view will be obstructed by a 20-foot wall.

Bashner said little could be done to accommodate them.

“For the 209 Lincoln neighbors, I can understand and I can be very sympathetic,” said Bashner, “but the merits of this project far outweigh that particular disadvantage.”