Ron Shiffman of Pratt Institute wrote the following email to urge preservation-minded citizens to sign the online petition to save the 1911 Ward’s Bakery from Bruce Ratner’s bulldozers:

Despite what you might have read, the fight to stop and revise Forest City Ratner’s proposals for the Vanderbilt Yards (Atlantic Yards) is far from over. A number of lawsuits have yet to be decided. The federal lawsuit will be heard by the Judge, and a decision of whether it will stay in federal court or shift to the state court will be made next month. Other cases will be filed as well. Let’s ask our elected officials to do the responsible thing for a change, and keep FCR from further harming our community by demolishing these beautiful & significant buildings. If it can happen here, it can happen in your neighborhood next. Downtown Brooklyn today, Manhattanville tomorrow, & who knows where the day after. HELP Stop the demolition, & then get engaged! Let’s unite in solidarity.

Even if you’re one of those people who can’t help writing in D-O-N-E-D-E-A-L in the comments of any post about Atlantic Yards, it’s hard to argue with the fact that saving this building for “adaptive reuse” (as they call it in the preservation biz) is a no-brainer. It would also be a great p.r. move for Bruce to pretend he has some grasp of what’s wonderful about old Brooklyn.
Stop Demolition of Ward’s Bakery [Petition Online]
Photo by Tracy Collins