While several brownstone neighborhoods have completed or are close to completing rezonings to better balance the often-conflicting interests of development and preservation, much of Victorian Flatbush has been left at risk. While a small portion at the southern end of Victorian Flatbush (known as Midwood) has already been rezoned, the larger area to the north of Avenue H has been left flapping in the wind. Because of the number unusually large lots and the development-friendly R-6 zoning, the area is particularly at risk of being taken over by McMansions and Multi-family Fedders buildings. (For example, check out the Fedders sandwich above: 345 Stratford Road, 1101 Cortelyou Road and 1105 Cortelyou Road.) City Planning is taking the matter under consideration but at a bureaucrat’s pace. We are committed to doing a study, said DCP’s Winston von Engel. What this means in terms of timing, in The Courier’s estimation, is that it would be a year in the best case scenario. You can get a lot of foundations in the ground in that time. We’d love to hear from readers who have been active in pushing for this rezoning, particularly about what DCP has been like to work with.
Race to save Victorian Flatbush [Courier]
Photo by Flatbush Gardener