New Bed-Stuy Historic District in the Offing
Last week the Landmarks Preservation Commission calendered a proposal to designate two half-block cul-de-sacs in Bedford Stuyvesant a historic district. The Alice and Agate Courts Historic District would consist of 36 Queen Anne rowhouses built in the late 19th century. The houses were designed by Walter M. Coots, whose work still stands in Cobble Hill,…
Last week the Landmarks Preservation Commission calendered a proposal to designate two half-block cul-de-sacs in Bedford Stuyvesant a historic district. The Alice and Agate Courts Historic District would consist of 36 Queen Anne rowhouses built in the late 19th century. The houses were designed by Walter M. Coots, whose work still stands in Cobble Hill, Bushwick, East New York, Crown Heights North and Park Slope. All the residences were built at the behest of industrialist Florian Grosjean. The LPC has this to say about the proposed district: “To a large extent, the rows retain their original appearance and much of their original material. Situated just north of the busy thoroughfare of Atlantic Avenue, these Queen Anne style houses form a quiet enclave on two cul-de-sacs and represent small-scale residential development of late-nineteenth century Bedford-Stuyvesant.” Click through for a map. GMAP
All images provided by the LPC.
The landmaking of Agate and Alice court was an intitative brought about by the residents of the two blocks. The residents of those block raised thousand of dollars, took picture of every house on the block, research the area and submitted a Request for Evaluation to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The spend months working with the community, Community Board 3 and other to get the blocks landmarked.
To the guest who wrote:
“MM, landmarking these neighborhoods will doom these houses rather than save them. These are the poorest of the poor who will simply not bother to do repairs if restrictions and added fees are placed on how they do them. I’ve talked to people in these areas and prospect heights about this. They will let the properties rot before they pay extra. Just look at yesterday’s article on what people will let happen to their property.”
Don’t Make Assumptions.
Forgot to mention anyone interested in what an LPC report has it in should go to their website and pull up one of the recent designations. They are very thorough, meticulous and full of architectural jargon, and historic information.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/home/home.shtml
Montrose Morris
Landmarking a large area takes years. Years! The LPC is literally swamped with neighborhoods all over the city that want to be landmarked, and landmarked soon. They are woefully understaffed and overworked. Landmarking takes an awful lot of research by trained people with architectural backgrounds, as well as field researchers to go out and document each and every building in a proposed district. And that’s before calendering. If I had known about this 25 years ago, I would have applied to work there, it sounds like a fascinating career to be young and underpaid in.
Anyone wanting their area landmarked needs to lauch a campaign with an organization, (start one, if need be), local politicians must be brought on board, and it helps to do a lot of the preliminary legwork, like photos, yourself. It is also very important to make sure the community wants it, so meetings and grass roots community work is crucial. Then you get it all to the LPC, get your electeds to follow up, and stand in line, there’s a whole city in front of you.
Good luck to Bedford Corners, and anywhere else.
Two beautiful blocks worthy of landmark status. Attention by the City can now be given to these two blocks (the Landmarks Commission should spearhead this assistance)to get trees planted, tree pit guard rails installed compliments of BP Marty Markowitz’s Neigborhood Beautification Program, get the NYC Dept. of Tranportation to look at how to mitigate the particular transportation issues these blocks experience b/c they’re next to busy Atlantic Ave. & the LIRR.
Next focus for the Landmarks Commission must be Bedford Corners – Macon, Halsey, Hancock, Jefferson, Putnam – bounded by Marcy & Bedford Avenues – We need the City’s attention & resources to support the efforts already underway by owners & renters who are preserving, improving & beautifying these wonderful blocks full of history & architectual character – the Gems of this City – Bed Stuy is alive & well.
5:28, isn’t that what your clone said 10 years ago about fort greene, etc?
1:09 “In a few years, these streets will be filled with flower boxes, designer strollers, fancy ironwork, and rich newcomers.”
These are pretty little blocks, but that ain’t
going to happen. A block from Albany? Get real.
2:44…same reason I wore bell bottoms in the 60s…it was fashionable to put that stuff on or on your house back then!!!!
oh no dave that stuff is all over the place.. also the cars in the front area… Why do people do this?
1:41…I haven’t looked into any of that process myself. My block is calendared. One of the ladies on my block whose husband is on CB3 told me that it occurs block by block but if there are “offensive” facades still remaining then they won’t do it. Offensive usually means covered over with some bad stone/fake brick veneer.