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The Department of Buildings issued vacate orders yesterday for the two brownstones at 329 and 331 MacDonough Street in Bed Stuy due to unstable conditions caused by illegal construction work in the basement of Number 329. ANC Contracting, which had been gut-renovating 329 MacDonough, was issued three ECB violations (for failure to protect the adjacent property, for work contrary to approved plans and for unsafe conditions). The cause of the structural failure was damage to the party wall as well as water and gas pipes in the basement. A tipster told us that a DOB inspector on-site yesterday evening said the buildings would be torn down, and the photo on the jump from 11 p.m. shows a fence erected, but as of the end of the workday yesterday DOB officials were not able to confirm the course of action. More to come. It will be really sad if these beautiful buildings have to come down. GMAP

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  1. ROB- I live in 331 macdonough st and we are NOT rent control tenants. I have been living there for about a yr now and this situation is very hard for me and my fellow tenants. We are asking for all the support that we can get at this point. There will be a hearing on monday @ 360 adams st @ 2:30. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THE FEELING THAT HAVE COME OVER US IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. PLEASE SUPPORT US!

    IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN EMAIL ME @ LPASCALL@TMO.BLACKBERRY.NET

  2. MEDIA ADVISORY – IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday, January 22, 2010 NYC DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS URGING DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC, LANDMARKED PROPERTIES WITHOUT DUE DILLIGENCE. PROPERTY OWNERS DESTRAUGHT BY “OVERNIGHT” DECISION

    Property owners, residents of an historic Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone block on MacDonough Street between Stuyvesant and Lewis Avenues, are in an uproar over Buildings Dept. “hasty” decision to demolish 2 landmarked homes.

    In the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 20th, a shared support wall between 329 and 331 MacDonough Street was damaged when a section of it collapsed. Police and Fire Departments were called to the scene. Both fully occupied buildings were evacuated. Families displaced. Entry to the buildings prohibited.

    Less than three hours later, on the opinion of only one Department of Buildings engineer, both buildings were slated for demolition to happen as early as Thursday afternoon.

    A stay of demolition was obtained by property owners in Brooklyn Supreme Court, stopping further action by the Department of Buildings until the afternoon of , January 25th. @2:30

    Beyond damage to a section of the shared support wall, no other damage has been identified to warrant this radical course of action – immediate demolition of the buildings. The pending order has sent shock and anger throughout this tight-knit community.

    The Departments of Buildings has refused to allow additional due diligence on how to preserve not destroy the landmarked structures.

    Long-time resident of 331 MacDonough Street and beloved neighbor, 70-year-old Ghanaian immigrant Ms. Doreen Prince is among those who could lose their homes. She has lived in her home for almost 30 years and is hopeful but distraught over the Department of Buildings decision. She, her family members and her tenants were forced to evacuate their building only the clothes on their backs. They thought that they would be allowed to return to their homes. Now, the thought of loss of losing her home is too much to bear. “Where is the Heart?” she cries, standing vigil outside of her home. “Why is this happening so quickly? Why is the Department of Buildings so intent on destroying our homes? We are not Brooklyn Heights, but we too are landmarked. Where is our consideration?”

  3. If anyone has questions for the Landmarks Preservation Commission, please contact Jenny Fernandez, the agency’s director of community and intergovernmental affairs or Emily Rich, the agency’s public information officer, by calling 212-669-7817.

    They both have been receiving updates about the situation, and can, and will, respond promptly to your questions and concerns.If you prefer to write an e-mail message to either of them, please send it to info@lpc.nyc.gov.

    Thanks for your cooperation and concern.

    Elisabeth de Bourbon, LPC’s communications and media relations director

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