Row of Old Fulton Buildings At Risk
Back in April, the Department of Buildings issued a Full Vacate Orders for 11, 13 and 15 Old Fulton Street. Earlier this week, DumboNYC reported that a Vacate Order was also issued at 9 Fulton Street, an empty lot with only the traces of a single-story facade; the lot has been used of late for…
Back in April, the Department of Buildings issued a Full Vacate Orders for 11, 13 and 15 Old Fulton Street. Earlier this week, DumboNYC reported that a Vacate Order was also issued at 9 Fulton Street, an empty lot with only the traces of a single-story facade; the lot has been used of late for outdoor dining by the restaurant at 7 Old Fulton Street. The orders could be paving the way for the buildings to be demolished, a turn of events sure to dismay preservationists. From DumboNYC:
A source close to the situation told us that 11-15 Old Fulton are going through the process of what is called demolition by neglect, which means that the City is trying to compel the owner of these buildings to maintain the property so that they do not deteriorate to the point where they will have to be demolished. Allowing buildings like this to deteriorate to that point is a tactic sometimes used by landlowners who deem it cost-ineffective to renovate the existing structure, and who would prefer to raze the building and start over.
The owner of 9 Fulton Street has already applied to demolish the existing one-story facade to make room for a new four-story structure.
Three Old Fulton Buildings May Have To Be Demo’d [Brooklyn Eagle]
Full Vacate Order at 9 Old Fulton Street [DumboNYC]
Vacate Order on 11-15 Old Fulton Street [DumboNYC]
Bad news ML, very bad. I poked around a little bit and DOB has already ordered the demolition of at least two (13 and 15 Old Fulton Street) of the buildings. I bet that’s the case for 11 Old Fulton too, but couldn’t find any paperwork.
thanks g man! I did not know the LPC had approved a plan with penthouse additions over the objections of the extremely negative neighborhood association as well as the BHA, which is another “always say no” group.
It increases my regard for the landmarks commission.
What can we do now? If the DOB finds that the old buildings are sinking into the mushy subsoil, the buildings will be lost. If they can save the granite piers and lintels and some of the brick perhaps replicas could be built incorporating original material? Otherwise I suppose the blockfront will lose all its historic associations and appearance.
From paragraph five of Certificate of Appropriateness 07-6022:
“With regard to this proposal, the Commission found … that the minimal visibility of the rooftop addition, from the south and west, will not detract from the architectural character of the existing buildings; that the diminutive scale of the addition, as viewed from the south and west, will not diminish the special architectural character of this row and the special visual relationship to the Brooklyn Bridge; that the varying set backs and heights of the additions will help break up the massing and will help them to read as individual bulkheads when viewed from the street; and that the proposed materials of the addition recall the types of materials used on rooftop bulkheads within this historic district, and will help the addition recede from view. Based on these findings, the Commisison determined the proposed work [including that edited from the preceding] to be appropriate to the historic district and VOTED TO APPROVE IT.” (Emphasis added.)
The scheme with the rooftop additions never received landmarks approval. All the locals were adamantly against it.
LPC warned the owner of 11-15 Old Fulton not to let the buildings deteriorate further. Hope he plugged hefty fines into the pro forma for the property.
ML, the FFLA may have opposed the rooftop additions that went before BSA, but the additions were approved so there is no one to blame here but the owner.
I’ve always admired these little Greek temples of commerce. They are quite a rarity on many levels and I’m outraged over the possibility of demolition.
This is a shame, and the Fulton Ferry Association shares the blame for blocking every attempt to renovate these buildings that included adding modest rooftop additions.
Now it is very, very likely given the hair-trigger attitude of the DOB, that they will be entirely demolished.
Way to go!