Admiral's Row: Feds Must 'Consider' Preservation

Eight houses are good for renovation, two are beyond repair. What's the prob? Save the ones with integrity.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 10:47 AM

This is not the Fed's Job. If people want them preserved so badly they should form a group to purchase the property and restore it themselves.

Jeez - So sick of hearing all of the things the Federal Government "Should" do. The less they do, the better.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 11:15 AM

Thanks Mr. B. for keeping this on the front burner.

Simeon

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 11:18 AM

Is 11:18 Simeon "Fast-and-Loose-with-the-Facts" Bankoff? The one who keeps talking about how the Navy Yard Development Corporation was derelict in not maintaining Admiral's Row? You know, the property that the development corporation hasn't and still doesn't own.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 11:24 AM

Yes anonymous 11:24. This is Simeon Bankoff. I have never said that the Navy Yard owns those buildings because they don't. The Department of the Army and the Air Force, National Guard Bureau does. I have no gripe with the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation except the fact that they refuse to contemplate preservation of these buildings, regardless of any binding environmental regualtions.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 11:46 AM

Of course, there are no binding environmental regulations that are relevant to this conversation, though.

-Ella

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 11:53 AM

Ella,

Actually, you are incorrect. The Nat'l Guard still owns the property. They are a governmental agency bound by national laws. They are intending to transfer the propertyy and are bound by NEPA and NHPA regulations. That's why there was the poster sesssion two weeks ago; they are bound to do an Environmental Analysis and perhaps even an Environmental Assessment. Hence, the Beardsley Report.

Simeon

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 12:08 PM

Sorry - not what I meant. You implied that the Navy Yard was intent on demo regardless of what the regulations said. My point (and I admit it was poorly stated) was that the Navy Yard has followed all environmental regulations to date. The fed keep on changing the rules. They already signed an MOU which said that SHPO determined that preserving the buildings was not feasible. So that is really all the fed should be looking to. Doing all of this review now is not in compliance with the NEPA process. It is way above and beyond the NEPA process. The Navy Yard has been working with Army corps on preparing an EIS for over 2 years now - which is ridiculous. And now the National Guard comes in and starts a whole nrew process over and over again. IN reality, all federal review requirements have been met. This is just the national guard putting suspenders on their belted pants.

Ella

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 1:04 PM

Simeon is a smart guy. These buildings need a preservation review. Of course the preservation officials will get a call from the governor's staff and will roll right over.
Not exactly profiles of courage up there on Peebles Island.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 1:13 PM

1:13 -Peebles Island.

"pebbles" or cement, unless you mean Melvin

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 2:38 PM

Who is Melvin?
Isn't the state preservation office on Peebles Island? It's in the middle of the Hudson River north of Albany.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 4:20 PM

The State Historic Preservation on Peebles Is. typically defers to local preservationists and follows their lead.

Posted by: guest at December 21, 2007 8:17 PM

4:20
Melvin is actor/writer/director Melvin Van Peebles, father of Mario Van Peebles. When Mario was considering an acting career, Melvin said there would be three phases to his career;
Mario who?
Get me Mario.
Get me a younger Mario.

Posted by: guest at December 22, 2007 3:47 AM

Someone please blow up this area and put in a whole foods?

Posted by: guest at December 23, 2007 7:10 PM

I thought a private consulting company with experts in the field was hired to determine if this row of buildings was eligible for saving? They made a determination that they were not. If the SHPO jumped on that band wagon it was after this company made these determinations.

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 10:03 PM