Residents Celebrate Diversity of Flatbush's Proposed East 25th Street Historic District at LPC

Not a single person spoke against landmarking the proposed East 25th Street Historic District in Flatbush at a hearing this morning.

During the virtual public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, residents and commissioners alike were effusive with their praise of the block and the work that has occurred to get it this close to designation.

“The most important aspect of the block is the people who live here,” said Phoebe Blake, the former president of the 300 East 25th Street Block Association, who has lived on the street since 1997. Looking at the surrounding neighborhood, she said, the biggest threat to where they live is rapid development. “This would protect us from the developers, and keep our way of life, our diversity, intact.”

Shelly Worell, another homeowner on the block, was more direct in speaking up for the Caribbean residents of the neighborhood and their show of support for the designation.

The proposed district, on East 25th Street between Clarendon Road and Avenue D, contains a “remarkably cohesive group” of 56 Renaissance Revival row houses, according to the LPC, built between 1909 and 1912 by the Henry Meyer Building Company. They were built as single-family homes.

A total of eight people provided testimony at the meeting, with an additional 26 letters sent to the commissioners, the LPC said. All supported designation.

The commissioners, with little comment, had fewer questions about the possible designation but offered a lot of support.

“It’s been incredible working with the community on East 25th Street,” said LPC Chair Sarah Carroll at the end of the meeting. “It was very moving listing to the testimony today. It’s clear how this block has a sense of place that attracted people, and that the community has been incredible stewards and have a shared love of this block.”

[Photos by Susan De Vries unless otherwise noted]

Related Stories

• LPC Will Hold Public Hearing on Proposed East 25th Street Historic District in Flatbush
• Locals Overwhelmingly Favor Landmarking Downtown Brooklyn Abolitionist Home
• LPC to Review Plan to Build New Public Open Space Under the Brooklyn Bridge

Sign up for amNY’s COVID-19 newsletter to stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York City. Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.