Heights' Lights
Brooklyn Heights has launched a $2.7 million campaign to replace its current, modern streetlights with antique-looking lampposts, the Brooklyn Paper reports. The Brooklyn Heights Association has already received $250,000 in public funds for phase one of the project, and will soon receive $400,000 more. The 229 posts to be replaced are aluminum, “cobra-head” style lights,…
Brooklyn Heights has launched a $2.7 million campaign to replace its current, modern streetlights with antique-looking lampposts, the Brooklyn Paper reports. The Brooklyn Heights Association has already received $250,000 in public funds for phase one of the project, and will soon receive $400,000 more. The 229 posts to be replaced are aluminum, “cobra-head” style lights, and they will be replaced with replicas of the old bishops-crook style lamps that used to line the streets before the 1960s. Each bishop’s crook light costs around $10,000, the Paper reports, while the cobra’s head lights cost $4,000 each. They are beautiful, they enhance the neighborhood, and they are consistent with the history of the Heights, said BHA President Judy Stanton. The bishop’s crook lights already line Montague Street, and the project does not have a set start date.
Light Pork in Brooklyn Heights [Brooklyn Paper]
Brooklyn Heights Becoming Bishop’s Crooksville [Brooklyn Eagle]
Maybe fix some of the effed up streets in Red Hook? Seems like a better idea than new lamps for BH. Yeah, I’m just hatin’ on this in general, but still, there are better ways to use the money.
I too tire of our worship of all that is nineteenth century. If we citizens tolerate the disney-fication of our streetscapes and don’t demand better up-to-date designs, then are we surprised there are no new attactive designs. This country is woefully behind east Asia and Europe when it comes to basic infra-structure – spending money on “ye olde” lamp posts is just a sign of degeneracy. Okay, back to my vacation reading…
how about you replace the light bulbs in my streetlamps before you give the heights some decorative ones.
thanks.
Considering the tax dollars that flow out of Brooklyn Heights each year, new streetlights do not seem like such a big deal. Infrastructure is worth the investment and something like new streetlights enhance the quality of life in the Borough, which should be important to most brownstoners. Smith Street was improved by new lights, Atlantic Avenue too, Clinton Street in Cob Hill too, now they are doing some of the streets in the Heights….what should the money be used for instead? Wall Street bailouts?
Minard: Our lamp posts are reproductions.
jefrey: I would argue that trying to maintain an historic look can benefit a neighborhood as it gives the residents a sense of history and their place in that history. I believe it creates pride in one’s neighborhood. Such pride leads to respectful behavior and a sense of community that keeps neighborhoods alive, thriving and growing in positive and productive ways. Street lamps are a very small part of it, of course, but you have to start somewhere.
As to whether Biff and Bjork deserve such a nice street lamp, that is another issue.
lala: The Brooklyn Heights Association has been one of the biggest boosters of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. They are all for it and have been very public about it for years even though they have come under attack by groups in adjacent neighborhoods.
If you are going to insult an entire neighborhood, you should have your facts straight so as not to appear like a complete nitwit.
Yea, they could have bought a ferry for $900,000 which is only worth $25K. That would have been better.
I’m with lalaland. $650,000 to replace street lights that are in working order? I can think of about 800 better uses.
lalaland has a good point.