Vic Flatbush: DCP Fiddling While Rome Burns?
While several brownstone neighborhoods have completed or are close to completing rezonings to better balance the often-conflicting interests of development and preservation, much of Victorian Flatbush has been left at risk. While a small portion at the southern end of Victorian Flatbush (known as Midwood) has already been rezoned, the larger area to the north…
While several brownstone neighborhoods have completed or are close to completing rezonings to better balance the often-conflicting interests of development and preservation, much of Victorian Flatbush has been left at risk. While a small portion at the southern end of Victorian Flatbush (known as Midwood) has already been rezoned, the larger area to the north of Avenue H has been left flapping in the wind. Because of the number unusually large lots and the development-friendly R-6 zoning, the area is particularly at risk of being taken over by McMansions and Multi-family Fedders buildings. (For example, check out the Fedders sandwich above: 345 Stratford Road, 1101 Cortelyou Road and 1105 Cortelyou Road.) City Planning is taking the matter under consideration but at a bureaucrat’s pace. We are committed to doing a study, said DCP’s Winston von Engel. What this means in terms of timing, in The Courier’s estimation, is that it would be a year in the best case scenario. You can get a lot of foundations in the ground in that time. We’d love to hear from readers who have been active in pushing for this rezoning, particularly about what DCP has been like to work with.
Race to save Victorian Flatbush [Courier]
Photo by Flatbush Gardener
yes i was also wondering about where the pictures of the fedders were, since i’ve looked at the building often and have yet to see the dreaded sleeves. of course, denizens of this board don’t really care if it has sleeves or not – they don’t like anything except expensive houses that few people can afford.
I think we’re comparing oranges and apples here. The single family homes that were demolished on Stratford are really changing the character of a tree lined street with a lots of free standing single family homes. Lets hope that area can be downzoned to prevent this from happening again.
Cortelyou has what, two maybe three freestanding single families on it over a 10 block stretch? Cortelyou has been made up of eclectic buildings since the 1950’s including high rise apartment buildings. The days of Cortelyou Road being a victorian enclave are long since gone.
All I’m saying is its so easy to lump all development into one category. As far as the aesthetics, I think the jury on the Cortelyou building should stay mute until we see how the developer finishes the exterior. Sure it could suck, but why assume its another fedder special? None of the naysayers have suggested what would have been responsible development for Cortelyou…
MOst of the houses in Victorian Flatbush have not been very well maintained. They are only marginally Victorian in their appearence and many people unfamiliar with the area are unaware the area is even “Victorian”.
I find the title of this entire article hillarious however.
Nero burned down the homes of the masses so he could build himself and his cronies mansions, temples, and assorted other wastes of real estate.
If anything, the anti-development stance of the rich with these enormous homes is just like Nero. These mansion owners could care less about the poor and middle class who have to share apartments or live in cramped, rundown buildings. As far as they are concerned, only the rich should have access to quality neighborhoods and screw everyone else.
If you want to maintain a high level of aesthetics, focus on that. You can have attractive high-density housing. Look at much of Manhattan. The Upper West Side was built for the middle class.
Demand that, but please – almost nothing east of Prospect Park is worth saving. Level it all and build great new housing so that housing becomes affordable again.
Moved into the nabe about a year ago, and this has been the hottest issue at community meetings. They’ve been working hard to get the rezoning through, but have met a lot of inertia at the city council level. That’s why the election of “Dr” Mathieu, an inept crony if I ever saw one (save maybe for Bush), was so disheartening.
I couldn’t agree more with anon 11:09, or disagree more with Argyle Road. This building is dreadful and it is sad that the developer lives in the area. The story is he was lobbied to build something in context and disregarded all. Of course taste is not imparted upon moving into a neighborhood… as many of the abhorrent alterations in Beverley Square West & Ditmas Park West attest.
I too think its great that the empty lot is being built upon – providing condos and hopefully much needed retail space. I think its horrible that this person built it without regard for the neighborhood aesthetic. As you know Cortelyou Road has been struggling for forever to establish an identity. Just now with new streetscaping and retail starting to percolate… this hideously ugly patio/fedders yellow brick Queens monstrosity plants itself in the middle with a big “screw you.” FDC, CORMA and Friends of Cortelyou (and whoever else can influence such things) really need to let potential developers know that this kind of blight is not welcome. Build yes, build ugly no! Cortelyou Road is too important for all of Victorian Flatbush to allow more of this kind of thing to happen.
12:05 or buy in landmarked area where you know what can & can’t happen around you. Buyers have choices. No crystal ball needed just some common sense.
I am a homeowner in the neighborhood. WHile not against multi story building I do think there needs to be some solid guidelines on what the exterior looks like. We need good design standards to fit the look of the area.Think CELEBRATION FLORDIA for example
Not the developer…I wish.
When you buy a house you buy the land that it is on. It’s your responsibility to find out what could happen around you before you buy. Same goes for the people who bought on Smith & Atlantic: you knew it was across the street from the prison. You accepted that when you bought there; to object after the fact is absurd. Deal with it or move. Seriously.