Preservation Page
[nggallery id=”39704″ template=galleryview] 2010 may prove to be a banner year for historic preservation in central Brooklyn. Although the LPC gets hundreds of requests from all over the city, those of us involved in preserving these areas are confident that Landmarks will see fit to evaluate, calendar, and then designate these historic Brooklyn neighborhoods soon….
[nggallery id=”39704″ template=galleryview]
2010 may prove to be a banner year for historic preservation in central Brooklyn.
Although the LPC gets hundreds of requests from all over the city, those of us involved in preserving these areas are confident that Landmarks will see fit to evaluate, calendar, and then designate these historic Brooklyn neighborhoods soon.
1. Crown Heights North Historic District, Phase II landmarking the center of the Crown Heights North neighborhood, which includes some of the most architecturally significant blocks and structures, including the former Methodist Episcopal Home for the Aged. Roughly, Bergen, St. Marks, Prospect Pl, Park Pl, Sterling, St Johns, Lincoln and parts of EP, from Nostrand to Brooklyn. Phase II is currently calendared by the LPC.
2. Bedford Corners Historic District Montrose Morris country! Arlington Place, Halsey, Hancock, Jefferson Aves, roughly between Bedford and Marcy. Long, long overdue, and very worthy of landmarking, and desperately in need of protection from inappropriate development. Phase II would include Verona Pl and other blocks off Marcy. BC is currently being evaluated by the LPC.
3. Stuyvesant Heights North Annex excellent blocks of various styles of row houses, roughly including parts of Putnam, Madison, and Jefferson, between Stuyvesant and Marcus Garvey. Under evaluation.
4. Stuyvesant Heights East Annex– Macon, MacDonough, Decatur, and Bainbridge roughly between Malcolm X and Saratoga. Also excellent housing stock consisting of landmark worthy intact blocks of mostly three story houses. Also under evaluation.
5. Stuyvesant Heights Extension – calendared since 1993, but never acted upon, in part because of resident’s apprehension. Now highly desired, and going forward. Pretty much going up to Halsey from Decatur bounded by Tompkins and Malcolm X east and west.
Bed Stuy has several other possibilities for landmarking. See the excellent map prepared
View Bedford-Stuyvesant Historic Districts in a larger map“>here. (Thanks to Amzi Hill for much of this info and the map).
Also worthy of further landmarking: the expansion of Park Slope Historic District, the expansion of HD’s in Victorian Flatbush, the expansion of the Clinton Hill HD, and creation of the Wallabout/Navy Yard HD, a Crown Heights South HD, preserving the mansions of President St, as well as the intact rows on Union through Crown St, as well as new HD’s in parts of Sunset Park and Bushwick. To my knowledge, there are no organizations or strong advocates for the last three areas. I hope I am wrong on that, and all of these worthy areas can be protected for future generations to enjoy.
Nice to see public appreciation of this particular row on Decatur Street. (arch: J.Mason Kirby, 1891) Those of us devoted to achieving the landmarks designation of Stuyvesant East chose to illustrate this particular group on the face of our soon to be mailed postcard announcing the first Q&A community meeting.
I wish the Bed Stuy East included the area from Saratoga to Broadway. I know Ocean Hill starts at Saratoga, but everyone who lives there calls it Bed Stuy and says they live in Bed Stuy.
Bottom line is that brownstones will not sell for Half Off Peak Comps.
How will the recent or anticipated landmarking affect brownstone prices in other, more “established” neighborhoods (such as Bklyn Heights, Park Slope, and BoCoCa)?
Bring the prices up, because Bkyln is hot?
Or bring the prices down, because there is a larger desireable stock from which to choose?
Joe- that’s really great. Love that motto.
pigeon- that’s basically gentrification. But I think other things now come into play that didn’t before. In Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights it was long time residents who pushed for this. In the past it seems it was always the “gentrifiers” who came in and got landmarking, supposedly to drive up home prices so long time (implying less desirable) residents would be driven out.
In Crown Heights North and Bed-Stuy, the residents want to protect what’s there and stabilize the area. I agree with dave and minard- it can create some difficulty, but by and large I think its an overall benefit.
Posted by: bxgrl at December 30, 2009 4:53 PM
In Southern BK as well, it’s the long-time residents who push for defensive measures such as down-zoning. The motto of the Marine Park Civic Association is “Don’t move, improve.”
pigeon- that’s basically gentrification. But I think other things now come into play that didn’t before. In Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights it was long time residents who pushed for this. In the past it seems it was always the “gentrifiers” who came in and got landmarking, supposedly to drive up home prices so long time (implying less desirable) residents would be driven out.
In Crown Heights North and Bed-Stuy, the residents want to protect what’s there and stabilize the area. I agree with dave and minard- it can create some difficulty, but by and large I think its an overall benefit.
Dave, So you are ahead of the game! Played like a true hedge funder!
I did rush this year to get my facade done, my cornice painted and a new door hung before our block was landmarked.