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.
Dibs,
I think ML has a good point when he writes of “new inventory” created by formerly shunned areas becoming increasingly desireable in the eyes of more homeseekers.
Of course, these areas are not really new – they’ve existed for a long time – but they’re new options for many home-seekers. The new desireableness of these brownstone areas will surely effect brownstone prices throughout Brooklyn.
What kind of effect this will have – and the extent of the effect – are interesting questions.
Dave, I don’t know about more expensive. Most of the expense of renovating an ancient house is on the interior. The Landmarks Commission is not going to tell you to buy an Agga rather than a Magic Chef.
On the exterior the Commission will not let an owner put in super cheap windows or a cheap door. And they won’t let an owner remove a damaged cornice or bay window….so yes, some expense is involved. The more annoying thing to many is not so much the cost as the idea that a governemnt agency (staffed mostly with twenty-somethings) tell you can’t paint your cornice turquoise or you cant have single pane modern windows (which are quite expensive). It’s a trade-off that is true.
I think over a longer period of time that’s probably true.
For a house that’s been renovated it’s a plus. For one that has yet to be renovated it will make the process more expensive.
Dave: fair enough.
There have been studies done though that show that house prices rise after historic district designation. Perhaps because of the “cachet” of such designation or perhaps due to the stabilizing effects. However I know that, “past performance does not guarantee future returns”.
Minard, there’s no new inventory at all. Just because something is in a historic district doesn’t effect the value. My block is calendared as part of the Stuy Heights extension. When my block is added to the inventory i doubt that prices will rise or fall.
There are additional costs in renovating within a landmarked district but that should be a case by case issue.
Dave, I think a lot has to do with the opening up of new (old)neighborhoods that were previously thought to be bad investments. At one time, Brooklyn Heights was the name of the game in Brooklyn, then Park Slope (between CPW and Seventh), then (eventually) Cobble Hill and the area just south of Fort Greene Park. Now there are a lot of new areas (read inventory) that are possibly coming into play. Will this drive prices up or down?
pigeon- it just might! I’ll have to steampunkify my computer.
That is one purty line of houses. Next year, I will I will take the Bed-Stuy house tour.
Dibs- it was faux snow leopard. A different animal altogether. (You tell him, rob!) 🙂