Historic District For Downtown Brooklyn
The city has proposed a Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District, covering 20 buildings in Downtown Brooklyn and in Brooklyn Heights reports the NY Post. The proposed district includes Borough Hall, the Municipal Building, and a group of early-1900s Romanesque Revival and Beaux-Arts buildings along Court Street. The city’s proposal pointed out that “The district contains…
The city has proposed a Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District, covering 20 buildings in Downtown Brooklyn and in Brooklyn Heights reports the NY Post. The proposed district includes Borough Hall, the Municipal Building, and a group of early-1900s Romanesque Revival and Beaux-Arts buildings along Court Street. The city’s proposal pointed out that “The district contains many of the borough’s most architecturally distinguished business buildings. Designed in a range of styles, the structures in the study area represent the work of an impressive group of architects. This LPC agenda [PDF] from the October 26th hearing has the nitty gritty on boundaries and specific buildings. The time line for landmarking is unclear as of yet.
City Plans Skyscraper District in Downtown Brooklyn [NY Post]
Photo by AllWaysNY
“The real difference will be at the commercial level, where design review will hopefully lead to better street experience. Ladies’ Mile and Soho are good examples.”
But WBer, wouldnt the stores just get to remain as they currently are?
Anyone have a map of the exact boundaries?
If the movie theater or Board of Ed buildings are contributing buildings to the district, they can’t be demolished. If they are not contributing, they might be demolished and a new 40-story building might be appropriate.
Has anyone seen a map of this proposed district? (Sorry, too lazy to parse LPC’s boundary description.)
“Covering 20 buildings” is not a huge district, Grand Pa. I’d bet that most of the buildings in this district are overbuilt (or civic buildings), so the threat isn’t so much demolition, but rather the continued careless alterations.
If there are any development sites within this district, a new skyscraper would certainly be appropriate. It would be subject to design review, which would include its massing and height, but in this what that really means is no mediocre condos.
The real difference will be at the commercial level, where design review will hopefully lead to better street experience. Ladies’ Mile and Soho are good examples.
Grand Pa is absolutely correct. It is fine to protect certain BUILDINGS like 16 Court or 75 Livingston for example but to landmark this as a district is crazy; 90% of the buildings in the area are crap, and anything that will discourage replacement and development is a mistake.
Its easy to say “whats wrong with landmarking” but lets just say the commercial market comes back strong and someone wants to build a 40 story office tower to replace the hideous Movie theater or the Board of Ed Building on Court St – is it really in Brooklyn’s best interest to put a weapon in the hands of the NIMBY folks (who for sure may not like the crappy buildings in the example but will use all sorts of context, light, etc… arguments to try to dictate exactly what THEY want for a particular location) – which will discourage improvements that Downtown Brooklyn still needs.
“The question I am raising is, does this landmarking prevent a new high rise from being built near Borough Hall? I don’t have a problem with landmarking the buildings in question, my issue is with the concept of a “landmarked skyscraper district” and how it will be used to prevent new construction. I am sure that is what is really driving this.”
Agree. Light and air preservation are not within the purview of Landmarks.
I’m sure Benson will be at this LPC meeting speaking his mind in support of not landmarking this area just like he was at the LPC meeting against the proposed Park Slope expanded district.
Oh wait…no he won’t. He’ll just bitch about it here on brownstoner.
The corridor along Court St that would be landmarked is chock full of buildings that are tall enough anyway. Ya know, “skyscrapers”. I don’t see how any new building would improve upon the airspace or the aesthetics. Nobody is hindering any resurgence of downtown. What’s wrong with protecting these great buildings? Or do we want to see Court Street littered with more buildings like the Regal Theater/Barnes and Noble complex? Functional and a good thing for the neighborhood economically, especially in terms of what it replaced, yes, but beautiful? Not.
Just proved my point, Benson. Dismissed me just like you do everyone else. You should really think about retiring to a place like Tampa soon where all the buildings are new, shiny and hideous.
Leave a little of America’s history for those of us who appreciate it here in NYC.
11217;
Not playing your game today. Find someone else to have an argument with.