What Was Eugene's LPC Vote Worth? $409,000
Remember the flap earlier this week about how Council Member Mathieu Eugene was opposing the creation of the Ocean on the Park Historic District because he wanted to hook up the owner of one of the twelve houses who was hoping to cash out to a developer? As we all know, Eugene cracked under a…
Remember the flap earlier this week about how Council Member Mathieu Eugene was opposing the creation of the Ocean on the Park Historic District because he wanted to hook up the owner of one of the twelve houses who was hoping to cash out to a developer? As we all know, Eugene cracked under a wave of public protest and decided to support the landmarking effort. And what about the poor owner whose backroom politicking ultimately failed? Well, with hopes of a tear-down dashed, he just slashed the asking price of his house at 189 Ocean Avenue by 26 percent from $1,599,000 to $1,190,000. Anyone care to cop to a little schadenfreude?
189 Ocean Avenue [Sotheby’s] GMAP
Ocean on the Park: Crisis Narrowly Averted [Brownstoner]
Councilman Threatens Ocean on the Park Historic District [Brownstoner]
Brownstoner you are going to get you ass kick on this thread today! Stop while your behind! Go away and post the “Open House Picks: Six Months Later” and “Open House Picks” OK!!!
Get lost!
The What
Someday this war is gonna end…
You nailed it, DIBS.
Yeah DIBS that’s 65% of the projects now…
The What
Someday this war is gonna end…
Here is the email from the Historic Districts Council from which we gathered the background on Eugene’s initial opposition to the landmarking:
Good evening,
The Historic Districts Council would like to take alert you to a preservation emergency in Brooklyn’s 40th Council District. Specifically, this issue relates to the proposed Ocean on the Park Historic District, which had a public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission in March 2009. Support of this small district has been overwhelmingly supportive, and I want to thank all of you who submitted testimony on its behalf.
Unfortunately the local council member, Dr. Mathieu Eugene, has been reticent to support the full district’s designation. Specifically, he seems to have been swayed by the anti-preservation rhetoric of one property owner, who has put their property up for sale and has marketed it specifically as a development site. CM Eugene has suggested that this property be removed from the proposed district.
To cut out this property from the already very small district of 12 houses would compromise the quality and integrity of the whole. Which is why, as constituents of CM Eugene, it is essential that you reach out to Councilman Eugene immediately and let him know that the people of the 40th council district demand to see the Ocean on the Park district designated in full!
A number of wonderful historic neighborhoods, both designated and awaiting LPC attention, are located within the 40th Council District. CM Eugene must recognize these historic areas as valuable resources within his community! If he so willingly jeopardizes the designation of this district, the other deserving neighborhoods in his district are equally at-risk. The district’s collective history should not be compromised in order to accommodate a development site.
It is imperative at this time that you contact CM Eugene directly and tell him to support the full designation of the Ocean on the Park district! You may call his district office at 718-287-8762 or send a fax to 718-287-8917. You may also email mathieu.eugene@council.nyc.gov.
Please let HDC know if you reach out to CM Eugene. As always, thank you for your time, and for your assistance.
“That said, what threw down a gauntlet asking for back-up that Eugene’s previous opposition was a favor for one homeowner who wanted to sell. I haven’t been following the story. Is the allegation proven or conjecture? A valid question”
Wait!!!!! Benson and I are on the same page and slopefarm understands????!!
I’m going to spend all my money on Hookers and Drugs! The end of the world is here…
The What (?????????????????))
Someday this war is gonna end…
You nailed it, DIBS.
Here’s what would have happened if the homeowner prevailed:
May 1, 2009…Contract for $1.599 MM
May 15,2009…Cash Closing
June 1, 2009…Demolition
June 30, 2009…Permits Issued for Demolition
August 30, 2009…Plans filed by some skanky architect.
Sept 1, 2009…hole in ground excavated
Sept 15, 2009 Stop Work Orders Issued (Unsafe Conditions)
November, 2009…Construction financing still not secured
November, 2010…vacant lot sits there as a scourge on the neighborhood
This is interesting. Mr. B is taking it on the chin for being simultaneously too solicitous of developers (what) and too hostile (benson).
Although I disagree with benson’s take on the matter, I think that benson is closer to the mark on Mr. B’s perspective. Any cursory read through the home page archives will show that Mr. B has been pretty quick to post about developers failing to build contextually and otherwise running roughshod over zoning and other requirements. The bent is more preservationist than a go-go build out to the max philosophy. Some disagree with that take, but I think what conflates his various enemies by suggesting that this is a pro-developer website. There may be a bias in favor of, or at least the wish for, higher home values, but that is not the same as a bias in favor of rampant development, and is sometimes the opposite. In fact, I think the new price widget is probably the last thing that developers and realtors wanted to see on this site.
That said, what threw down a gauntlet asking for back-up that Eugene’s previous opposition was a favor for one homeowner who wanted to sell. I haven’t been following the story. Is the allegation proven or conjecture? A valid question.
“Not sure why you cling to this idea that our concern for preservation is some new-found interest and that we only started giving crap to shoddy developers recently. This blog has been around for 4 years and was writing watchdog posts before any blog in the city.”
Oh damn Brownstoner! Now I have to clean coffee off my walls!! Come on Brownstoner you are in the middle of a shift right now! Instead of Cheerleading, you are following the times. That’s a good thing stupid but don’t say “Anyone care to cop to a little schadenfreude” it makes you look like a idiot!
“It’s a free world, and this homeowner was free to try to make his case to the other owners and the community; when that didn’t work, he went and asked for a special favor from an elected official that ran counter to the broader community’s best interest.”
Allow me please! IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
” If it weren’t for landmarking, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Stuyvesant Heights would likely look like the worst parts of Bed Stuy.”
Brownstoner you need to think sometimes. How does the “worse” part of Bed Stuy look like???? What about Greenpoint and Williamsburg with all the new shinny S*** ???!!!
The What (Brownstoner needs some skittles)
Someday this war is gonna end…
brownstoner threads sure do make strange bedfellows at times 🙂