Demolition of 231 Duffield Street Begins
After a demolition permit was issued on February 25, V3, the same company that’s putting up the Karl Fischer-designed Hotel Indigo at 237 Duffield Street, began dismantling 231 Duffield Street, one of several houses on the Downtown Brooklyn block that has been linked to the Underground Railroad. As the Duffield Street blog notes this morning,…
After a demolition permit was issued on February 25, V3, the same company that’s putting up the Karl Fischer-designed Hotel Indigo at 237 Duffield Street, began dismantling 231 Duffield Street, one of several houses on the Downtown Brooklyn block that has been linked to the Underground Railroad. As the Duffield Street blog notes this morning, while 227 Duffield has gotten most of the attention and is planned to be a museum for the abolitionist movement, there’s good reason to think that 231 Duffield has historical significance to the abolitionist movement. According to the EDC report on the subject, houses owners at the time–the Hawes and the Hilles–were involved with abolitionist groups, although there is no documented evidence of their involvement with the railroad itself. The basement photo, at right, shows a passageway underneath Number 231 that many think was used to transport escaped slaves.
Demolition Begins of Historic Duffield Street Building [Duffield Street Blog]
Demolition continues of 231 Duffield [Duffield Street Blog] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Given the seeming controversy over the demolition of my property 231 Duffield Street and the subsequent villification of V3 Hotels, Ben Nash and Greg Atkins, I want to set the record straight.
First, I went into partnership with V3 Hotels and Mr. Ben Nash of my own auspices, for there is no historical importance to the row houses on Duffield Street Row Houses because they have been altered and gutted from the inside since 1943. The sidewalk vault under “my building” 231 was installed by my family and we have the original permits. My property of 231 Duffield Street do not have any secret tunnels, hidden rooms or the like.
I am aware of the history of Duffield Street for I was the one who petitioned the Community Board 2 to co-name Duffield Street Abolishonist Place; a fact that is recorded with Community Board 2. However, please also be aware that certain property owners on the street tried to use this history to save their properties from Eminent Domain. But as I said before, my property of 231 Duffield Street has been drastically and substantially altered and its connection to abolitionists is tenuous at best.
Mr. Nash, Mr. Atkins and my objective is to revive downtown Brooklyn. Its hotel projects will bring much needed jobs and capital to the neighborhood in today’s depressed economy.
Respectfully
John E. Donegan, Jr.
Not just a hypocrite, What. A liar too. If I remember, a few days ago you claimed you would be civil to anyone who was civil to you. I was being civil, and here you still attacked me.
More than that, you talk about Jon like he’s a dog, how you hate him and you’ve even threatened him physically- yet here you are posting all over his blog on his dime.
Keep saying that I posted porn. You’re a liar. There is not a single person on this blog who would believe that. For good reason- you’ve made yourself a full-blown, foaming at the mouth, crazed flake. I try talking to you like you’re a human being- I won’t be making that mistake again.
“On the other hand, there is no medication to fix his hypocrisy.”
Oh I missed this! Wait Bxgrl! When did I ever wavered in my belief system???????
Oh now I’m a Hypocrite????? Wow that’s a reach!!!! OK Bxgrl mue on..
The What (Bxgrl post porn on Brownstoner)
Someday this war is gonna end…
“Not going to gloat, but I just hope that you now understand what you are dealing with here.”
Hey Benson guess what? When I post something you have 2 options. One do not respond and move on. Two respond and engage The What. See how simple that is? This is the foundation of “The What” rules of engagement.
One last thing Benson, where was you when Rob mad those racist comments about the shoppers in Downtown Brooklyn? Where was the outrage at?? You see you come from “Segregated Brooklyn” where people did not into other neighborhoods. I think your happy seeing the Asshats come to the Ghetto and pricing people out.
Oh one more thing to the Haters. Suck the balls!!!!!
The What
Someday this war is gonna end…
benson- I always did. I was trying to be fair. That was my mistake. You can’t be fair to a paranoid schizophrenic, you can only offer them advice to stay on their meds. On the other hand, there is no medication to fix his hypocrisy.
Bxgrl;
Not going to gloat, but I just hope that you now understand what you are dealing with here.
Harriet- that really s*cks.Furee is a great organization- I hope they can do more.
benson- you can gloat now if you want to 🙂 An “I told you so” would not be remiss either.
1.what- if you don’t want a conversation with me, don’t butt in on mine with benson. And yes- it is a public forum- maybe you should look the word “public” up.
2.And FYI- I referred to the gentrifiers you feel are taking over.
3.So why ask me a question if you didn’t want me to answer? Take your meds, what. You’re losing it here.
zinka:
“How is the park/garage being funded? What happens to the air rights from the properties that become the park/garage? Do they get sold to neighboring lots and used to fund construction?”
You’re paying for it, wouldn’t you know it? So far the City has spent over $35 million to acquire properties to build the Willoughby Square micro-park/parking lot. They are slated to spend a few hundred million more. The air rights will not be sold to anyone- the area was already rezoned to make for much higher density.
But the fun keeps going! While CityPoint, formerly the Albee Square Mall, sits empty and looks like a perfect site for a park, if you ask me, the developers are asking for city bond financing.
One group looking into this is FUREE, which is upset that small businesses are being destroyed by eminent domain but they are getting no help to relocate.
CityPoint will get money to build “low income” housing, but the cost per unit is very high- Pratt has some of those numbers.