Historians Still Debate Gowanus Wall
On Tuesday, we reported on the Gowanus building at toid and toid owned by Con Ed, that is said to contain a portion of the wall once surrounding the Washington Park baseball field used by the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Ebbets Field. From the Daily News today comes a definitive answer from Brooklyn…
On Tuesday, we reported on the Gowanus building at toid and toid owned by Con Ed, that is said to contain a portion of the wall once surrounding the Washington Park baseball field used by the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Ebbets Field. From the Daily News today comes a definitive answer from Brooklyn author and historian Brian Merlis, “I can say with absolute certainty that this wall was not part of Washington Park prior to the Brooklyn team’s departure [in 1912],” The paper goes on to say that historians believe the wall was part of either a carriage house or club house that was built after the 1912 move by the Dodgers. Even though the Dodgers may not have played within this wall, it is still part of the old Washington Park ball field, and still one of the oldest surviving pieces of baseball history in New York. Con Ed Spokeswoman D. Joy Faber has announced that the wall will be preserved. Further historical information, including a wealth of photographs, can be found here.
Famed Wall in Gowanus Not Part of Original Dodgers Stadium [Daily News]
Bulldozer Time for Gowanus Building [Brownstoner]
Con Ed Readying Demolition of 3rd St. Warehouse [Brownstoner]
Photo: Wall in 2004 by covehurst.net
I’ve been in the theater and they also have the original doors down the halls a bit. I love 1 Bryant, I’ve done a ton of work there and am very proud to have been associated with it in even a small way. They’ve just installed an electric car charging station in the loading dock!
btw I have a photo gallery of the building going up if you are interested…
http://www.pbase.com/dentontay/1_bryant_park
MM: I was on a tour of the Henry Miller, what’s playing there now is Bye Bye Birdie, which I could not sit though if they paid me. However, when something better is playing there, it’s worth a visit.
As for the Hearst, remember that the landmark portion was always meant to be a base for a skyscraper. The Great Depression put a stop the highrise plans, so the pedestal sat, without its tower, for 75 years until Sir Norman Foster’s was hired to design his new prismatic tower.
Amen, montrose.
I haven’t been in the Henry Miller Theatre, but I take Minard’s word for it. I also like the Villiard Houses/Hotel and although I’m not quite as fond of the Hearst Building, it works, and the view from inside looking out is spectacular. I’m all for adaptive reuse, the more creative, the better. I don’t consider myself a fundamentalist preservationist, but I think we still destroy more than we save, and that’s too bad.
I also think that just because one doesn’t see tourist buses stopped and people lined up to take pix in front of this wall doesn’t mean that people aren’t aware, or don’t visit. If constant visible sightings of devotees was a prerequisite for preservation status, most of our unique sites, buildings, historical places would have been plowed over. We don’t treasure or emphasize our physical past very well, so we can’t expect people to know about what we barely teach.
Of course- piss on everything. Happy New Year to you too- Now the discussion is over. 🙂
lol, benson.
Happy New Year!
“Jump from a plane
for the fun of it all
Bounce right back
take a piss on the wall!”
“You’ve christened yourself “the voice of truth on Brownstoner” …. you are neither absolute not omniscient. You can’t just express an opinion, you get offended if anyone disagrees with that opinion….. no one died and appointed you the guardian of all things Brooklyn as you see it. ”
Ah, now you’re getting to the heart of it!!
Cue up the picture of the “Wizard” scene in the Wizard of Oz…..
I, Benson, the great and powerful “Voice of Truth” do hereby declare that this discussion is over. I have spoken on the matter!!
My next decreee is “Happy New Year all!!!!”
I think as part of my New Year’s celebration, I’ll go take a piss on the wall.
denton: I just visited the old Henry Miller theater that is now part of 1 Bryant Park. I thought it was great. They preserved the facade and a very elegant oval ticket lobby. However the theater auditorium is completely modern. It was designed by Cook & Fox. Of course the new buildign is incredible, really amazing, absolutely the last word on sustainable design. platinum leeds, or whatever the highest rating is. In that context the historical fragments salvaged from the old 1924 theater work very succesfully.
I consider myself a preservationist but I’m not a fundamentalist. I appreciate modern, thoughtful approaches to design and preservation. I think the Hearst building is awesome and the Villard Houses are terrific. The latter was an early win by the preservation community. Those mansions came very close to becoming landfill. Who can argue that saving three quarters of them is not better than losing the whole thing?