Stay of Execution on MacDonough Street
The second hearing about the future of 329 and 331 MacDonough Street, the two Stuyvesant Heights brownstones threatened with demolition after the collapse of a party wall last week, was held yesterday afternoon at 360 Adams Street. Here’s a report we received from a resident of the block: The Judge called in the lawyers and…
The second hearing about the future of 329 and 331 MacDonough Street, the two Stuyvesant Heights brownstones threatened with demolition after the collapse of a party wall last week, was held yesterday afternoon at 360 Adams Street. Here’s a report we received from a resident of the block:
The Judge called in the lawyers and engineers leaving the public in the hall to wonder what was happening. After an hour the public was allowed in and told that the engineers would have until Wednesday Jan. 27th to present a plan to save the properties. Mrs. Prince, the owner of 331 MacDonough St., has retained a lawyer and engineer in the hopes of saving her property. The Judge has told the public that he is aware of their concerns but, the issue will be resolved by the engineers and our presence in court on the 27th will not be necessary.
Meanwhile, we also contact the Landmarks Preservation Commission to get a better sense of their position and ability to act as advocates for preservation in this case. Here’s the response we got:
Members of our staff have visited the site, and are communicating extensively with the Department of Buildings about these important buildings. Under the Landmarks Law, no Landmarks approval is needed for measures the Department of Buildings must take to address public safety issues. We are advocating for saving as much of the buildings as is safely possible, while deferring to the Department’s engineering knowledge and experience in public safety matters. Landmarks and Buildings have a long history of working together to save historic buildings, and this case is no exception.
We’re also curious to hear how active a role (if any) Councilman Al Vann, who owns a house on the historic block, has taken in the situation. Can anyone tell us?
MacDonough Street Update 1/25/10 [Brownstoner]
Wall Collapse, Vacate Order, Maybe Demo on MacDonough [Brownstoner]
MM, you’re right on the comparison of today’s residential homes. I don’t know how we got into a comparison of commercial buildings. Throughout Europe there are many whole cities that are still populated with stone buildings from the 10th, 11th, 13th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th 17th centuries.
Not to bring up the hated comparisons with Europe, but masonary buildings there, including row houses, have been standing for twice, sometimes three times as long as ours have here. And they are still in use, still renovated, often continuously since they were built, sometimes improved by the construction of the day, sometimes not. 98% without a steel beam in sight. Due to the evidence of SO many older buildings, both ancient and merely 19th century, I don’t see how anyone can argue that they didn’t build to last back then. Today’s residential homes, for the most part, are not in the same league.
I’m thinking right now of what I’d grab if I had to leave….my PC & camera, my pile of tax records, maybe a box full of things I’d accumulated and were out in plain sight, meds? How much clothes could you really grab in one or two trips???
There is more to a home than possessions and clothing. After a disaster, people are more concerned with the things that can’t be replaced, not matter what kind of insurance you have. Things like family records, photographs, mementos and sentimental items. They aren’t thinking about the tv or their clothing. Perhaps there were pets, as well. I’d hate to think about what I could grab in ten minutes, not nearly what I would like, I know.
My condolences to your parents for the loss of a home. I’m sure they were not satisfied with a hotel room and some clothes either. A lifetime of family and friends is in one’s home. No amount of mere money can bring those things back.
I think we know from San Francisco’s history that frame stucture beat out masonry during an earthquake. And yes, they are much more prone to destruction if water invades.
fsrg- I was making a generalized comparison on is new always better.l Sorry you feel the need to exert your supposed intellectual superiority by being insulting. And yes, you can’t build a skyscraper like a brownstone. No one said you could but then you’re much more of an insulter than a thinker.
“Yes, it’s stretching the point to include them, but it proves that not all new construction ideas are better. The WTC was constructed to pancake down, was built to be lighter and flexible”
Bxgrl are you f’ing kidding me???????? You are going to cite a jet hitting a 110 story building at 400+ mph and full of fuel as your reasoning why a modern row/townhouse isnt as structurally strong as your beloved brownstone – its a pathetic argument. (you cant even build a skyscraper using the techniques used in most Brownstones)
The argument is simple – masonry walls are load bearing and yet are prone to water leakage and freezing and thawing, not to mention the fact that they so not deflect so it makes them more susceptible to vibration (earthquake for example). You might hear more of your neighbors, you might be able to put your fist through the sheetrock – but there is no question that a modern [COMPARABLE] building is far stronger (i.e. able to handle higher loads for example) than any 19th century rowhouse.
Is it true that the neighbors’ engineers have contradicted the DOB engineer? Is that just hearsay or do we know for a fact? I thought all the engineers are shaking their heads and saying “this is real bad”…..
benson- sorry but you lose the compassion award. Once the building was condemned, this woman was out. I’m sorry your parents had a fire- I’m sure it was terrible for them. But a hotel is not a home. And there is no replacements for those personal possessions that have come down through the family. This woman had a home she loved and cared for. She was a fixture in her community. Do you really think an insurance payout is going to replace that? What worked for your parents doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.