E-BULLETIN OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS COUNCIL

September 2006, Volume 3 Number 9

Crown Heights North Needs Your Support

As our readers know, earlier this summer the Landmarks Preservation Commission calendared the proposed Crown Heights North Historic District in Brooklyn for consideration as the 86th New York City historic district. A public hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2006. More information on the area can be found on the Crown Heights North Association’s website or on the Neighborhoods at Risk section of our website. Please show your support of this worthy designation by writing a letter of support. A sample letter may be found here.

Midwood Park-Fiske Terrace historic district to be calendared by LPC!

On September 19 the LPC will calendar the historic suburban neighborhoods of Midwood Park and Fiske Terrace in Brooklyn for historic district designation.

The history and development of this part of Brooklyn is very unique. Starting in the 1870’s, many areas of the neighborhood, now largely known as “Victorian Flatbush” were developed as suburban communities along the Brighton railway line. The Midwood Park development in Flatbush was built in the first decade of the twentieth century primarily by one entity, the John R. Corbin Company. During the same time period the adjacent Fiske Terrace neighborhood was also mostly developed by a single builder, the T. B. Ackerson Company. Both developments feature large, comfortable houses with wood shingles, clapboard, stucco, stained-glass windows, massive fireplaces, generous porches, and elaborate woodwork as some of the defining elements. Today, the homes and streets of this area are filled with a diverse mix of old and new residents and yet both developments remain remarkably intact. HDC applauds the LPC’s decision to calendar this very worthy neighborhood at long last. For further information visit the Neighborhoods at Risk section of our website or here for an article on the area from Flatbush Life.

Staten Island Designations: Two Designations Upheld…

With less than 350 properties protected by landmark designation, Staten Island is the borough with the least amount of landmarks in New York. Combine that with being the fastest growing county in New York State and it becomes obvious that historic properties on the island are under-protected and under major threat. One of the preservation commitments of the Bloomberg administration has been to try to address the dearth of designations outside Manhattan and to Commissioner Robert Tierney’s credit, more buildings outside Manhattan have been considered and designated since 2003 than in the seven years previous. That being said, saving historic buildings in Staten Island is still far from easy – as events over August have shown.

After being designated by the LPC earlier this year, the De Hart House (a 1850s Gothic Revival House on Main Street in Tottenville) and the Mark Allen House (an intact 1920s Arts & Crafts home in West Brighton) came before the Landmarks Subcommittee of City Council to be affirmed on August 14th. In both cases, the owners wanted to sell to developers and were claiming financial hardship. In both cases, the local council members, CM Andrew Lanza and Michael McMahon respectively, were strongly in favor of the designations. HDC had supported both designations at the LPC, and testified before the Subcommittee in favor of them as well – pointing out the obvious merit of both houses which were both in good shape and representative of important phases of their respective communities’ development.

During the hearing, several Council Members expressed their discomfort over this decision, based on the owners’ emotional claims. Unfortunately, CM Lanza and McMahon were unable to attend the hearing, so Subcommittee Chair Jessica Lappin held the vote over until the following morning. HDC immediately took action to marshal support for the designations by reaching out to numerous council members to explain the significance of these buildings and why they were worthy of landmark designation.

At the hearing the next day CM Lanza spoke eloquently about the De Hart House (and acknowledged the four! members of the Tottenville Historical Society who were in attendance) and CM McMahon spoke strongly in favor of the Mark Allen House. CM Lappin and CM Melinda Katz (at the following Land Use Committee hearing) both made clear points about the worthiness of the buildings and that although there was room for discussion of the possible economic consequences of the designation, they felt the buildings should be judged on their merit. In the end, the two designations were upheld by the City Council although CM Charles Barron and Annabel Palma both voted against the buildings at the Subcommittee, at the full Committee and in the final Council vote. This experience serves to reinforce that we must make doubly certain to communicate to the Council the importance and benefits of landmark designation, and must remain ever-vigilant in our efforts to preserve historic buildings. As is often said, designation is only the beginning.

…To read about a recent decision concerning a Staten Island building that wasn’t so lucky, click here.

Summer at the Landmarks Preservation Commission

July and August were very busy months at the Landmarks Commission! In addition to all the designation activities detailed above, there were 70 applications for Certificates of Appropriateness which were reviewed by HDC’s Public Review Committee. There were plenty of rear yard and rooftop additions planned throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan – most of which were eventually scaled down by LPC’s recommendations.

New construction was proposed in the Fieldston, Gansevoort, SoHo-Cast Iron, and Douglaston Historic Districts. Applicants in Fieldston are still working on a proposal that will incorporate a style and massing that will fit into the neighborhood. HDC opposed the Gansevoort application involving the demolition of two buildings designated “no style” and the construction of a massive, through-the-block building. Unfortunately, the LPC approved this building against community opposition. A rather bizarre plan involving metal trees for a produce stand and subway entrance in the SoHo-Cast Iron district was thankfully sent back to the drawing board. In the same district, a proposed 6-story, corner building better reflected the same historic neighborhood and was supported by HDC (the Commission has required the applicant to make some minor adjustments.) HDC also supported the Tudor Revival designed home planned to replace a contemporary c.1965 home in Douglaston. It has not yet been passed by the LPC but is expected to shortly.

In Manhattan, Food Emporium proposed adding a mezzanine to their store under the Queensboro Bridge. HDC spoke against setting a precedent of adding mezzanines in historic interiors. In this case, it would break up the views of the Guastavino tiled ceiling and the arches of the bridge. The LPC approved the mezzanine, the color of glass still to be determined.

Changes were proposed for the largest scenic landmark in the city, Central Park. The Central Park Conservancy made presentations for projects at the Ancient Playground and the Bethesda Terrace Arcade. Changes were proposed to the Ancient Playground, an adventure playground designed by Richard Dattner in 1972. A number of these changes such as modifications to the water chutes, the removal of tree turrets, and moving the obelisk to add new play equipment to the Toddler Circle threatened the original design. A number of groups and individuals spoke on these issues including Landmark West!, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, the Art Deco Society, Defenders of the Historic Upper East Side, and landscape architect Michael Gotkin. The commissioners agreed with these concerns and wanted to see alternative plans addressing them. Despite this, the LPC unanimously approved the binding report after being told the proposal needed to be passed as it was scheduled to be presented to the Arts Commission the following Monday.

New light fixtures were proposed for the newly restored Bethesda Terrace Arcade. Landmark West!, Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, the Society for the Architecture of the City, and HDC all voiced the opinion that there were too many fixtures (128) and that other plans should be considered. Some also questioned the paint colors proposed for the cast iron framework. The commissioners agreed and asked that other possibilities be presented at a future hearing. Stay tuned for more news when the LPC reconvenes in September. To read the actual testimony, go here.

Sick in New York

Don’t delay in ordering your tickets for our September series on historic medical facilities, “Forgotten and Forlorn: Preserving the Historic Hospitals and Medical Institutions of New York City”. Seats are going fast--especially for our hardhat tour of the south side of Ellis Island! For more information or to order tickets
for the September 12 panel discussion, From Health to Home: Adaptive Reuse of Medical Institutions, the September 19 panel, The Evolution of Sickness: Historic Hospitals of New York or the tour of Ellis Island buildings on September 23rd click here or call the HDC office at 212-614-9107.

Save the Date: HDC’s 18th Annual Landmarks Lion Award

On November 9 HDC will present its Landmarks Lion Award to Robert Silman, the noted structural engineer. The reception, dinner and award ceremony will take place at Low Memorial Library, the architectural centerpiece of Columbia University’s campus. Benefit Committee listing begins at $500. For more information, to join the Benefit Committee or place a congratulatory ad in the program, please contact Frampton Tolbert at ftolbert@hdc.org or 212-614-9107 x 13.

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