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designated:
Crown
Heights North,
Phase 2!
Crown Heights
North Phase 3, Calendered
In the 1700’s the area known today as Crown Heights North
in Brooklyn was part of a Lefferts family farm. The Lefferts began
selling the land in the 1850’s, and the area was developed
in the late 19th century, following the opening of the Brooklyn
Bridge. At this time, the area was populated with upper middle class
homeowners, living in rural frame dwellings and rowhouses, which
is the predominant housing type existing today. These rowhouses
still maintain much of their historic detailing, which stands as
a reminder of the wealth of the original inhabitants.
In addition to the rowhouses of
Crown Heights, the area also has a number of free standing mansions,
apartment houses, tenement buildings, and even a couple of early
frame dwellings exist today. The neighborhood also contains samples
of works by renowned architects and firms such as Montrose Morris
and J.C. Cady & Co, and the architectural styles vary from neo-Grec
and Italianate to Romanesque Revival, neo-Renaissance, and Queen
Anne styles.
Crown Heights North is also notable
for its wealth of architecturally significant churches, including
the First Church of Christ Scientist built in 1909 and designed
by Henry Ives Cobb, architect for the Fisheries Building of the
World’s Columbian Exposition.
Crown Heights North is fortunate
to have a very active neighborhood group, the Crown Heights North
Association, which for many years has been tirelessly advocating
for the designation of the neighborhood. Additionally, they have
obtained strong political support from their community board and
council members who recognize the significance of this historic
neighborhood.
In 1978, the Landmarks Preservation
Commission undertook a survey of this neighborhood roughly covering
the area north of Eastern Parkway to Pacific Street; east to Albany
Avenue and West to Grant Square. The survey was completed soon after
it was initiated, but the designation proceedings languished until
local residents formed the Crown Heights North Association. The
CHNA educated homeowners, held numerous public meetings and launched
a campaign for designation of the neighborhood. In June of 2006
the LPC calendared a portion of the neighborhood for a designation
hearing. While HDC is thrilled that the LPC has calendared part
of the neighborhood we urge the Commission to calendar the rest
of the survey area before its architecture is permanently erased.
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