Photo: Fulton Ferry Landing Association
As you may have noticed, there has been some positive action on 11, 13, and 15 Old Fulton Street, thanks to continuing pressure from concerned residents, preservationists, and our elected officials. Contractors have been cleaning out the buildings so as to reduce the load on the structures, under the supervision of the DOB’s forensic engineering division. This will likely continue for the next week or so. (more…)
Flickr photo by Jonas Bengsston
Brownstoner photo
Brownstoner reports that after much fuss and LPC arm twisting, Arby’s has called it quits at 372 Fulton Street. The fast food chain had meticulously crafted its interior to preserve the landmarked Gage and Tollner space but clearly it didn’t attract enough business to keep going. The store opened in January of this year.
Maybe the guys at the Brooklyn Paper were right when they tasted Arby’s offerings on opening day. Their verdict – bleeech!
BBPCC rendering of proposed alternative use of Tobacco Warehouse open space
The BBPCC, a coalition of neighborhood groups and supporters of the park, states that, “the Tobacco Warehouse should remain a stabilized, architectural ruin, activated with enhancements that allow it to be a flexible, public, multipurpose outdoor space accommodating a wide variety of activities, and not dominated by one use or group.” It includes proposals for enhanced use of the space as well as a historical perspective from Francis Morrone.
Read the full document after the jump. (more…)
This morning while walking on Pierrepont Place, BHB’s Karl Junkersfeld noticed that there was flooding at historic No. 2 Pierrepont Place. He enlisted the help of a passerby to call 311 and alert them of the situation. A neighbor called the owners.
Our Claude Scales adds:
This afternoon I looked out my window and saw a huge FDNY ladder truck stopped on Pierrepont Place. I went down and saw police blocking off the street while firemen were busy around 2 Pierrepont Place. Later a pumper engine came across Pierrepont Street, turned, and parked facing the ladder truck. Firefighters appeared to be trying to pump water out through a small access hole in the sidewalk. A few minutes later, they put their equipment back in the vehicles and left. I asked one of the police officers on the scene if there was a water main break. He said it was “something about the water” and that the DEP had been called to investigate. Since then, nothing more has happened.
No. 2 Pierrepont Place (Alexander M. White house) was once part of a trio of homes on Pierrepont. It and No. 3 (Abiel Abbot Low house) were designed by Frederick A. Peterson in 1857 and still stand, while No. 1 (the Henry Pierrepont Mansion, designed by Richard Upjohn) was demolished in 1946 to make way for a playground and the Promenade entrance. The AIA Guide 2010 to New York City calls numbers 2 and 3 Pierrepont Place “the most elegant brownstones remaining in New York.”
Philanthropist Alfred T. White was born in No. 2 and Seth Low, the only person to serve as both mayor of Brooklyn and New York City, lived at No. 3.
Bring the Fireworks Back! from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.
Last year, Macy’s had their 4th of July fireworks on the Hudson to commemorate Henry Hudson’s voyage. Unfortunately, they liked it so much they decided to keep them there. So for the second 4th in a row, a large number of New Yorkers will only be able to see the fireworks that peek over the top of the Verizon building, or through binoculars aimed at Newark.
This morning, Councilman Stephen Levin held a press conference calling for the fireworks to come back home to the East River, citing the benefit to Brooklyn businesses, residents, and even the historical significance of the East River in the Battle of Brooklyn. Also in attendance were Richard Morrow, who represents the businesses around Fulton Ferry, and Pete from Pete’s Downtown. Have a look. And by the way, where will you be watching the fireworks tonight?
A BHB tipster informs us that the NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal has denied the Pinnacle Group’s appeal to reopen the case for a parking lot in the Riverside Apartments’ courtyard. Basically, he reports that the landlord was attempting to “restore retro-active tenant rents without making any improvements or restoration to the courtyard.”
Pinnacle’s reps still have one day to file an appeal. The landlord lost a similar appeal back in May of a July 2009 DHCR ruling.
Yournabe.com runs two dueling Op-Ed pieces this week about landmarking. On the “con” side is Carroll Gardens resident Michael Cassidy, on the “pro” side is Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Judy Stanton:
Yournabe.com: When the push began for a historic district, Robert Moses was on his urban renewal program and was sweeping away townhouses on the east side of Henry Street, one of which was the house where Walt Whitman had lived. If we hadn’t stopped that with landmarking, the destruction of other housing stock in Brooklyn Heights would have continued. There would not be a Brooklyn Heights as we know it, and also probably not a Cobble Hill or a Boerum Hill or a Park Slope or a Carroll Gardens as we know these neighbors today.
Nabeguy ponders the "whatifs" of BQE reconstruction
Wednesday night’s BQE EIS Stakeholder’s Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting at St. Francis College put many North Heights and Willowtown residents at ease as two scenarios that would have destroyed their homes were ruled out. The declaration, made by NYSDOT Planning and Program Manager Peter King, came 35 minutes into the meeting which was well attended by members of the general public in addition to members of the SAC.
Brooklyn Heights residents in attendance broke out into reserved applause when King made the announcement. Many had feared the loss of their homes or a steep decline in property value after reports from the group’s May 26th meeting outlined a ”Standard Alternative” scenario calling for the demolition of buildings in Willowtown and the North Heights. Those plans, renamed “Design Speed Compliant” for Wednesday’s meeting, were dismissed by NYSDOT as “not viable”.
The process is still in its infancy – work is not expected to begin on any aspect of the project until 2018.
7pm : NYSDOT’s Peter King intros.
Asks public to hold comments to end – let Stakeholder Advisory Committee ask questions as things go along.
Saying it’s still a process and we “don’t haves project yet.”
Adds that the BQE is old but healthy and “unlike me” it can be rejuvenated.
King is confident that “at the end of the day, we can have a project that everybody can live with.”
7:15pm No “go” project until 2018.
King – ” this is a work in progress… Understand that especially regarding some of the more exotic alignments.”
7:20: Going through illustrations. We’ll post later!
CS1 – stays away from historic districts; could result in extending the Promenade.
R1- fixes BQE on current alignment. Impact during construction. No other impact — Joe Izzo says this is a “viable” option at this time.
T1 – Tunnel!! BQE stays open during construction. Existing BQE could add bikepath among other things .
T2 – another tunnel!! Follows existing BQE.
T3 – Outboard tunnel!! Into the river! Existig BQE would need to close for construction.
DS1- this is the one where they destroy the North Heights. “questionable viabilty”. (you think?)
DS2- fully compliant with standards as is DS1.
7:35: Peter King –
Criteria for designs:
Engineering
Improve traffic
Reduce diversion of traffic
Environmental effects
King says – “by the tenents of criteria number four” DS1 and DS2 not happening. “this (plan) goes no place.”
NO DESTRUCTION of North Heights!!
7:43- Jim Brown in the house!
7:48 – Doug Adams lays down some transit options — variable pricing anyone? HOV lanes?
This is all brainstorming, please don’t freak out.
Ok, now that our homes aren’t going to be destroyed I’m thinking about Great Wall. Mmmmm.
There really needs to be a little show biz in these presentations guys.
We’ll have doc scans up later.
8:04 – Question time!
Lots of yack about next meedting. Nabeguy and TK are gone…. We’re outty!
But wait…. There’s debate about inviting the media! As in don’t! Now that’s transparency!
Judy Stanton says let that media in! You go girl!
Gotta say this King guy seems sane… Take that newspaper fear mongers!!
The public really wants to ask questions but the SAC still yacking!
DOT – takes 2 weeks to get info online. That’s Latin for more PR disasters to come.
Guy from ABA(?) wants elected and press here.
Sure, soon is the response.
Ok now I’m really out of here — phrase “dog parents” just used with no irony.
Nabe Chatter