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City Council Approves Skyscraper Historic District

By on February 1, 2012 10:54 pm in Architecture, Government, Landmark Preservation

Today the City Council approved the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District by a vote of 46-1, with two abstentions.

The Brooklyn Paper: Preservationists hailed the city for protecting a slew of Romanesque Revival and Beaux-Arts structures, including the tiered co-op 75 Livingston St., which housed some of the designation’s most vocal opponents.

“We’re thrilled,” said Judy Stanton, executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association, the powerful community group that helped push for the district. “The opposition exaggerated the negatives. This is going to be good for Brooklyn as a whole and very good for Downtown and Court Street.” Continue Reading →

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NY Daily News Weighs In On Downtown Landmarking: “No Good Reason”

By on January 28, 2012 12:11 pm in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Landmark Preservation, Real Estate

The New York Daily News published a to-the-point Opinion piece titled “The Battle Of Brooklyn” condemning the proposed Brooklyn Downtown Skyscraper District, which is heading for a full City Council vote February 1. The five-paragraph story calls the bid to protect the 21 buildings “transparently nonsense.” Continue Reading →

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Downtown Brooklyn “Skyscraper District” On Track For Approval

By on January 25, 2012 2:33 pm in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Commercial Real Estate, Downtown Brooklyn, Government, Landmark Preservation

Despite vehement opposition from segments of the local real estate community, the downtown Brooklyn “Borough Hall Skyscraper District” is on track for approval by the New York City Council. On Tuesday, January 24, the plan offering landmark protection to 21 buildings that abut Brooklyn Heights, was given a go by the Council’s landmarks subcommittee, all but ensuring the entire Council will ratify it Feb. 1. (See BHB’s previous Jan. 19 post here.) Continue Reading →

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Will Someone Buy the Heights Cinema Building to Preserve It?

By on January 23, 2012 11:38 pm in Architecture, Development, Landmark Preservation, movies

Kate Briquelet’s Brooklyn Paper story quotes Brooklyn Heights Cinema owner Kenn Lowy as saying he has “received e-mails from people interested in buying the building.”

The Brooklyn Paper: “There are a lot of people who want to keep it around,” said Lowy, who hopes to find a new home for the theater if the building can’t be saved. “It makes it easier to move forward knowing we have all this support.” Continue Reading →

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Modifications to 72 Poplar on CB2 Executive Committee Agenda Tomorrow Evening

Modifications to 72 Poplar on CB2 Executive Committee Agenda Tomorrow Evening

By on January 22, 2012 11:42 pm in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Development, Landmark Preservation, Real Estate

The plans of the development company that bought 72 Poplar Street, the former NYPD building (see photo), will be considered at the meeting of the Executive Committee of Community Board 2 tomorrow (Monday, January 23) evening, starting at 6:00, at the Library Learning Center, room 515, of Long Island University, at DeKalb and Hudson Avenues. Continue Reading →

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REBNY Amps Efforts To Quash “Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District” Landmarking

REBNY Amps Efforts To Quash “Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District” Landmarking

By on January 19, 2012 2:33 pm in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Development, Downtown Brooklyn, Government, Landmark Preservation

The Real Estate Board of New York is amping its drive to derail the still-tentative landmarking of 21 buildings in downtown Brooklyn, by sending out a mailing to thousands of area residents urging them to bend City Council’s ear against the newly proposed historic district. In addition, on Friday, REBNY sent a letter to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn urging the Council to rethink the decision.

All landmarked districts require final approval from the City Council and mayor within 120 days. The Council vote is slated for Feb. 1, with two hearings scheduled next week. Continue Reading →

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…Meanwhile, New Design for 30 Henry Approved

By on January 18, 2012 11:04 pm in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Development, Government, Landmark Preservation

According to Brownstoner, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved a new design for the five story residential building to replace the Eagle at 30 Henry Street, at the corner of Middagh. NOTE: the picture on the linked Brownstoner post is of a bank building in Williamsburg, not a rendering of the new 30 Henry design. For an earlier version of the 30 Henry design, see here. There is, as yet, no rendering of the new design available. As we noted earlier, the revisions required by the LPC at its previous hearing were “minor”, so it’s safe to guess that the approved design will not differ greatly from the earlier one.

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Source: Plans for 70 Henry Street Withdrawn from LPC Hearing

By on January 18, 2012 9:29 pm in Landmark Preservation

According to a BHB source the landlord of 70 Henry Street, Tom Caruana, has withdrawn his  proposal for a new structure at 70 Henry St. to Community Board 2’s Landmarks Committee.  The building currently is the home of the Brooklyn Heights Cinema, which would be displaced if the plan were to move forward.

No word yet on if this is simply a postponement or a permanent shift in plans.

DEVELOPING….

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Times Briefly Reviews Two Books on Brooklyn Heights History

By on January 15, 2012 10:04 pm in Arts and Entertainment, Brooklyn History, Landmark Preservation, Literature

Louise Casey/New York Times


Sam Roberts’ “Bookshelf” column in yesterday’s New York Times includes brief reviews of two books on Heights history, both of which have been reviewed here: Henrik Krogius’ The Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which review includes a link to Karl Junkersfeld’s video; and Martin Schneider’s Battling for Brooklyn Heights. Roberts recommends Krogius’ book for containing “accounts of [the Promenade's] evolution and enduring charm and photographs by Louise Casey.” He calls Schneider’s book “instructive”, noting that it warns against complacency about the successes of the historic preservation movement to date, when challenges may lie in the future.

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BHA Annual Meeting February 22

By on January 14, 2012 9:35 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Events, Landmark Preservation

The Brooklyn Heights Association will have its annual meeting on the evening of Wednesday, February 22, starting at 7:30, at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Court). The guest speaker will be Sam Sifton, formerly food critic and now National Editor of the New York Times, who grew up in the Heights, and who will talk about “the pleasures and challenges of Brooklyn’s burgeoning restaurant scene.” There will also be reports on the BHA’s activities, and time for questions and discussion.

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Eagle: LPC Hearing on 30 Henry Design Results in Minor Changes

By on January 12, 2012 1:32 am in Architecture, Development, Government, Landmark Preservation

Linda Collins reports on the discussion at Monday’s Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on the design of the building proposed to replace the old Eagle headquarters at 30 Henry Street, corner of Middagh, which is the first Brooklyn Heights building many people see after taking the exit from the Brooklyn Bridge (see a rendering of the proposed design here).

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: Following what one person described as “an exhilarating” discussion on the value of contextual vs. contemporary architecture in a historic district, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) yesterday asked the design team of a proposed new five-story, five-unit building at 30 Henry St. in Brooklyn Heights to consider making some additional changes. Continue Reading →

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Brooklyn Paper: Brooklyn Heights Cinema Endangered?

By on January 12, 2012 12:09 am in Arts and Entertainment, Brooklyn Heights, Development, Landmark Preservation, movies, News

According to Kate Briquelet’s story, the beloved Brooklyn Heights Cinema, recently rescued and revitalized by BHB Ten honoree Kenn Lowy, may be demolished to make way for (what else?) a five story residential building.

Brooklyn Paper: Next Wednesday, building owner Tom Caruana will present plans for a new structure at 70 Henry St. at Community Board 2’s Landmarks Committee — an early step in gaining city permission to demolish an edifice in the landmarked neighborhood, according to District Manager Rob Perris. Continue Reading →

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A Whole Lotta Meh: 30 Henry Street Renderings Released

By on December 19, 2011 8:18 pm in Architecture, Landmark Preservation


Brownstoner reports today on the release of the renderings for the proposed new building at 30 Henry Street. News of the new structure broke recently with word that CB2′s landmarks committee has given its OK while the BHA had asked for a more contemporary design after seeing preliminary renderings. Also, the the new complex will boast a waterfall.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled to review the design tomorrow (12/20).

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State Court Rules Bloomberg Administration and State Acted Improperly in Tobacco Warehouse Transfer

By on December 13, 2011 5:32 pm in brooklyn bridge park, Government, Landmark Preservation, Legal

While the attempted turnover of the Tobacco Warehouse for use as a new home for St. Ann’s Warehouse Theater was effectively stopped by a federal court’s decision in July (and St. Ann’s has found a new, if temporary, home in DUMBO), a New York State court ruled in a parallel action brought by the same plaintiffs as the federal one–the Brooklyn Heights Association, the Fulton Ferry Landing Association, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Preservation League of New York State–that the actions of both the city and state governments in transferring the historic structure were a “nullity because [they] violated New York’s public trust doctrine.” Continue Reading →

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Planned Building at 30 Henry Will Have a Waterfall

By on December 1, 2011 9:46 am in Development, Landmark Preservation, Real Estate

The Brooklyn Eagle reports today on plans by the Fortis Group for the paper’s former headquarters at 30 Henry Street. In its original piece about a proposed condo on there, the paper reported that the new building would be 65 feet high, 15 feet over what is allowed in our landmark district. However, the BHA’s Judy Stanton, who has seen the plans, told BHB last weekthat the proposal was a 50 foot structure. The Eagle’s report today includes a similar statement from Stanton. The proposal was approved by CB2′s Land Use Committee on 11/16 and will be presented to the full board on 12/14.

But what new info did we learn from today’s report? THERE’LL BE A WATERFALL. Continue Reading →

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