Council Member Juamaane Williams outside Jackie Robinson Tilden Avenue home. Photo Credit: Keith Dawson/NYC Council.

Council Member seeks full Council support and support of online petition.  On April 29, 2014, City Council Member Jumaane Williams of Brooklyn introduced Resolution 209 calling upon the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate 5224 Tilden Avenue in Brooklyn an individual city landmark.   The two story residence served as the home to Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. (more…)

Plan seeks to protect Victorian homes and pre-war apartment buildings. The City Council approved the Department of City Planning’s rezoning proposal for the Flatbush neighborhoods south of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The plan impacts 180 blocks generally bounded by Prospect Park to the north, Bedford Avenue to the east, Coney Island Avenue to the west, and Brooklyn College to the south. The rezoning area includes the Prospect Park South, Ditmas Park, Albermarle- Kenmore Terraces, and Fiske Terrace- Midwood Historic Districts.

Flatbush’s zoning had remained largely unchanged since 1961, and did not reflect the area’s built character, which includes lower density detached homes and mid-rise apartment buildings. Victorian style detached homes with lawns and gardens are located in the western and southeastern portions of the rezoning area, collectively known as “Victorian Flatbush.” These homes, two- to three-stories in height, were built in the early 1900s. Apartment buildings, four- to eight-stories in height and built after the 1920s, are located along commercial arteries, such as Ocean and Flatbush Avenues. (more…)

New historic district will be Brooklyn’s largest. On June 23, 2009, Landmarks voted to designate 21 blocks in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn as a historic district. Developed in the mid and late 19th century, the area is largely characterized by rowhouses spanning a variety of styles, including Italianate, Romanesque, Renaissance Revival, and Second Empire. The eastern portion of the district along Flatbush Avenue includes larger scale, mixed-use structures. At the hearing, community residents expressed support for designation, and spoke of the need for protection from the encroachment of out-of-character development into the area. 5 CityLand 172 (Dec. 15, 2008). (more…)

EDC intends to transfer property to non-profit trade group. On September 18, 2007, Landmarks heard testimony on the possible designation of the former Public School 90 building in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Architect John Y. Culyer, also responsible for the nearby Flatbush Town Hall, a City landmark, designed P.S. 90 in 1878, before Flatbush assimilated into the city of Brooklyn. P.S. 90 built additions to the school in 1886 and 1906. Chair Robert B. Tierney stated that Landmarks originally considered the building for designation and held a hearing in 1989.

At the hearing, Christina DeRose from the Economic Development Corporation testified that the EDC had entered into a partnership with the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2005 with the intention of transferring the vacant school to the group to use as its headquarters. DeRose testified that the EDC supported designation if Landmarks designated only the building and not the surrounding lot, which the Chamber plans to convert into an exhibition space. Flatbush’s Council Member Kendall Stewart, speaking in support, stated that the building by itself “is not able to accommodate everything we propose and plan.” (more…)

Landmarks takes first steps towards designation of historic district in Flatbush. On September 19, 2006, Landmarks voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the proposal to designate 250 single-family homes in Flatbush, Brooklyn as the Midwood Park – Fiske Terrace Historic District.

Fiske Terrace features single-family homes developed from 1905 to 1920 by Theodore B. Ackerson on a 30-acre, densely wooded estate purchased from George Fiske. In 1905, Ackerson cleared the land, set out streets, installed sewers and water lines, and developed over 150 single-family homes within 18 months. Ackerson built uniform three-story homes in series of ten, using stock plans, but allowed each owner to vary the exterior details.

John Corbin similarly developed the Midwood Park community, allowing home owners to choose from 30 distinct models that used the same materials and construction methods. Corbin cut all the needed beams, frames and trims at his East 56th Street factory on Jamaica Bay and shipped the materials to the construction site. Landmarks research staff noted that Corbin’s factory had the capacity to turn out 1,000 pre-fabricated homes a year. (more…)