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…)

BID will encompass 149 properties and address sanitation and security needs. The Planning Commission unanimously approved an application by the Flatbush-Nostrand Junction District Management Association and the Department of Small Business Services to create a Flatbush-Nostrand Junction Business Improvement District. The proposed BID will allow an annual assessment on businesses and residents for improved sanitation and security and will encompass 149 properties containing 235 businesses. The BID area is roughly bounded by Flatbush Avenue, Glenwood Avenue, Hillel Place and portions of Glenwood Road.

The BID would focus on remediation of sanitation, graffiti and security issues by employing a six-day weekly sanitation crew and added security to supplement the NYPD. Of the $200,000 first-year budget, $50,000 will be allocated to sanitation, $64,500 to security and $57,500 to administration. The budget will come from an assessment on commercial properties of $21 per-linear-front-foot and $.005 per dollar of assessed valuation. Residents and vacant property owners will pay an annual $1 assessment. Government and notfor- profits, including Brooklyn College, would be exempt. (more…)

Kinko houses in the Melrose Parkside Historic District. Image Credit: LPC.

Some of the houses within the district represent a unique layout that was developed in Brooklyn. On December 13, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Melrose Parkside Historic District in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The new historic district consists of 38 single- and two-family row houses on Parkside Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford Avenues, including the properties from 357 to 413 Parkside Avenue on the north and 290 to 386 Parkside Avenue on the south side of the street. (more…)