Broad support voiced for extending Park Slope district, creating new district in Wallabout neighborhood, and protecting row of buildings in Crown Heights. On October 26, 2010, Landmarks considered designating three new Brooklyn historic districts. Landmarks held separate hearings on the proposed Park Slope Historic District Extension, the Wallabout Historic District, and the Park Place Historic District.

The proposed Park Slope extension would encompass 582 buildings located southwest of the original Park Slope Historic District. The district would be generally bounded by 7th and 15th Streets and Seventh and Eighth Avenues. It would also include some properties along Bartel-Pritchard Square and Prospect Park West. The proposed extension features a mix of rowhouses and apartment buildings, many dating to the 1880s, and other notable structures including two 19th century firehouses and the 1879 Ansonia Clock Factory. 7 CityLand 125 (Sept. 15, 2010). (more…)

Extension would bring roughly 582 buildings under Landmarks’ jurisdiction. On August 10, 2010, Landmarks moved to calendar the proposed Park Slope Historic District Extension, the first step toward landmarking. The extension would include approximately 582 buildings located to the southwest of the original 1973-designated Park Slope Historic District, which encompasses 1,975 structures.

The proposed district is bounded by 7th Street to the north, 15th Street to the south, Eighth Avenue to the east, and Seventh Avenue to the west. The district would include the properties along the northwestern curve of the traffic circle at Bartel-Pritchard Square, across from Prospect Park’s south- west entrance. A small pocket of properties along Prospect Park West between 9th and 10th Streets would also be included within the district. The proposed extension features a mix of rowhouses and apartment buildings, with many dating to the 1880s and incorporating Italianate and Queen Anne-style architectural design. The properties closest to Prospect Park include early 20th century neo-Classical style architecture. The extension’s notable structures include two 19th century firehouses, the former Ansonia Clock Factory built in 1879, and the Renaissance Revival-style Acme Hall built by Charles Nickenig and featuring a ballroom, bowling alley, and meeting rooms.

Before calendaring, Chair Robert B. Tierney thanked Landmarks staff and the neighborhood advocates who were instrumental in proposing the district. Landmarks did not set a date for a public hearing.

LPC: Park Slope Historic District Extension, Brooklyn (LP-2443) (Aug.10, 2010).

The owner of one of the buildings included in new historic district opposed designation. Landmarks voted to designate twelve 1910 rowhouses at 189 to 211 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn as the Ocean on the Park Historic District. In 1909, developer Charles G. Reynolds hired Axel S. Hedman to build a row of homes along Ocean Avenue bordering Prospect Park. Hedman built ten Renaissance-revival rowhouses at 193 to 211 Ocean Avenue. The homes feature limestone facades with randomly alternating bay designs, iron cornices, and unusually deep 30- foot front yards.

Philip A. Faribault purchased 191 Ocean Avenue from Reynolds in 1915 and built a Federal Revival brick rowhouse on the lot. Two years later, Reynolds hired Eric O. Holmgren to design two Arts-and-Crafts style brick homes, separated by a shared driveway, on his remaining lots at 189 and 185 Ocean Avenue. In 2007, the owner of 185 Ocean Avenue demolished the building and obtained construction permits to develop a nine-story structure that would be cantilevered over the driveway shared with 189 Ocean Avenue. (more…)

Neighborhood adjacent to Atlantic Yards characterized by 19th Century rowhouses. On July 15, 2008, Landmarks moved to calendar 21 blocks in Prospect Heights, the first step in designating a new historic district. With 870 buildings, the proposed district would be Brooklyn’s largest. Bordering Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards development, as well as Prospect Park, the area is characterized by residential 19th Century rowhouses, predominantly in Neo- Grec, Italianate, Second Empire, and Renaissance Revival styles.

Development of Prospect Heights began in the mid-19th Century, spurred by its proximity to downtown Brooklyn, the East River, and later, the Brooklyn Bridge. Prospect Heights experienced several waves of development, and, in addition to its characteristic brownstones, is home to neo-Classical apartment buildings, including the 1889 Prospect View apartments, as well as various institutional buildings. (more…)

Comm. Board’s transportation committee opposes initial plan. The Department of Transportation proposed a plan to Brooklyn Community Board 6 to change 6th and 7th Avenues in Park Slope to one-way traffic and reduce the number of lanes on 4th Avenue.

On March 15, 2007, DOT presented the proposals to Board 6’s Transportation Committee. DOT proposed to turn 6th Avenue between 23rd Street and Atlantic Avenue into a northbound one-way avenue, and 7th Avenue between Flatbush and Prospect Avenues into a southbound one-way avenue. DOT said the changes would reduce traffic conflicts, create predictable traffic patterns, remove left-turning conflicts and potentially reduce head-on collisions. Overall, the plan would improve automobile and pedestrian safety. The changes to 4th Avenue would affect the stretch between Dean and 17th Streets, reducing the number of moving lanes from three to two, and adding left-turn lanes. DOT explained that it would follow the full board’s final recommendation. (more…)