Landmarking: Progress in Bedford Stuyvesant
If an overflow turnout, intelligent discourse, and active community participation were all it took to assure landmark status, then the residents of what will one day be the Bedford Historic District should be readying the champagne. The informational meeting, held Saturday, July 10th, at the Franklin Avenue Library’s auditorium, was so well attended that organizers…
If an overflow turnout, intelligent discourse, and active community participation were all it took to assure landmark status, then the residents of what will one day be the Bedford Historic District should be readying the champagne. The informational meeting, held Saturday, July 10th, at the Franklin Avenue Library’s auditorium, was so well attended that organizers had to hold an overflow meeting in another room, as library staff would not allow any more than 100 people into the room. Claudette Brady, The Bedford Corners Historic District Joint Block Association Committee Chair, along with Simeon Bankoff, the Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council, fielded questions about the landmarking process, the pros and cons of dealing with the Landmarks Preservation Commission and its rules and regulations, and the always present questions about replacement windows. Although there were some skeptics, most of the response was extremely positive, the most persistent question being why it has taken so long to landmark the area in the first place. The good news is that the LPC is sending staff out into the field, advancing the process, and although it will still take at least a couple of years, there is great confidence that the Bedford Historic District will become a reality. The name proposed for the new district – Bedford Historic District, has been modified to avoid confusion with Bedford Corners, in upstate NY. For more information, updates, and ways to help, see the Bedford Corners HD website.
Bedford Corners Historic District Meeting [Brownstoner]
Commodore was right on. The Fiske Terrace Midwood Park Historic District was designated in 2008 and we never regretted it. Yes, I had to get an LPC permit to repave my driveway and sidewalk. Yes, if I want to replace by storm door, I’ll need a permit for that too. But so what? The overwhelming majority of neighbors who testified in support of landmarking are comfortable that when someone buys into our neighborhood, they will share our goal of preservation, and not help turn our neighborhood into Gravesend or Manhattan Beach.
Best of luck to the Bedford Historic District. The process does take years, but it is well worth it. Hang in there…
There are over 100 LPC designated historic districts in NYC, and all of them got designation by showing overwhelming community support for it. I don’t hear any complaints from the residents.
The biggest benefit for designated Historic Districts is that they stay the way they are, and/or get even better. They don’t end up as developers’ dream eyesores like most of Williamsburg.
And if the price of that is a “living hell” of not being allowed to put in ugly cheapo white vinyl windows that malfunction in five years, well, too damn bad. Fortunately, most people are able to see past that ‘penny wise, pound foolish’ mindset and they are the ones who will reap the benefits of even-keeled property values and real community pride, not to mention grants and subsidies that help to make appropriate upgrades affordable.
The Historic Bedford Q&A forum was helpful, congenial, cohesive and reflective of the diversity that BedStuy now is. Kudos to “the Brady Bunch”!
It means “dilettante Preservation Nazis will turn even the most minor of renovations onto a living hell of cash hemorrhaging and Kafka-esqe Red-Queen-spinning bureaucracy”
At least, that’s what I read into it.
Caveat emptor, small home owners.
Small # of people have enormous power at Landmarks, what is route of appeal? very expensive for homeowners, beware
What in the world does that mean?
Landmarks staff not large enough to handle # of parcels they had five years ago, much less now.
Caveat emptor, small home owners.
Small # of people have enormous power at Landmarks, what is route of appeal? very expensive for homeowners, beware