Library Plan a Win-Win on Paper
Representatives from the affordable housing group Fifth Avenue Committee are meeting today with City officials to discuss their proposal totear down four single-story libraries in Brooklyn and replace them with larger buildings that have more library space as well as apartments for low- and moderate-income tenants. This is a great opportunity to look at a…
Representatives from the affordable housing group Fifth Avenue Committee are meeting today with City officials to discuss their proposal totear down four single-story libraries in Brooklyn and replace them with larger buildings that have more library space as well as apartments for low- and moderate-income tenants. This is a great opportunity to look at a resource that is in every neighborhood and that has the ability to generate additional housing, said Rafael Cestero, deputy commissioner for development at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. You’re looking at pieces of property that have underutilized development rights, and libraries that need rehabilitation and expansion. The four libraries under consideration are in Clinton Hill, Red Hook, Sunset Park and Brower Park in Crown Heights (above). While we agree that this sounds like a win-win on paper, we’re concerned about the aesthetic implications for the Clinton Hill location. (Not sure about the others.) With the PACC buildings in the process of ruining lowering the design quality of the block of Washington between Gates and Fulton, it would be a shame to impose another eyesore just up the street. Granted, the existing “bunker-style” building is nothing to look at, but one story of cinderblock construction is a hell of a lot less obtrusive than four or five. At least in the case of the library, the site falls within the Landmark district so there would presumably be some control over what was put up there. Can someone point to some of the other projects that the Fifth Avenue Committee has built? What is its track record for building in historic areas? If the city gets behind a project like this, can it steamroll Landmarks or is LPC’s power sacred?
Stranger Than Fiction? [NY Times]
yes, yes. we musn’t let poor people live someplace too nice.
Aesthetics in affordable housing is another catch-22: if the design is somewhat scaled back as compared to SOME market-rate housing, people complain that its ugly. If the architect pays extra attention to the aesthetics AND the funding agencies approve it (which doesn’t always happen), the feedback is often to the tone of the building being too nice for the population or complain that their tax dollars are being used carelessly. In affordable housing, the focus is usually getting the most bang for the buck, the most units for the buck, which will house the most people and prevent homelessness and poor living conditions. Personally, I think that there needs to be more focus on the aesthitics, but the reality does not always match up. Brownstoner: you can check out FAC’s website too: fifthave.org
I love this idea in theory–tho I agree w/anon 11:11 that library wd need separate entry and guarantee on lease–but I worry that in practice this is not going to work.
The library pictured above is on St.Mark’s between Nostrand and New York Ave. It is sandwiched between two apartment buildings, and was also built on the site of an old mansion. That must have been de regueur in back in the day. I agree with Bx2bklyn, a chance to both update and expand the library, as well as add needed affordable housing should not be passed up lightly. Hopefully, now that the community is getting more organized and proactive, a decent design will be put forth. We have the Vignoly addition to the Children’s Museum going up only a block from here, it would be nice to have the public library built with a similar level of design. Many of the Manhattan libraries, such as the one in Harlem, were designed by McKim, Mead and White. Building an edifice for the public good should mean something.
Underwood Playground is built on the site of the Underwood mansion, the fine folk that brought the world the Underwood typewriters. Not sure how many bloggers remember typewriters….
The 5th Ave committee is one of the few truly respectable organizations in this city. Although they wont win any architectural awards they are not going to screw their neighbors, the people who work for them, or anyone else for that matter; the way that most of the Developers in this City do. They will build something decent and useful to the neighborhood as well as the people who will be living in the building.
Underwood playground is also on the site of a torn down mansion. I guess the theory being that they didn’t want anyone else to live in their home. That said, tearing down that eyesore and building something larger and more contextual, even if not perfect, can only be good. How about a Gugenheim-Bilbao style blob. Oh sorry that would be Gehry…heee, heee.
RE: steev’s comment, I believe that the CH library was built on the site of one of the “grand mansions” on Washington. I recall going on a Clinton Hill house tour sometime in the ’70s and being told that the owner of the original house made arrangements for it to be torn down following their death–a shame, but perfectly legal in the pre-HD era.
I was about to say the same thing as brownstoner. If you don’t raise potential concerns and “whine” before plans are approved and work begins, then you are called out for obstructing with approved plans. So what is it, just don’t discuss or offer critiques of anything? Come on…