Two Lawsuits Over the Tobacco Warehouse
It didn’t surprise anyone when, this November, St. Ann’s Warehouse, the respected arts group with a long-time Dumbo presence, was selected out of an RFP process (that ended up generating only one other competing proposal) to develop the Tobacco Warehouse as an entertainment venue. There was plenty of opposition at the time (including from pols…
It didn’t surprise anyone when, this November, St. Ann’s Warehouse, the respected arts group with a long-time Dumbo presence, was selected out of an RFP process (that ended up generating only one other competing proposal) to develop the Tobacco Warehouse as an entertainment venue. There was plenty of opposition at the time (including from pols like Council Member Steve Levin and Assembly Member Joan Millman) concerning both the idea of developing the site at all as well as the lack of public input throughout the process. And now several community and preservation-minded groups have taken the fight to the courts: The Brooklyn Heights Association, the Fulton Ferry Association and the New York Landmarks Conservancy are suing to stop St. Ann’s from moving in. The Daily News, which broke the story yesterday, ups the ante today with an article that includes some emails among some of the key players. And if you need more detail on the legal nitty-gritty, The Brooklyn Eagle lays it out this morning: one lawsuit seeks a “preliminary injunction in federal court to stop the transfer of the warehouse to a private organization” and the other asks for a court order to prevent officials from providing false and misleading information to the National Park Service. Those filing the lawsuit believe city and state officials had a “secret plan” to remove the warehouse from the park’s map to hand it over to a private company. Joan Millman, for one, believes that “In light of this new information, [the Tobacco Warehouse] should remain as is — a stabilized architectural ruin programmed as a multi-purpose space accommodating a variety of activities.
Photo by RambleOn623
@Architect: Nobody is describing St Ann’s as a politically connected monied overlord. That description is reserved for their benefactor, Two Trees (Walentas). Read the Daily News follow-up article from 1/19, which reveals some of the email content between TT, St Ann’s and BBPDC President Regina Myer.
It’s rich vs. rich: smackdown!
1- It’s not like they’re putting a Walmart there and 2- There are so many worthy art and education non-profits out there. Get your boots on, rich people with lots of free time, board positions are yours for the asking.
Again – who will pay for stabilization and upkeep of this architecturally significant structure? That seems to be at the core of the argument here. I’m aware of the alternative plans put forth by other community groups, but for all their desirability, these plans lacked a funded tenant. I have no horse in this race – but I am alarmed to hear St. Ann’s described as a “politically connected” “monied” overlord. That kind of invective is usually reserved for the likes of Forest City Ratner and their ilk.
Then again, if there is a backroom deal, I’d love to hear more about it, and to learn about the puppetmaster pulling the strings and the diabolical plan to lay waste to edenic DUMBO.
the lawsuit challenges the politically-connected overlords and the secret backroom deals.
Some of the posters are getting it exactly backwards.
it’s about the people deciding their fate, not the landed gentry or the monied overlords or politically inclined backroom deals.
i bet this one gets ugly.
Who fights a cultural institution?
Rich, entitled assholes in DUMBO who would prefer “an architectural ruin” to a great cultural organization that benefits the entire City.
I often wonder what a better City this would be if these bozos spent their money and (clearly ample) free time fighting the poverty, hunger and ignorance that reigns a few miles east of their multi-million dollar condos instead of bitching and moaning about “architectural ruins.” In the greater scheme of things, who cares?!
Who fights a cultural institution? Especially one that would repurpose an existing historical structure and keep arts in a neighborhood already too expensive for the artists who helped make it a destination (and who will eventually be pushed out when their leases are up). How about this DUMBO, I’ll trade you the St. Ann’s performance space for Red Hook’s totally inappropriate waterfront development: IKEA. I’m sure someone could make an argument that big box tax revenue would help fund the park.
It’s completely about ossification and landed gentry-types tweaked they are not in full control of all resources. So no, I shall not put a sock in it, any more than you should stuff your boxer shorts in there. There was a process, which managed to keep an art space open at no extra cost to a cash-strapped city or state. There were opportunities for others to come up with plans, why should they get a second chance? It’s not like they are devoid of power or resources.
Hmm. Wonder if preserving this as a ruin is really protects the community interest. I know my mind is not made up. Until the Park Service is Federally funded to complete historic restoration and preservation projects, it will be up to the private sector or state and local governments to restore and protect properties such as this one. By the way, the law on this was settled – the case was the Presidio in San Francisco – but there is still simmering community opposition there.