BREAKING: 227 Duffield Saved From Eminent Domain Death
This just in via press release: The lawsuit filed by South Brooklyn Legal Services on behalf of Joy Chatel, owner of 227 Duffield Street, has ended in a settlement with the city that will spare the brick building in Downtown Brooklyn from seizure and destruction through eminent domain. Since the city announced its intentions to…
This just in via press release: The lawsuit filed by South Brooklyn Legal Services on behalf of Joy Chatel, owner of 227 Duffield Street, has ended in a settlement with the city that will spare the brick building in Downtown Brooklyn from seizure and destruction through eminent domain. Since the city announced its intentions to build an underground garage on the site of the 1848 building back in 2004, it’s been the source of great controversy: The owner, as well as many politicians and historians, has argued that its connection to the Underground Railroad in the 19th Century. As part of the settlement, the city has agreed to redo its plans for this section of the Downtown Brooklyn development plan. Chatel plans to offer tours of the home upon request. There will be a press conference on Monday at noon at the house. Surprised at the outcome?
The Duffield Eminent Domain Battle Continues [Brownstoner]
City Reevaluating Duffield St. Eminent Domain Plan [Brownstoner]
HPD OK’s Seizure of Duffield St. Homes [Brownstoner]
Abolition Panel a Salve for Duffield Street Concerns? [Brownstoner]
Duffield Preservationists Fight Back with Lawsuit [Brownstoner]
The owner of that property isn’t very smart. He will not get very much for that property once the architects designed around his property. He should stop being so selfish and stop lying and stop being so greedy and sell the property to the city.
This is really too bad. There is no confirmation that these houses had anything to do with the underground railroad. We were supposed to have a beautiful park built here (yes on top of a parking garage) and now we’ll be stuck with an unattractive, decrepit brick building that just takes up space. I certainly understand a homeowner being upset about losing their house to eminent domain, but please don’t turn this into a “we’re saving a piece of history” here.
Who knows what the revised plans will be, but it seems that it could more than slightly alter them. I was very much looking forward to this park as part of the larger gentrification and development of this area. I truly hope the architects and engineers will be able to effectively work around this issue and the need to develop new plans doesn’t significantly set the the timetable back
I now have zero patience with NIMBYISM. They are the very definition of a devils advocate. If it was up to them, a run down crack-house should be saved and the swatters should be able to stay in order to preserve the old NY feel.
I want to give them the “old NY” treatment as well for doing this to Brooklyn. May-as-well save the pothole in the street that hasn’t been repaired since 1982.
1:55: A park, with underground parking below it. No comparison to Ikea.
Xris – UNDERGROUND PARKING, NOT a parking lot. Think Post Office Square in Boston. You twit.
Saving one possibly historic house and forcing someone to very slightly alter their plans is hardly NIMNYism or stupid.
I agree with Brooklynlove. A Tenement Museum or Merchant’s House like museum is a great idea.
VERY surprised. I hope it sticks.
1:26 – PARKING, NOT a park. Think “Ikea fills in a working graving dock to build a parking lot”, but on a smaller scale.
Shocking. I’m interested in hearing the details of this settlement. I can’t imagine the city would agree to abandon a critical component of the downtown redevelopment plan over this crappy house. I hope they know what they are doing, because it could certainly set a bad precedent. I live right up the block from this house at University Towers at Willoughby and Flatbush. When I first heard a few years back that there was an “underground rail road house” that provided tours right around the way on Duffield, my wife and I were excited to check it out. When we got there we looked at each other like, “this is it?”. I honestly thought I was the victim of a scam. I think for most of the people that ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (as opposed to these damn NIMBY interlopers) when I say, we are very much looking foward to, and would much rather have the park.
That building is not worth impeding the development of the Downtown area. Anyone could rebuild that structure. Its time and usefulness has expired. Shame on the NIMBYs and local politicians and bureaucrats for being spineless and not taking a real introspective look at the greater good for all Brooklynites as well as the residents and commercial business owners in the Downtown area. A bunch of cowards.