First Fortis Conversion: Polhemus Building to Landmarks Hearing

Dear Cobble Hill,

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, September 8th, proposed alterations to the Polhemus Building, 350 Henry Street, will come before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). This is the first LICH building to be converted to residential use by the developer, Fortis, and one of the very few LICH structures governed by landmark status.

The hearing is open to the public and attendees need to be at 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor, Manhattan, by 9:30 am.

Here is a link to the architect’s plans:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/presentation-materials/9_8_2015/350_Henry_Street.pdf

I am as sorry as you are about the short notice. I just discovered it was on the calendar for tomorrow. If you are able to attend, could you reply to this with a quick email? Whether you have opinions about the proposed changes to the structure or are able to make a show of community force by simply appearing, your attendance is helpful.

Then on Wednesday morning, there is an important hearing on a proposed change to NYC landmarks legislation in the City Council, called Intro 775. The hearing will take place at 11:00 am, September 9th, at City Hall, City Hall Park, between Park Row and Broadway (bring photo ID).

The Historic Districts Council states that “this bill…has the potential to affect all future designation activities of the LPC”.

If Landmarks and Historic Preservation are important to you, please read about the proposed changes and lend your voice in opposing this bill by attending the hearing or by contacting Brad Lander, our city councilman, at lander@council.nyc.gov, or by phone at 718-499-1090.

Here are just a few articles and posts about Intro 775:

Historic Districts Council:
http://hdc.org/blog/intro-775

Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation:
http://www.gvshp.org/_gvshp/preservation/intro775/intro775-oped.htm

Curbed:
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2015/08/24/controversial_bill_could_wipe_out_landmarks_backlog.php

September is off to the races.

Laurel Burr
Membership Secretary

Thursday Night Presentation of Polhemus Building Residential Conversion Plans

This Thursday evening at 6:00 pm plans will be presented to the Community Board 6 Landuse/Landmarks Committee regarding Fortis’s repairs and changes to the exterior Polhemus Building, located on the SW corner of Amity and Henry Streets. This building is the first one on the former LICH campus to be redeveloped for residential use, but Polhemus is under Landmarks and there are no zoning changes involved. Fortis plans to convert Polhemus into a 17-unit residential doorman building.

The architect on this building is BKSK, not FX Fowle who presented the overall plans for the LICH campus at the Cobble Hill meeting in May.

If you are interested in attending, the meeting will be held at the 78th Precinct, 65 6th Avenue, between Dean and Bergen streets, at 6:00 pm this Thursday, July 23rd.

CUP Presents Zoning 101 Workshop

Join the CHA and the Center for Urban Pedagogy for the Zoning 101 Workshop. The city's convoluted land use and zoning laws can be a challenge to wrap your head around. Which zones are residential or commercial? Why are there height limits in certain areas but not others? These questions are especially important given Fortis' recent proposals for LICH. Attend the workshop to learn the difference between what's allowed as of right, and what's involved in the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The discussion is designed to leave participants with a basic understanding of land use regulations in New York and will not specifically be about LICH or the Fortis proposals.

The workshop will be held at 7:30 PM on Thursday, June 25th at the Cobble Hill Health Center, 380 Henry Street (between Congress and Warren Streets).

City Hall Rally against Blasio's Proposed Citywide Re-Zoning

Just in from our friends at the Park Slope Civic Council, see below for rally info to oppose zoning changes that would greatly harm historic districts like our own Cobble Hill. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attend a City Hall Rally & Public Hearing Press on Effects of Mayor de Blasio's Proposed Citywide Re-Zoning

Concerned neighborhood organizations throughout New York City are holding a press conference and rally on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, March 25th at 3:00pm to express their concerns about Mayor De Blasio's citywide re-zoning proposal, "Zoning for Quality and Affordability," which would drastically reduce neighborhood zoning protections and raise height limits throughout the city. If adopted, the proposal poses a serious threat to Park Slope's cherished streetscapes on hundreds of blocks outside the historic district through tear downs and multi-story additions to existing buildings. Coupled with the Landmarks Preservation Commission's slow down in processing the extension of the Park Slope Historic District, it would undo many of the positive steps the neighborhood has taken over the last 10 years to safeguard Park Slope's character.

Please join your neighbors in expressing your concern by attending the rally and the public hearing that will immediately follow.

Date: Wednesday, March 25 1st Event: Press Conference and Rally
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Steps of City Hall, City Hall Park, New York, NY 10007

2nd Event: Public Hearing on Citywide Re-Zoning Proposal
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: New York City Department of City Planning
22 Reade Street, New York, NY 10007
(a few blocks away from City Hall)

The press conference will be at 3:00pm and the public hearing on the scoping begins at 4:00pm at a few blocks away at City Planning, 22 Reade Street.

Tomorrow’s Yesterdays: Historic Districts of the Future

Landmarks preservation is a benchmark of what makes Cobble Hill the great neighborhood we all cherish. Our colleagues at the Historic Districts Council just informed us of an upcoming program that is part of the ongoing HDC 2015 Preservation Conference, Landmarks at 50; Honoring Our Past, Imagining Our Future. This evening, they will hold an event in the area that will be of special interest to local landmarks aficionados. If you pre-register, use this link here for the Friend Rate.

Tomorrow’s Yesterdays: Historic Districts of the Future
March 18, 6:30 PM
Shape Shifter Lab
18 Whitwell Place
Gowanus

When Brooklyn Heights was designated the very first New York City historic district in 1965, the architectural styles found there exemplified the types of buildings that the Landmarks Preservation Commission saw as worthy of protection. While protecting classic Federals and grand rowhouses has never gone out of style, over the past 50 years, the question of what types of buildings can be landmarked has slowly been re-examined. Beginning in 1973 with the designation of the SoHo-Cast-Iron District, acceptance has slowly warmed to the potential diversity of historic districts, including with vernacular or industrial buildings. This panel will include a presentation of the evolution of historic districts by architectural historian Francis Morrone, before considering the issues of the present and future. The panelist, urban plannerPaul Graziano, Gowanus advocate Marlene Donnelly and Ward Dennis, Columbia University professor and Brooklyn Community Board 1 member, will discuss potential historic districts, technological and bureaucratic strategies for looking ahead, and questions such as Can Gowanus ever be designated? and Is there a place for a historic district in suburban Queens?

CB6 Landmarks/Land Use Committee Meeting this Thursday

This afternoon, Community Board 6 released the agenda for its upcoming Landmarks/Land Use Committee meeting this Thursday, 1/22 at 6pm. On the docket are three items all within the Cobble Hill vicinity. First is a variance to get ground floor retail in to the coming development that will overtake the current Shell gas station, and second is a proposal for a new construction to replace the now defunct parking lot at the corner of Congress and Amity Street. If you have thoughts about either one, this is the place to come and speak up to ensure your concerns are fully heard. For more info, contact the CHA directly at cobblehillassociation@gmail.com.

• Discussion and formulation of a recommendation on an application submitted to the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA Cal. No. 258-14-BZ) on behalf of Henry Atlantic Partners LLC for a variance of Section 22-10 of the Zoning Resolution to permit the construction of a 4-story mixed use building with commercial use on the first floor in an R6 zoning district at 112 Atlantic Avenue (Block 285, Lot 6), southeast corner Atlantic Ave/Henry Street, pursuant to Section 72-21 of the Zoning Resolution.
• Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new 2-story (30-feet tall) commercial building to be erected at 178 Court Street (northwest corner Court/Congress Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.
• Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new 2-story rear yard extension with deck at 310 Clinton Street (between Baltic/Kane Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District
•  6pm - COBBLE HILL HEALTH CENTER - 380 HENRY STREET
   (BETWEEN CONGRESS/WARREN STREETS)

The future of Atlantic Avenue & Henry Street

Last week, a drunk driver slammed his car through Henry Public. Thankfully no one was severely injured and the culprit has since been arrested. However, one aspect of the crash was especially shocking - it occurred mid-block. In NYC, crashes typically occur at intersections and so improving those tend to be the key focus of city agencies and advocates alike. This mid-block crash was possible because of the open, unimpeded corner at Atlantic Avenue and  Henry Street (as well as the driver's neglect of course). In the coming months however, this corner will be dramatically changed.
 
Where a Shell gas station now sits, soon a 50 foot building will rise with ground floor retail and 8 residential units above.  This blog covered the Landmark's Preservation Commission decision to demand some changes to the original plan. Now, the Cobble Hill Association has finally gotten new copies of the modified plan and presents them above. Take note of the renderings of just how different both Atlantic Avenue and Henry Street will soon look. Even for a drunk driver, it will be difficult to crash a vehicle mid-block in the future - though we hope to continue working with the Department of Transportation and the 76th precinct so that no one crashes in our neighborhood at all, for any reason.

In opposition to proposal, CHA prevails

At the intersection of Henry Street and Atlantic Avenue sits a simple gas station. Its use is atypical of the Atlantic Avenue retail corridor and its design is atypical of the Cobble Hill historic district. Fortunately, the 100' by 55' foot lot is being redeveloped to include ground floor businesses and residential units above. That is good news for the Cobble Hill Association. However, the proposal rendered in the image above stands as a bulky anomaly which would be out of context with the neighborhood.

This week, the Cobble Hill Association testified against the current design by BKSK architects in a hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Council. Joining our opposition were several residents of Cobble Hill as well as representatives from Society for the Architecture of the City and the Historic Districts Council. We made clear that many distinct features of the building were unbecoming to the character of the neighborhood including the proposed marquee entrance on Henry Street, the Shoji-style floor-to-ceiling fenestration, the transparent corner aesthetic, and most especially the excessively large mechanical bulkheads that would soar well above the 50 foot height limit and be visible from the interior of the historic district.

As noted in the press here and here, the LPC sided with the Cobble Hill Association. Though it did not outright deny the application as we requested, it did ask the developers to come back with amended plans that would fit the contextual 19th century architecture better than its current renderings which instead evoke a 20th century industrial design. Additionally, LPC eliminated elevator access to the roof thereby reducing the bulkheads by a full ten feet.

UPDATE: Goodbye Shell, Hello Retail?

While the small Cobble Hill Historic district is blanketed with residential brownstones, its perimeter is lined with commercial properties. Thursday, October 23rd, Community Board 6's landmarks committee will hear from developers looking to add to the neighborhoods retail edges. 
One site is the current Shell station at 112 Atlantic Avenue (intersection w/ Henry Street), where a 50 foot residential unit with ground floor retail is being proposed across the nearly 100 foot wide lot. The other is a 50 foot by 55 foot site, currently home to a small parking lot at 178 Court Street (intersection w/ Congress Street). This is being developed by Lonicera Partners who are already at work developing other nearby projects such as 183 Amity and 267 Pacific in Boerum Hill.

*****Please note. As of today... the 178 Court Street proposal has been laid over until next meeting on 12/3.

If interested in proposed additions to the Cobble Hill, consider attending the 6pm meeting on Baltic Street. Full details below.

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new 4-story residential building with commercial storefront at 112 Atlantic Avenue (southeast corner Atlantic Ave/Henry Street), Cobble Hill Historic District.

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new 2-story (30-feet tall) commercial building to be erected at 178 Court Street (northwest corner Court/Congress Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.

Cobble Hill Community Meeting Room
250 Baltic Street  (between Court/Clinton Streets)
@ 6:00 PM

Kane Street storefronts will remain

Check out the Brooklyn Eagle's recent article about coming changes to our Kane Street corridor. Though the businesses at 132 Kane St have closed, their historic facades will remain. Of the two storefronts... one is an 1850's-vintage row house, while the other is a mid 19th Century residence. We look forward to their restoration and the removal of plywood and graffiti currently on the corner.

Demystifying Landmarks, Tuesday 4/29

A friend at the Brooklyn Historical Society just shared news of this upcoming event. One week from today, you can attend "Demystifying Landmarks: A Panel Discussion at Brooklyn Historical Society." It's a topic that comes up often in our own Cobble Hill historic district so why not brush up on the ins and outs of the zoning designation that characterizes so much of Brownstone Brooklyn.

Tue, Apr 29, 6:30pm
$5/Free for BHS Members
Reserve tickets>>
You own a brownstone or live in a landmarked district, but what happens when you want to make a repair or change? Learn about what the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission does, what your neighborhood association can do, the research resources Brooklyn Historical Society can provide, and your neighbors’ experiences. Panelists include Tom van den Bout, architect and former Brooklyn Heights Association President, William Neeley, Jr., Deputy Director of Preservation at NYC Landmarks, Elizabeth Call, Head of Reference and User Services at BHS, as well Prospect Heights homeowner Leslie Feder and a local building manager. This panel will give attendees practical tips on how to navigate a construction or renovation project through the Landmarks approval process.

Brownstone Blues: Update

Last week we mentioned the sidewalk construction that got neighbors wondering what would happen to the historic brownstone slates in the ground. Thanks to Catherine Zinnel at Councilman Brad Lander's office, we are happy to announce the Department of Transportation confirmed...

National Grid is required to replace the sidewalk in kind. This means that National Grid will lay down new bluestones (as opposed to filling them in with concrete). DOT's Highway Inspection & Quality Assurance Office (HIQA), which inspects sidewalks, is also going to visit this location.

We are very happy to know the bluestone sidewalks of Cobble Hill will be replaced and Henry Street's visual character will be returned.

Bluestone Blues

19th century brownstones and a 50 foot heigh limit help give Cobble Hill its visual character, but they are only part of the equation. In our landmarked area, the most overlooked element may be what rests underneath our feet - the sidewalk.

Unlike most of the city that has concrete squares, much of Cobble Hill offers unique bluestone slates providing a smooth walking surface.

Construction began in late October along Henry Street's sidewalk, ripping up much of the surface with no notice of what project was underway. A tweet to Community Board 6 put it on their radar and brought the project's details to light. A water line running along Henry Street needs to be replaced. In order to safely replace it, Natural Grid needs to relocate an adjacent gas main currently too close to the water line for Department of Design and Construction to do the replacement work. Only the work done by National Grid requires cutting the sidewalk, which means it is National Grid's responsibility to repair the sidewalk.

Unfortunately their typical sidewalk repairs only involve poured concrete.

Having heard many concerns from the neighborhood, the Cobble Hill Association will work with the local community board to make sure the Department of Transportation pushes National Grid repair the sidewalks to their original condition when all construction work is complete. Stay tuned for more updates on this issue and ways to help make sure our landmarked area retains its distinct look.

Diagnosis: Hospital Management Malpractice

Long Island College Hospital continues to make headlines recently. The community very clearly disagrees with LICH board's recent decision to close its doors and speculates potential real estate profits is too much of a motivating force. However, with a fatal crash on Clinton & Atlantic just last week, it is readily apparent that Brooklyn cannot lose another emergency & ambulatory care facility. Preemptively, we have supported local legislators' push to get the existing hospital structures landmarked within the context of the adjacent historic district. This could prevent demolition and reduce incentives for developers to swoop in and build luxury condos when our community really needs a center for health care. Looking ahead though, we hope to see a new suitor for our neighbors' health needs and have taken out this full page ad in the Brooklyn Paper.

It quickly caught the attention of Erik Enquist at the highly respected Crain's New York Business paper, who ran this summary in the journal's Health Pulse section.

The Cobble Hill Association has diagnosed a case of "hospital management malpractice" at Long Island College Hospital... saying it "is seeking a caring, responsible hospital management team to operate" LICH. "A hospital operator concerned about delivering the highest-quality health care in a fast-growing, affluent community is desired," reads the ad. "Operators more interested in dollars than health care, who think of our residents as 'numbers' not people, or who see patients only as 'market groups' need not apply."

New construction approved for Cobble Hill

The city's Landmark Preservation Commission has approved plans for 110-128 Congress Street, a strip of our neighborhood that will now welcome 5 new residential buildings and allow for renovations to four adjacent ones. For more details on the story, check out these articles and blogs post links from The Real Deal, Curbed, and the Brooklyn Eagle.

New development coming to Cobble Hill

A stretch of Congress Street will soon see many new developments as developers plan to renovate four historic townhouses and to build five more. The entire project has been approved by Community Board with seven specific conditions, including window realignment and changes to the stoop designing more appropriate material to build stoops than metal. Now it will go before the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Real Deal has a complete write up on this story at the link below.
http://therealdeal.com/blog/2012/07/25/developers-plan-townhouse-row-in-cobble-hill/

Cobble Hill Landmarks Meeting

This Thursday, The Landmarks/Land Use Committee of Community Board 6 will be reviewing four applications for proposed work within the Cobble Hill Historic District. If these properties are located near you or you have an interest, we strongly urge you to attend this public hearing at 6:00PM this Thursday evening at the Cobble Hill Health Center, 380 Henry Street

Jul 26; Landmarks/Land Use Committee Meeting

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a rear yard addition at 285 Clinton Street
(between Baltic/Kane Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new building at 437 Henry Street (between Degraw/Kane Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.

 Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for alterations to the first floor primary façade and for corrections regarding LPC Notice of Violation for work done without a permit to the rooftop parapets and bulkhead at 177 Pacific Street (between Clinton/Court Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District. 

 Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for the removal and replacement of existing store front lighting, metal trim, signage and awning at 236 Court Street.(between Warren Street/Baltic Streets)Cobble Hill, Historic District.     

Meeting Time and Location: 
Cobble Hill Health Center, multipurpose room
380 Henry Street (between Warren/Congress Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11201  Time: 6:00 PM, Thurs, July 26th.

History of Strong Place

We'll soon be unveiling an unprecedented history of neighborhood through the Cobble Hill History Wiki being created by noted NYC historian Francis Morrone. In the meanwhile, our friends at Brownstoner recently posted a mini history lesson of one street in particular, Strong Place.  With the new construction of three townhouses now underway, Brennan Realty have a detailed account of area with special attention to Strong Place as one of the of the earliest settled streets in what was known as 'South Brooklyn.'

Read it all right here...
http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/03/part-one-a-history-of-the-strong-place-properties

Presentation on New Strong Place Developments

We previously noted the new developments slated for 2-4 Strong Place, on the corner of Kane Street. This week, the architect and developer of those three new row houses have graciously and generously offered to present the proposed plans to neighbors and interested community members. If you are interested in seeing the plans for these new buildings, you are cordially invited to attend a meeting this coming Tuesday evening.

Tuesday, January 17th
7:00 PM
at the Cobble Hill Community Meeting Room
250 Baltic Street

(enter though black door at street level closest to Clinton)

All are welcome to attend this community meeting. Please feel free to share this invitation with any interested friends and neighbors.

Another addition to Brownstone Brooklyn

Wanted to share the good news that the Cobble Hill Blog and NY Post have already sent out...

The NYC City Council finally approved a 50 foot cap on new development in Boerum Hill, the great neighborhood immediately adjacent to Cobble Hill.  The rezoning area is bordered by Atlantic Avenue to the north, Court Street to the west, Fourth Avenue to the east and sections of Warren and Wyckoff streets south. We are happy to see Boerum Hill now under the same landmark guidelines as our own Cobble Hill which will ensure future developments maintain the character we've all come to love.

NY Post: Councilman Steve Levin, who represents the historic, landmarked Boerum Hill neighborhood said many of the its homes were build more than 150 years ago and the rezoning “is going to make sure that … historic character is preserved in perpetuity.”
“Everyone saw that there was a great need for this rezoning,” he said.