Landmarks Commission Expands the Park Slope Historic District
In a long-awaited vote, yesterday the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the first expansion of the Park Slope Historic District – making the Brooklyn district the largest contiguous swath of landmark buildings in New York City (2,575 buildings vs. Greenwich Village’s collection of 2,315 and the Upper West Side’s 2,020). The Park Slope Civic Council, prime movers in the campaign to extend the district said in a statement, “The Commission’s action not only celebrates a storied part of the city’s industrial past, but the sensitive adaptive reuse of the factory complex and its contribution towards the vitality and historic character of the area. The Civic Council is united in our desire to maintain the neighborhood’s quality of life and to ensure that it is preserved for future generations of Park Slope residents and visitors alike to enjoy.”
“The extension retains a remarkable degree of cohesion because of its architectural integrity and diversity of 19th- and early-20th-century architectural styles,” said LPC Chair Robert B. Tierney. “These extraordinary characteristics set it apart from every other neighborhood in New York City, giving it a special sense of place.”
“We are honored to have the Landmarks Preservation Commission recognize our historic and unique neighborhood,” said Councilmember Brad Lander, a major supporter of the district. “These are some of the most beautiful streets in New York and, with today’s vote, we know they will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Local resident, preservationist and HDC’s Executive Director Simeon Bankoff was also reported as saying, “This is terrific, at last I can see the historic district from my stoop!” (Bankoff lives in nearby Windsor Terrace. His home was rezoned in 2005 to prohibit the tower development necessary to see into the original HD boundary). The LPC also voted to designate the storied Barbizon Hotel.