US Senators & Congress Members Call For Army to Allow Repair of Admiral's Row
We’ve been asking for 4 years for the Federal Government to abide by their own rules and stabilize the historic structures of Admiral’s Row. Now our elected officials are joining the campaign. What will it take for the Army to get off the dime and stabilize these buildings?
SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, VELAZQUEZ, TOWNS CALL ON ARMY TO ALLOW REPAIR OF HISTORIC ADMIRALS ROW IN BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
Admirals Row, an Historic Set Of Buildings In The Brooklyn Navy Yard, Is In State Of Disrepair; Agreement Between Army And Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Is Stalled Because Of Administrative Hurdles
Schumer, Gillibrand, Velazquez, Towns Call on Army to Grant Immediate Access to Site and Expedite Property Transfer to Allow Reconstruction To Go Forward
Schumer, Gillibrand, Velazquez, Towns: Admirals Row Is a National Landmark That Must Be Preserved
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, and Representatives Nydia Velázquez and Ed Towns today called on the Army to immediately grant access to allow for emergency stabilization and quickly transfer the property containing Admirals Row at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. Admirals Row is a six-acre section of the property which was vacated in the mid-1970’s but has remained in federal control since then. The historic structures on the site are severely deteriorated and in need of emergency repairs and stabilization if they are to be saved. The transferee, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, has communicated their willingness to undertake that work, but has been unable to obtain the necessary agreement from the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard Bureau. In a letter to Secretary of the Army John H. McHugh, Schumer, Gillibrand, Velázquez and Towns today called on the Army to allow immediate access to speed up its review process in order to ensure that these buildings do not deteriorate any further and can be refurbished before it’s too late.
“Admirals Row is a national landmark, but for too long it has wasted away, forgotten in the dustbin of history. Finally, it appeared that we had an agreement to preserve these historic buildings – but bureaucratic hurdles are now getting in the way,” said Schumer. “I hope the Army will expedite the process to allow the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to save these buildings before it’s too late.”
Senator Gillibrand said, “This now faded jewel deserves to be saved. It is disappointing that we have both the will and the means to preserve this historic landmark, but bureaucratic challenges stand in the way. There is no time to waste. The Army must speed up the process and allow the Brooklyn Navy Yard to restore these historic grounds.”
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez said, “While funding has been made available, red tape is blocking the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation from accessing the site and preventing these local treasures from deteriorating further. The Army needs to move quickly so these buildings are stabilized and retained for future development.”
Congressman Edolphus Towns said, “Time is of the utmost importance to perform the emergency repairs and stabilization of the historic and severely deteriorated Timber Shed and Building B on the Admirals Row site. Decay waits for no man or bureaucratic red tape. That being said, The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC), has agreed to undertake the needed work. They are qualified. Two million dollars of federal funding has been identified for this work. I urge the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard Bureau to move swiftly and allow the BNYDC to move forward in preserving property that is precious not only to the citizen’s of Brooklyn–but to the entire nation.”
Admirals Row, built in the 19th century, consists of eleven brick buildings built to house high ranking Navy officers. The buildings, which are distinguished by their architectural distinctiveness as well as historical importance, have been left mostly abandoned since the mid-1970s. The National Guard currently controls the property, and the question of preservation of the Timber Shed and Building B still remains unanswered.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC), the non-profit corporation that manages the Navy Yard under a contract with New York City, has expressed its willingness to preserve the Timber Shed and Building B and a property transfer between the National Guard and the BNYDC is expected soon. The BNYDC expects to begin construction on the buildings at Admirals Row, but is currently prohibited from starting work because financial terms with the National Guard have not been finalized.
In a letter to McHugh, Schumer, Gillibrand, Velázquez and Towns called on the Army to permit immediate access to stabilize the Timber Shed, ensure quick action to complete the property transfer, so that construction can begin immediately.
A copy of the letter is below:
February 28, 2011
The Honorable John McHugh
Secretary of the Army
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1400
Dear Secretary McHugh:
We are concerned about the historic structures of national significance on the Admirals Row site at the Army’s former Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Admirals Row is a six-acre section of the property which was vacated in the mid-1970’s but has remained in federal control. We ask that you ensure quick action to allow emergency stabilization of the Timber Shed and Building B in advance of the planned property transfer, while also completing the transfer expeditiously. These historic structures are severely deteriorated and in need of emergency repairs and stabilization if they are to be saved.
The National Guard Bureau (NGB) has identified these two buildings on the site to save. However, due to agency constraints is unable to perform the needed work on the Timber shed. The potential and likely purchaser, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC), which controls the remainder of the Yard, has communicated their willingness to undertake that work, but has been unable to obtain the necessary agreement from the Army Corps of Engineers and the NGB. The BNYDC has successfully executed other building preservation efforts at the yard, and is the designated agent of the City of New York to which the property is slated for transfer, by an act of Congress.
It is disappointing to see these historic structures further deteriorate while their preservation is held up by administrative processes. The 1853 Timber Shed is the last remaining of its type in the country and Building B would be the only one of the row buildings preserved. Understanding that the Department of the Army takes its responsibilities for historic preservation seriously, the current delays are surely the result of well-intentioned actors. However, the urgency of the situation needs to be addressed. We understand that two million dollars of federal funding has been identified for preservation of this property. We applaud that level of commitment by the Department of the Army, and ask that while the transfer paperwork is being completed, all efforts be made to hasten the site access by BNYDC to perform the urgent stabilization work on these two historic structures.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer, United States Senator
Kirsten E. Gillibrand, United States Senator
Edolphus “Ed” Towns, United States Representative
Nydia Velázquez, United States Representative