myrtle minutes - Preservation

Join Us For a Free Janes Walk in Wallabout this Saturday!

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:47:00 -0400

Enjoy the neighborhood this weekend by participating in a Janes Walk through the historic Wallabout neighborhood! Janes Walk, founded on the principles of urbanist and author Jane Jacobs, offers an opportunity for locals to get together to meet, share, learn about and appreciate their neighborhood. The Wallabout walk will be one of more than 100 offered around the city on the weekend of May 4-5. The Wallabout walk will begin at 12:00 at the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park and end in front of 99 Ryerson Street. No registration is required. The walk will explore the Wallabout neighborhood, located in northern Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and discuss its 380+ year history as a community. The walk will lead past neighborhood landmarks and explore how these places, and the famous residents associated with them, represent the communitys social development over the centuries. The stories will discuss the areas first European settlers, its role in the Revolutionary War, the areas 19th century industrialization, famous residents such as Walt Whitman, and the neighborhood's decline and how these past events and people have defined the revitalized neighborhood we see today. Find more info on The Municipal Art Societys website.

P.S. 67's history featured this month on placeMATTERS

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:01:00 -0400

P.S. 67, the Charles A. Dorsey School, which is located at 51 St. Edwards Street, just north of Myrtle Avenue, was selected February's 'Place of the Month' by placeMATTERS. Check out the link on the placeMATTERS website. The school, named for its first principal, is located on St. Edwards, next door the the historic Walt Whitman Library and across from St. Michaels-St. Edwards Church. Fort Greene Park is across the street, to the south. placeMATTERS, a project of City Lore and the Municipal Art Society, seeks to promote and protect places that connect New Yorkers to the past, host ongoing cultural and community traditions, and keep our city distinctive. photo credit: NYC Department of Education

Industrial Wallabout Added to the National Register of Historic Places

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:56:00 -0400

Wallabout has another district listed on the National Register of Historic Places! The Industrial Wallabout historic district, which runs from Clinton to Grand Avenues between Park and Flushing Avenues, was officially listed on the National Register last month. The district includes 40 historic buildings, most of which were originally designed and built for industrial uses. Noteworthy buildings in the district include the Mergenthaler Linotype Complex on Ryerson, the Rockwood Chocolate Factory Complex on Washington, Flushing and Waverly Avenues. The oldest industrial buildings in the area were built for and housed wholesale food companies. These companies served the nearby Wallabout Market, which was located in what is now the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The area is still predominately used for industry, although several buildings now house residences and a variety of different businesses. The district was added to the New York State Register of Historic Places in early March. The districts nomination report was written by Andrew Dolkart, Director of the Historic Preservation program at Columbia University, and additionally supported by MARP and a grant from the Preservation League of New York State.

Wallabout Homeowner's Preservation Manual Released

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:19:00 -0400

At a Historic Wallabout Association community reception & meeting tomorrow night, Sept 13th from 7-9pm at BLDG 92 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the new Wallabout Homeowner's Preservation Manual will be released. The event will also serve as a chance for the neighborhood to celebrate recent preservation successes and for property owners to learn more about available incentives that can assist in home rehab and restoration projects. The 90-page manual, commissioned by MARP and the Historic Wallabout Association, is a valuable resource for owners of historic properties in the Wallabout neighborhood. The manual provides guidance on how to maintain and rehab a historic property, and also discusses available tax credit and other financial incentive programs available to those properties located in the recently designated historic districts in Wallabout. In addition to the manual being available at tomorrow's community event, representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office and the New York Landmarks Conservancy will also be available to discuss incentive programs that can assist property owners with rehabbing their historic homes. A complimentary copy of the manual will be available to all Wallabout property owners, and will be available to purchase for $10 to those outside of Wallabout. The manual was researched and written by BKSK Architects LLP and was funded, in part, by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservations Elizabeth and Robert Jeffe Preservation Fund. Additional support was provided by a grant from the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation.

New Historic District Markers Installed in Wallabout

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:48:00 -0400

This week, the city installed new historic district signs in the Wallabout Historic District on Vanderbilt Avenue (between Myrtle and Park Avenues). The brown and white signs, a common sight on New York streets, help identify which areas of the city have been designated as historic districts. In addition to a map of the district, the signs also include a brief history to help passerby learn about the historic significance of the surrounding neighborhood. The new historic district markers were paid for with funds raised by residents of the Wallabout Historic District and the surrounding blocks. The local fundraising was matched by a grant from the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation. The Wallabout Historic District was created in 2011 and includes 55 historic wood-frame and masonry homes. The district has one of the highest concentrations of pre-Civil War homes in New York City.

Richard Wright Medallion Unveiling Tomorrow at 175 Carlton

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:11:00 -0400

Tomorrow, July 17th at 11:00am, the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center, in collaboration with the Fort Greene Association, will unveil a cultural medallion at 175 Carlton Avenue in honor of famed African-American author Richard Wright. Wright lived at the home in 1938, when he began to pen his most famous work, Native Son. All are welcome to come to the unveiling to remember and celebrate one of Fort Greenes most famous residents. The home is between Willoughby and Myrtle Avenues. The Historic Landmarks Preservation Center has previously installed another medallion in Fort Greene, which honors the poet Marianne Moore at 260 Cumberland St.

Check Out Fort Greene & Clinton Hill in the 1940s!

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:52:00 -0400

Curious to what Fort Greene and Clinton Hill was like in the 1940s? A spectacular new website, 1940snewyork.com, offers us a glimpse. The website features an interactive map that allows you to zoom into Fort Greene and Clinton Hill , simply called Fort Greene Park at the time, to learn about rent prices and demographics. Also, the site has a few neighborhood pictures that worth checking out. The site was developed by the Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center, in collaboration with The Gotham Center for the New York History. Photo taken from www.1940snewyork.com.

Then & Now: Ingersoll Houses Turns 68 Today

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:40:00 -0400

68 years ago today, the Ingersoll Houses opened its doors in Fort Greene. The historic photo above, taken only 8 months after the opening in 1944, shows the new housing across the street from small commercial shops and the Myrtle Ave El. Today, lush trees have replaced the small saplings in front of Ingersoll and across the street sits the Andrea building, which houses the new Red Apple supermarket and CVS.

Exploring Myrtle Avenues Past Through an Artists Lens

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:17:00 -0400

This past weekend, The New York Times' Lens Blog ran an interesting piece describing long-time resident William Gedneys journal, which he wrote in 1969 and serves as a love letter to the Myrtle Avenue he knew. Gedney, an artist who moved to the area in the 1950s, was a gifted photographer and, as his journal shows, had an admiring eye for the urban beauty found on Myrtle over 40 years ago. Check out the article to view some of his photographs and to flip through his 92-page journal. Photo credit: William Gedney, 1969. From MARP's photo collection.

Walking Wallabout: OHNY Tours Oct. 16th

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:42:00 -0400

Join MARP and Open House New York (OHNY) for a Fall walking tour of Wallabout! Two tours are being offered on Sunday, October 16th at 10am and 2pm. Space is limited, so hurry to OHNY's website and reserve a space. The tour will begin at the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Ft. Greene Park, continue through the new Wallabout Historic District, pass the Navy Yard and industrial Wallabout area, and end at Walt Whitmans only remaining home in Brooklyn. The 1.5 mile tour will begin in Ft. Greene Park and last approximately 2 hours.

The Final Vote: City Council Approves Wallabout Historic District

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:04:00 -0400

The New York City Council voted unanimously last week to designate the Wallabout Historic District. This final approval ends the designation process for the citys district, which started in July with the citys Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approval. Moving forward, most exterior work undertaken on the districts 55 properties along Vanderbilt Ave, between Park and Myrtle Avenues, will need to gain approval from the LPC before beginning their work. This approval process will help ensure the districts historic homes are well preserved for their next 150 years. The citys Wallabout Historic District is a small portion of the State and National Register district created last March. This larger district provides property owners with financial incentives when undertaking rehabilitation work on their property, such as state and federal tax credits. Congratulations to all the Wallabout residents and property owners who MARP worked with over the past few years on getting the area designated!

BID Annual Meeting w/Speaker Christine Quinn this Tuesday at SoCo

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:08:00 -0400

There are still a few spots available for guests to join us at the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership BID Annual Meeting, with guest speaker NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. The meeting is on Tuesday, September 27th, from 5-7pm at SoCo, 509 Myrtle Avenue. Drinks and light appetizers will be served. The meeting is open to the public, but RSVP is required.

RSVP at www.surveymonkey.com/s/MyrtleBIDAnnualMeeting2011.

Looking Back: 446 Myrtle

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:49:00 -0400

Recently, Brownstoner provided a little history of 446 Myrtle (or as its also known, 157 Waverly). The building, on the corner of Myrtle and Waverly, underwent a facelift back in 2006. This project, financed in part with a grant from MARP and the New York State Main Street Program, brought out a cleaner, brighter side of the historic building. The above photo shows the building as it was in 1940, and how it appeared in 2006 before and after the rehabilitation project. Learn more about the buildings history and see other historic photos here on Brownstoner.

384 Myrtle Avenue was once a small theater

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:33:00 -0400

Shalena Jewelry Store at 384 Myrtle Avenue between Clermont and Adelphi was at one point in history the site of a small picture theater. The pic to the left is of an ad card for the movie house (circa 1908) that once was. The pic can be found in a book called 'The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles Lee' by Maggie Valentine. A big thank you to theater historian, Cezar Del Valle, author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index Volumes I and II, who once led a walking tour of small theaters on Myrtle Avenue and who always looks out for us. He said in his email from January 2010 re the image: "Recently purchased a book on theatre architecture and reprinted was a business card for a movie house on Myrtle Ave. circa 1908. It is the only record of this theatre that I've seen. Tried checking recently at various vintage newspapers and archives. Nothing. If it had not been for this book and the authors collection, this early movie show would be totally forgotten."

Historic Districts Council walking tour, 7/27

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:37:00 -0400

The Historic Districts Council hosts "the secret lives of public places" walking tour on July 27th. The walking tour will feature three of the 'grand institutions of Clinton Hill', an opportunity to learn about their history and preservation: the Caroline Ladd Pratt House (229 Clinton), the Pratt Library (200 Willoughby) and Queen of All Saints Church (300 Vanderbilt). Here are the tour details.

Clinton Hill House Tour on Sunday, May 1st

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:36:00 -0400

The Society for Clinton Hill's annual event, The Clinton Hill House Tour, will take place on Sunday, May 1, rain or shine. Mark your calendars for this tour which will this year feature 14 different historic and interesting homes, a over century-year old historic church and a Clinton Avenue mansion that dates back to 1869. Pick up a Clinton Hill House Tour ticket at any of the locations listed on the flyer, including Root Stock & Quade (471 Myrtle), Pillow Cafe (505 Myrtle) and the Polish Bar of Brooklyn (470 Myrtle). Click the link above for further details.

Wallabout Historic District on NY 1

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:01:00 -0400

The NY State Office of Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has listed about 5 blocks of Wallabout, between Myrtle and Park, on the New York State Register of Historic Places. The nomination will now be forwarded on to Washington, D.C. to hopefully be approved as a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition allows property owners in the district to qualify for tax credits and other incentives when doing historic renovations to their buildings. These listings are NOT the same as a NYC Landmark District, which comes with regulations about what you can and cannot do to your property. The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission is considering landmarking the Vanderbilt Avenue block of Wallabout. Check out the NY 1 video.

Wallabout Walking Tour, Historic Districts Council Conference - this weekend

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:39:00 -0400

Want to find out more about Wallabout, some of the area just north of Myrtle Avenue? Follow architectural historian Andrew Dolkart on a walk through the historic neighborhood of Wallabout. The walking tour is part of the Historic Districts Council's 17th Annual Preservation Conference. The theme of this year's conference is 'Looking Forward, Looking Back: 40 Years of Preserving NYC Neighborhoods' and it will take place March 4-6 at St. Francis College. The Wallabout District, amongst other things, has the largest collection of pre-Civil War houses in New York City, as well as former industrial factories, brick apartment buildings and rowhouses. It is also the location of the only one of celebrated poet Walt Whitman's former homes that still stands. A portion of the Wallabout is currently being considered for historic district status which would help preserve its unique architectural character. Come learn more about this little-known area that remains a time capsule of diverse architecture. The theme of this year's conference is 'Looking Forward, Looking Back: 40 Years of Preserving NYC Neighborhoods'. For complete conference information or to sign up for Sunday's tour, click here

New York Main Street Season on Myrtle

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:33:00 -0400

This summer the avenue is sprinkled with sidewalk sheds and scaffolding as merchants and property owners make repairs and improvements to their buildings. Many of these projects, ranging from commercial interior renovations to cornice reconstructions to complete façade restorations, are receiving New York Main Street grant assistance through MARP.

The New York Main Street Program (NYMS) is multi-million dollar Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) grant program administered by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) to provide financial and technical resources to help New York communities with their Main Street revitalization efforts by: providing financial incentives for the rehabilitation of traditional building stock, fostering small business development, encouraging energy efficiency and addressing issues of code compliance. The NYC Department of Small Business Services has provided MARP with operating support to manage the program for the last 3 years.

Through a competitive process the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP) has been awarded New York Main Street funds in three previous rounds of funding. To date, we have been awarded $500,000 and as of this summer, almost all of those funds have been committed or disbursed!

How it works on Myrtle:
Our NYMS Grants are matching, reimbursement grants available, through MARP, to property owners and merchants on Myrtle Avenue between Washington Park and Classon Avenue for façade preservation, storefront improvements and commercial interior renovations. Grant recipients employ local contractors, architects, structural engineers and preservationist (depending on the project scope) to complete the work. MARP selects and works with recipients to complete projects that:
- Respect the original design of the buildings
- Facilitate commercial activity on Myrtle Avenue
- Ensure long-term benefits to the improved buildings
- Correct immediate health and safety concerns and code violations
- Positively impact the Myrtle Avenue corridor.

Next time youre taking a stroll down Myrtle, stop by some of the properties recently completed / under construction!

334 (between Washington Park and Carlton) Last year the property owner updated the building the houses Farmer, and this summer, he is doing the same for the building next door. In the scope of work: upper cornice improvements, cleaning and repointing of brick, sills and lintels, interior open grid gates and a reconstructed lower cornice and storefront.

366 Scaffolding should go up any day now! The property owner has planned construction to repair the upper cornice, waterproofing and sills and lintels on the upper façade. Currently, the new tenant, Brooklyn Stone Boutique, is hard at work in the commercial space preparing to open her womens clothing and jewelry boutique.

459 /461 (corner of Washington and Myrtle) The owners of Five Spot went big undertaking major work on both building facades and the storefront, with technical assistance and a loan from the New York Landmarks Conservancy's Historic Properties Fund. Their scope included new brownstone, cornice repairs, cleaning and repainting the Washington façade, removing exterior gates and installing a new, iron, accordion-style storefront with a corner entrance.

456 460 (between Waverly and Washington) When youre at Anima or Joseph Tyler Salon, look up to check out the newly repaired upper cornices!

561 (between Emerson and Classon) - Behind the construction fence, the Emerson (a new bar opening in mid to late September) is taking shape. The business owners are busy constructing the detailed interior and beautiful storefront for their new bar and neighborhood hang-out.

Stay tuned for more projects, beginning work any day now!

Preservation and Sustainability Program in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:22:00 -0400

Please join the NY Landmarks Conservancy to hear from a group of preservationists and architects who will provide a critical framework and practical advice on sustainability in historic houses. These professionals will discuss their own experiences, highlighting what is successful and what should be rethought, and will answer questions from the audience.

Preservation is Sustainability: How to Make Your Historic House More Energy Efficient

Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Location: Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn

Speakers:
Walter Sedovic, AIA LEED, Principal & CEO, Walter Sedovic Architects, moderator

Christine Benedict, R.A. ARCHITECTURE AND ENERGY LIMITED

William Neeley, Deputy Director, Preservation, Landmarks Preservation Commission

Rebecca Williams, Program Officer, Northeast Regional Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Tickets: $5.00. Registration Required.
Contact Meral Agish at meralagish@nylandmarks.org or call 212.995.5260 to register.

About the Landmarks Conservancy:
"For over 35 years, the Landmarks Conservancy has promoted the benefits of historic preservation and has become a trusted advocate for preservation policy. In addition, our unique financial assistance and expert technical advice have won national recognition. Since 1973, the Conservancy has provided more than $30 million in low-interest loans and grants, accompanied by countless hours of pro bono technical assistance to countless, non-profits, and caretakers of religious buildings for the maintenance and restoration of historic properties."

CANCELLED: Wallabout for Kids (Saturday, October 10)

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:34:00 -0400

The Wallabout for Kids Saturday activity has been officially cancelled due to low registration numbers. We apologize to those who have registered and hope to reschedule at a later date. --- It is time for Open House New York again and this year, we have added a children's activity! Children ages 8 thru 13 (and their parents, of course) are invited to take part in a workshop led by long-time youth educator, Paula Jeanine Bennett. Children will learn about the Wallabout area(the history and architecture) through a brief tour and then bring activities inside to put what they just learned into action, sketching and making paper bag models of the built environment. Who: YOU (class is limited to 20 students, ages 8 - 13, so don't delay) When: This Saturday, October 10th-- 10a to 12p For more detail and to register: click here

Party Like It's 1848 with BOMB

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:59:00 -0400

Brooklyn's Other Museum of Brooklyn (BOMB) invites you to a 2-day celebration for "the longevity of Admiral's Row." Party at BOMB, 102 Steuben Street. BYOB; brownie taste-off (bring your best!); music by Terrible Eagle. Saturday, March 29th, 7-11p and Sunday, March 30th, 2-6p Show up, or email scott.witter@yahoo.com for further detail.

Clinton Hill House Tour this Sunday

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:32:00 -0400

Come experience the beauty and history of one of Brooklyns premier landmark neighborhoods this coming Sunday, May 6th, for the 30th Anniversary Clinton Hill House Tour. Stroll along the tree-lined streets to see a stunning variety of architectural styles and take advantage of the rare opportunity to see the interiors and private gardens of 12 beautifully restored houses and buildings. A number of specials and discounts will be available from participating Myrtle Avenue merchants on the day of the tour as well. Check out the ads in the House Tour Guide that will be distributed at St. Luke's Church on the day of the tour for details. PayPal Tickets for the house tour may be purchased by visiting The Society for Clinton Hill website. Advance tickets are also for sale at the following locations:
Pillow Café, 505 Myrtle Avenue between Ryerson & Grand
Outpost Café, 1014 Fulton Street near Grand
Sisters Hardware, 902 Fulton Street @ Washington Avenue
Tillies Coffee Bar, 248 DeKalb Avenue @ Vanderbilt Avenue
Yu Interiors, 15 Greene Avenue @ Cumberland Street
House Tour Details:
Sunday, May 6th, 12 noon 5pm, rain or shine.
Advance Ticket sales $20; Day of Tour ticket $25
Tour starts at St. Lukes Church, 259 Washington Avenue (between Lafayette and DeKalb Avenues) Directions by Subway:
A or C trains to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, then G train to Clinton/Washington; or C train to Washington/Clinton Stop. From the Society for Clinton Hill:
Tucked cozily off downtown Brooklyn, residential Clinton Hill was built in the 19th century as the boroughs gold Coast. It is uniquely saturated with free-standing mansions erected by such distinguished and prominent industrialists of their time as the Pratts (oil), the Underwoods (typewriters), the Singers (sewing machines), and the Bristols and Pfizers (pharmaceuticals). The neighborhoods architectural styles include Italianate brownstones, Neo-Georgian, Queen Anne, Romanesque and Greek Revival houses which all rub shoulders with Beaux-Arts apartments and hotels. Clinton Hill also has what may be the largest number of carriage houses in the city.

The fantastic houses and buildings on the Clinton Hill House Tour provide significant insight for all those interested in historic homes and their renovations. The tour engages visitors by providing a glimpse of the past and a snapshot of the neighborhoods vibrant diverse community. Pratt Institute and St. Josephs College impart the feeling of a small university town while its many grand churches (still among the tallest structures here) give one the feeling of traveling back in time. Two of the original Pratt mansions and Pratt Institutes Library with the interior designed by Tiffany Studios will be part of this years tour.

The Society for Clinton Hill House Tour is the primary fund-raiser for this not-for-profit organization, a neighborhood group celebrating its 30th anniversary. Proceeds from the tour help sponsor a variety of educational, historical preservation, social programs within the community. Most importantly it provides a public forum where neighbors can gather to discuss important issues concerning their community.

This Weekend: Historic Districts Council Conference

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:27:00 -0400

HDC's 13th Annual Preservation Conference, Preserving the Past, Planning for the Future, will be taking place this weekend, March 9 to March 11. This year's conference will focus on how preservation relates to other urban environmental concerns such as green architecture, smart growth, and urban planning in New York City. The conference weekend consists of an opening night reception on Friday at the Children's Aid Society's Greenwich Village Center, a day of panels and other educational sessions on Saturday, and walking tours throughout the boroughs on Sunday. The main conference program will be held at Hunter College School of Social Work. For information on this year's conference events, please visit the HDC website at www.hdc.org. You may register directly online, or call HDC at 212-614-9107.