To be delivered to:Â Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City Council & Speaker Christine C. Quinn, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission & Chair Robert B. Tierney, New York City Department of City Planning & Chair Amanda M. Burden, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and 6 other targets (click here to see more)
We believe, and petition, that Admirals Row should be landmarked, rehabilitated, and become a unique and valuable resource, for Brooklyn, New York City, New York State, and the United States.
On January 27 2012 New York City took title to the Admirals Row property in the old Brooklyn Navy Yard. The 6 acre site, which was decommissioned in 1966, comprises ten historic mansions that housed senior officers since 1848, the last remaining U.S. Navy timber shed, built in 1838, plus a parade ground and tennis courts. The city’s plans to redevelop the site include a 75,000 sq.ft supermarket, 160,000 additional retail space, plus industrial space, plus parking. Under the current scheme only the timber shed and one of the mansions will be rehabilitated.
The development plans are excessive and should be reconsidered:
* Admirals Row qualifies as a landmark district, New York City, New York State, and the National Register of Historic Places.
* The 6 acre site, equivalent to 2.5 city blocks, has sufficient space to accommodate both preservation and development.
* There has been inadequate public process. The few public hearings were not publicized and poorly attended.
* The Uniform Land Use Procedure (ULURP) including 9 zoning variances, which allows for demolition of the site, was rushed through prior to tile transfer, again with insufficient public involvement.
* The site includes a number of old growth trees, only four to be saved in the current plan.
* The planned supermarket is of a scale way beyond local requirements, and will be the largest in the City.
* Planned parking provisions are insufficient.
* ALL the buildings, though dilapidated, are salvageable.
* Landmarking of the entire Admirals Row will preserve epochal architecture, provide a valuable local amenity, and establish a national heritage site.
* The cost of rehabilitation is minor compared to the overall development scheme.
* Steps should be taken immediately to prevent further deteriation.
* The NYC Landmarks Commission have never had the opportunity to review the status of the site.
* Admirals Row is qualifies for inclusion in the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
To sign the petition, go to http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/landmark-admirals-row
