LANDMARK CROW HILL

On April 24, 2007, then LPC Chairman Robert B. Tierney stated, 

“This marvelous ensemble of mansions, churches, row houses and freestanding residences in Crown Heights North forms a streetscape that is unlike any other in New York City. The creation of a historic district here underscores the Commission’s commitment to preserving our City’s special heritage in all five boroughs, and we look forward to working with the residents of Crown Heights North to help them ensure that their splendid neighborhood remains intact.”

Chairman Tierney was announcing the designation of the first of four phases of a large Crown Heights North Historic District. Based on an initial survey conducted by the LPC in 1976, the agency enthusiastically championed this ground-breaking district. Not only was it an acknowledgement of the neighborhood’s fine architecture and history, the CHN HD was an important confirmation that historic preservation was not restricted to wealthy white neighborhoods—preservation was for everyone. Some of our most memorable moments in the designation process were when African American seniors who had endured rampant racism and redlining in purchasing and maintaining their homes were able to testify at the hearings in favor of landmarking protection.

LPC calendared and then designated Phases 2 and 3 between 2011 and 2015. The final Phase 4  would complete the district, encompassing the remaining blocks cited in the 1976 survey, but not included in the three phases. It would include Crow Hill, technically part of Crown Heights North, and a continuation of the fine architecture and streetscapes further east. This inclusion is in concert with landmarking efforts initiated by the Crow Hill Neighborhood Association, beginning in 2012 and now continued in CHNA’s Landmark Crow Hill initiative.

In the years since 2015, Crown Heights North and Crow Hill have undergone hyper-gentrification and development. The combination of the up-zoning of north-south avenues and the new popularity of Crown Heights North between Nostrand and Washington Avenues, threatens the architectural and historic integrity of the late 19th and early 20th century streetscape. 

Within that area are documented works by important 19th century Brooklyn architects such as C.P.H. Gilbert, George Poole Chappell, Peter J. Lauritzen, Magnus Dahlander, Axel Hedman and others. St. Marks Avenue, Dean, Bergen and Pacific Streets especially were lauded for their quality homes. St. Marks Avenue was home to architect George P. Chappell, and his neighbors included important industrialists and entrepreneurs. Some of the architecture represented in this neighborhood is unique to the site, and not replicated elsewhere in Brooklyn. This includes the specially developed enclaves of St. Francis and St. Charles Places, between Bedford and Franklin Avenues.

Also within the large district are important houses of worship, both Jewish and Christian, commercial buildings contributing to Brooklyn’s historic Automobile Row on Bedford Avenue, and the large Nassau Brewery complex on Franklin, Bergen and Dean Streets, one of Brooklyn’s earliest breweries. Also within the greater district is the Jewish Hospital complex, its early 20th century buildings designed by renowned Brooklyn architect George Morse, worthy of individual designation, as well as inclusion in an historic district. 

Also included within the area are blocks of significant single and two-family rowhouses and many important blocks of fine multi-family housing a continuation of the quality housing found in the previously landmarked CHN areas. Because this area is not landmarked, it is Ground Zero for development. While we understand that not every building in the district’s general footprint is landmark-worthy, large contiguous swaths of the area remain relatively intact.  But that will not last. 

Development is not confined to replacing or altering buildings that are non-contributing and not considered architecturally or culturally significant. Every day we see new buildings rising where landmark-quality structures once stood. Just last year, the district lost 669 St. Marks Avenue, a significant contributing semi-detached brick mansion and its rare carriage house, both razed for another infill condo tower. Without the protection of landmarking, this will not be the last building in the Crow Hill area to be destroyed.