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MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY SUES TO COMPEL HISTORIC REVIEW AT BROOKLYN'S IKEA SITE
BREAKING NEWS |
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©Mark D Phillips
The old Todd Shipyard buildings on Beard Street have been torn down for the construction of the new Ikea.
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The Municipal Art Society has sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with a goal
of forcing a legally-mandated review of historic resources at the Ikea site in Red Hook,
Brooklyn. The Corps has allowed construction to proceed that will cover over a Civil War-
era graving dock on the site with a parking lot - an act that will forever tarnish the historic
character of the site and weaken the city's maritime industry.
"For nearly two years, the Corps has said that civic groups and others would be
allowed input and comment on demolition and construction plans at Red Hook." said Kent
Barwick, MAS President. "That time never came and we are left with no alternative but legal
action. The law requires a proper historic review, and the public deserves it."
MAS is calling on the Corps to fulfill its responsibilities under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act which requires a full and fair review of the effects of the
Ikea project on all historic properties in the area, including the dock itself. The suit was filed
in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Friday, November 17.
Dating to the 1860s, the dock has obvious historic significance but it also holds
great importance as a functioning and virtually irreplaceable piece of maritime infrastructure.
The 710-foot ship repair facility is one of only two docks in New York Harbor that can
accommodate large, tall ships. Filling it in will diminish maritime capacity in the region.
©John Bartlestone
The graving dock will be Ikea's parking garage.
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In February 2005, MAS commissioned alternative plans showing that the site can
accommodate the graving dock, the store, and the same number of parking spaces as laid out
in Ikea's original plan. The site at 1 Beard Street in Red Hook is roughly the same size as the
Atlantic Yards site in Prospect Heights. MAS maintains that Ikea can fit the dock, the store
and a parking lot in the same amount of space that the developer Forest City Ratner plans to
fit 16 skyscrapers, a park and a sports arena.
"The Army Corps has artificially gerrymandered the permit area to exclude
consideration of a significant historic resource," said Elizabeth Merritt, Deputy General
Counsel for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "This is an issue that has national
implications because it reflects a widespread policy of the Army Corps which is
fundamentally inconsistent with the National Historic Preservation Act."
"Ships have been built and repaired in Red Hook since the mid-1700s and up until a
year ago this graving dock continued to provide important maritime services and local jobs,"
said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of New York State. "The League
placed the graving dock on its statewide Seven to Save Endangered Properties list because
we believe that, in addition to the loss of those jobs and services, its loss will mean the
demise of a unique, functioning and historic feature of the waterfront that helps to define the
character of Brooklyn. A thorough Section 106 review, which includes adequate public
participation, could result in the retention of the graving dock while allowing for growth and
economic development."
"Without the graving dock, New York City's ship repair and support services
infrastructure is presently inadequate to accommodate the current demand for ship repair, let
alone the confirmed future requirements," said Edward J. Kelly, Executive Director of the
Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The Municipal Art Society is a private, non-profit membership organization whose
mission is to promote a more livable city. Since 1893, the MAS has worked to enrich the
culture, neighborhoods and physical design of New York City. It advocates for excellence in
urban design and planning, contemporary architecture, historic preservation and public art. A
project of MAS is the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, which is dedicated to helping the
region reconnect to its greatest natural resource - the harbor, rivers and estuaries of the New
York and New Jersey waterfront.
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Previous Happenings Features
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Through a Lens Darkly
Annie Leibovitz has photographed celebrities, presidents, and a very naked, extremely pregnant Demi Moore.
Now her surprisingly personal, searingly raw exhibition - "Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990 - 2005" - will be showcased at the Brooklyn Museum through January 21.
It features pictures of not only Hollywood celebs and heads-of-state, but fetchingly candid shots of ordinary folks and people dear to the photographer.
In advance of the show's opening on October 20, Leibovitz, who is gracious and unassuming away from the lens, provided a rare, behind-the-scenes peek into her work and her life -- leading a walking tour through the museum.
Through a Lens Darkly .... Continued |
Annie Leibovitz at Brooklyn Museum
©Mark D Phillips View Larger |
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Fort Defiance returns to Red Hook
Is Red Hook getting a raw deal in the history of America?
Each year, the Battle of Brooklyn is commemorated in Brooklyn Heights and Prospect Park. Red Hook is never mentioned. In 1953, an attempt was made to spell out the areas role in the Battle of Brooklyn. Two historical markers were placed, one on the Manufacturers Trust Company in downtown Brooklyn at the start of Red Hook Lane, and the second on a Todd Shipyards building in Red Hook.
Fort Defiance .... Continued |
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SouthBrooklynInternet. All material ©2006. No reuse without permission.
All photographs ©Mark D Phillips - southbrooklyninternet.com |
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