Brooklyn Heights Association
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
It took a while, but Fall seems to have finally arrived in Brooklyn Heights. As you can see from this newsletter, it has been a busy time and there are scores of issues keeping the BHA hard at work. To get the word out about what we’ve been up to, and maybe enlist a few more great volunteers, we’ve begun to organize a number of regular community oriented events.
We hosted a very successful “It’s Our Park Day” in the newly renovated Cadman Plaza Park, which brought out scores (300!) of diligent bulb planting, raking, art loving, music listeners. Next, we hope to see some new faces at the upcoming Anthony Wood / Francis Morrone talk at the Brooklyn Historical Society on November 14th (more info elsewhere in this newsletter).
Mr. Morrone is also at work on a BHA sponsored effort to document our Historic District. Since we were the first in the City, the official document describing our neighborhood is extremely brief and does not describe all of the wonderful buildings that make up the district. Mr. Morrone has begun the encyclopedic task of documenting each and every structure with its history, photos old and new, and other vital statistics. Once the leaves are off the trees, you might just spot someone on the street photographing your house. Maybe you already have a historic photo of your house (or your neighbors)? If so, it would be a help to share a copy with the BHA for this important project. Ultimately, we should have comprehensive documentation of our historic district with which to better defend our borders and judge proposals within it.
Speaking of our borders, a pair of projects has occupied our recent attention, one in Cobble Hill and the other in DUMBO. In both cases we’ve joined our neighbors in challenges to proposals that would have tremendous negative impact on the character of our greater neighborhood and potentially set dangerous precedents for future development. We are extremely pleased that our collective effort regarding the 130 Court Street project will limit it’s height to the prescribed 50 feet, thereby protecting not only this corner of Cobble Hill, but all of the properties within our Limited Height District.
The DUMBO project is a tower proposal on Dock Street that threatens to rise adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge destroying views of and from this world-class landmark. (Please refer to a full article with building visuals found on the next pages.) We look forward to continuing work with the coalition of neighborhoods fighting to preserve one of New York City’s greatest monuments.
Within our own borders, we’ll be working with the Willowtown Association to address grave concerns there for maintaining the unique quality of Joralemon Street (between Hicks and Furman Streets). Its steep, narrow, and cobblestoned block offers a window to the past, yet it is threatened by potential increases in traffic as the waterfront park takes shape. Together, we’ll do everything possible to limit vehicular access and advocate for resident permit parking (district wide) to defend this corner of our neighborhood.
If you’re getting this newsletter, you undoubtedly already care deeply for Brooklyn Heights. We hope that our continuing efforts to maintain (and improve!) the unique features of our neighborhood are recognized, and that you will continue to support our good efforts. Your neighborhood association depends on your continued activism and involvement.
A note about Tom van den Bout: Originally from Texas, Tom is an architect
and has lived in Brooklyn Heights since 1992, now residing on Henry Street
with his wife, Brenda Nelson (who is also an architect). In June, Tom was
elected as the BHA Board President after actively serving the Board for
nine years on the Landmarks Committee, which he chairs.
Please click on the links below:
Introducing New 'Foodies' with Community Spirit
Traffic and Transportation Update
St. Ann's and the Holy Trinity Church
Lend a Hand on Thanksgiving Day
BHA Preservation Event - You are Invited
BHA’s USE OF E-MAIL
We lack e-mail addresses for many of you. Please send your email address
to bkhtsassoc@aol.com. We promise to keep it private. We use e-mail primarily
to deliver urgent alerts or immediate calls for action, and for the occasional
time-sensitive announcements of BHA events occurring between newsletters.
Be assured that we won’t flood your mailbox