To: 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 G...

Landmark Admirals Row!

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.

Why is this important?

On January 27, 2012, New York City took title to the Admirals Row property in the old Brooklyn Navy Yard. The six-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 sq. ft. of additional retail space, plus industrial space and 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 in New York City, New York State, and the National Register of Historic Places.
* The six-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 title 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.
* The NYC Landmarks Commission has never had the opportunity to review the status of the site.
* Steps should be taken immediately to prevent further deteriation.

For more information see http://brooklynsothermuseumofbrooklyn.com/