Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Teacher & students lead Bushwick landmarking effort

From the Brooklyn Paper:

Community leaders are scrambling to landmark the historic stretch of Bushwick known as “Brewers Row” before the buildings are sold and further altered.

Bushwick high school teacher Adam Schwartz has partnered with Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D–Bushwick) to landmark several iconic buildings on Bushwick Avenue and create a historic district around the blocks near Linden Street, Gates Avenue and Bushwick Avenue.

“Identifying buildings and blocks could … preserve Bushwick’s history and culture as well as encourage neighborhood pride,” said Reyna.

The street was once home to beer makers, doctors, a former mayor and even a famous explorer of the North Pole — but the buildings have deteriorated or been altered.

With the help of his 11th and 12th graders at the Academy of Urban Planning, Schwartz has been identifying and documenting buildings for landmark consideration.

5 comments:

Jerry Rotondi, Comm. To Save RKO Keith's Theatre of Flushing Inc. said...

Students of Flushing High School wrote numerous letters to then borough president Claire Shulman to support reinstating the FULL INTERIOR landmark designation of the historic RKO Keith's Flushing Theater in 1986 which had been abridged to shelter only the ticket lobby and grand foyer.

She ignored them as she did 3,500 petition signers, letters from various civic associations and business organizations!

Were she and Manes in cahoots with Tommy Huang?

Time will tell!

Joe said...

I grew up around that street those buildings are both amazing inside and outside.
One of those houses was GP Dr.Finks.

Doubt this will ever happen in Flushing Asians hate this stuff, wood, anything that needs paint or maintenance, sweeping tree leaves etc.

georgetheatheist said...

Joe, your highly perceptive sociological analysis is always appreciated. Thanks.

Gary the Agnostic said...

The Mayor referred to was John F. Hylan, who served from 1917 to 1925.

Hylan was one of our more interesting Mayors, although far from one of the best. He followed two of the best, William J. Gaynor and John Purroy Mitchel (they guy Mitchel Field on Long Island was named after. He died in military service after Hylan defeated him) and was, in turn, replaced by one of the most corrupt Mayors, James J. Walker.

Interesting people in an interesting time.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful homes still exist in Brooklyn, because they DO NOT have pieces of shit like Helen Marshall And The Vallones (wow, that could be a reality show on HBO next year!) at the helm.

Queens, on the other hand...