Monday, June 18, 2007

Brooklyn homeowners were railroaded

A new lawsuit is being filed over the Duffield Street homes in Brooklyn:

Suit: Underground Railroad homes at risk

The suit seeks to show the city violated its own laws by failing to fully examine the historical significance of the houses it wants to demolish. Preservationists say the houses were important stops along the Underground Railroad in the 19th century. They criticize the city for not holding public discussions on their demolition.

"There is no debate at this point that prominent abolitionists lived at 227 Duffield St.," said Jennifer Levy, a lawyer with South Brooklyn Legal Services, which filed the suit Friday.

"But the city didn't include that fact in its final environmental impact report. I guess they missed it."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The city didn't miss this fact in their "study".....they simply ignored it !

The first step in banishing African Americans from living in this soon to become up-scale neighborhood is to make their history invisible !!!

Once again, de facto racism rears its ugly head !!!

Anonymous said...

A lawsuit. Wow! Why don't they just cut to the chase and explain how the landmarks law is illegal because it is not being applied everywhere equally.

A lawsuit like this in Queens?

Gee, isn't it funny with all these preservation groups in Queens nothing gets done except:

1. patiently sitting down with them explaining the problem.

2. they have a furrowed brow and leave saying 'well we don't know.'

3. the Queens preservation leaders comes back arguing the politician/developer case saying' its a done deal, but you can meet with the developer, though, [and do what, see if you can discuss the color of the front door?]'

Anonymous said...

Everyone likes to complain about overdevelopment, but unlike Brooklyn or Manhattan, Queens folks seem to seldom go further than sitting in their jamies and whining on a blog.

(see astorians.com if you know what I mean or look at pictures of the hearings for the blackout last summer: eight f$%^&ing people in the audience)

What makes people so passive in this boro?

Anonymous said...

Good point !
As currently interpreted, the NYC Landmarks Law is racist and is being applied in a unequal manner in different neighborhoods!

It's time to abolish it and maybe start from scratch !

Anyone for taking this case all the way up to the US Supreme Court ? !!!

Anonymous said...

It looks to me as though the Landmarks Commission is simply enforcing the Runaway Slave Act.

Is Tierney the Grand Dragon? Will he now put on his hood and lead the nightriders with rifles and burning crosses?

Can't let these people get too uppity, now, can we? Landmark designation would be too permissive.