MAS arranged two tours related to the theme of its April 28 panel discussion, Manufacturing a Greener New York. The first of these took place this past weekend. The second, Look for the Union Label takes place on Friday, May 22, 2:00 p.m.

President of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC), Andrew Kimball, led a MAS bus and walking tour of the extraordinary industrial park that is the Brooklyn Navy Yard last Friday afternoon, briefing tour-takers about the site that contains 40 buildings, 4 million square feet of leasable space and 5,000 employees. On our first stop, we saw the Perry Avenue Building, the nation’s first multi-tenant, multi-story green building — in fact a LEED Gold Building. (All future buildings at BNY will at least meet LEED Silver standards). To our right was the red brick 1889 Paymaster’s Building where burial shrouds for Hasidic Jews were made (niche market, indeed). Striking juxtapositions were everywhere. Continue Reading>>

There has been news coverage today on a reported compromise between the Navy Yard and the National Guard regarding the Admiral’s Row buildings in Brooklyn. Purportedly, only two of the eleven buildings will be retained.

Lisa Kersavage, MAS Director of Advocacy and Policy said in a public release, “If the reported compromise on the future of the Admiral’s Row buildings is true we are deeply disappointed because the majority of these buildings could and should be saved. We will continue fighting to save these important structures.”

It is not necessary to demolish the buildings in order to build on the site. MAS developed 11 alternative plans that that meet the Navy Yard’s program for a grocery store and retail (see rendering above left) and industrial space while allowing for the restoration and reuse of the historic buildings. Kersavage added, “If there is to be a compromise, it should be with the size of the 356-car parking lot, and not come at the expense of preserving these significant American treasures.” 

The buildings are in the midst of a federally-mandated Section 106 process, which provides the public with the opportunity to comment on the buildings’ demolition and to suggest alternatives that could prevent or mitigate the demolition of the historic structures. 

Joining founder of the Waterfront Preservation Alliance of Greenpoint and Williamsburg Ward Dennis were: moderator and president of the Society for Industrial Archaeology Mary Habstritt; MAS director of advocacy and policy Lisa Kersavage; president & chief operating officer of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Andrew Kimball; and preservation consultant to the Austin, Nichols, warehouse rehabilitation Robert Powers. Continue Reading>>

MAS convened experts and community members in an August brainstorming session to develop alternatives to the proposed demolition of Admiral’s Row. The principles for developing the site established during the session and the alternative plans that came out of it are displayed in the slide-show above.

Visit www.mas.org/preservation/admirals-row for more MAS advocacy on Admiral’s Row.

MAS Convenes Experts and Community in Visioning Session to Explore How to Incorporate Historic Buildings in Revitalization of Brooklyn Neighborhood.

In mid-August, MAS brought together community representatives, architects, preservationists, and other experts in a brainstorming session to develop alternatives to the proposed demolition of Admiral’s Row. Located on the edge of the Brooklyn Navy Yard at Flushing Avenue and Navy Street, Admiral’s Row is a collection of 11 National Register-eligible historic buildings currently owned by the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau.

The Admiral’s Row site includes ten houses, formerly home to high-ranking naval officers, constructed between the mid-nineteenth century and 1901, and a timber shed used primarily to store ship masts while they cured dating from 1838. The latter is the oldest building on-site, and is believed to be the only surviving mid-nineteenth century example of this building type in Navy yards in the United States. Although these historic buildings have been abandoned and allowed to deteriorate since the early 1970s, they retain a great deal of both exterior and interior architectural detail, and most are structurally sound. Together they form a remarkable collection of residential and accessory military buildings that are of great significance to the history of the Navy Yard, the borough of Brooklyn, and the U.S. Navy. Continue Reading>>

MAS Issues in the Press:
- Coney Island City Council Member Dominic Recchia’s op-ed stresses the need for enclosed activities during the cold months at Coney Island such as “shopping for senior citizens” (New York Daily News). Meanwhile the New York Times Video series visits Coney Island to showcase the boardwalk’s outdoor best: the Siren Festival, volleyball, and the Lola Staar Roller Rink.
- Public Officials and Fort Greene residents will meet tomorrow night at Borough Hall to endorse the demolition of Admiral’s Row in the Brooklyn Navy Yard (Brooklyn Daily Eagle). IKEA store manager Mike Baker was awarded by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce at their annual “Build Brooklyn” awards (Brooklyn Daily Eagle). Long Island City business district loses luster for workers due to lagging retail (New York Observer). Continue Reading>>