Today, the National Guard Bureau recommended that the Brooklyn Navy Yard be required to preserve two of the historic Admiral’s Row buildings if it purchases the site. Admiral’s Row is a collection of 11 19th century buildings that hold an important place in America’s naval history. MAS had proposed a compromise that would allow for the Navy Yard to develop the site with a grocery store and industrial space while retaining the historic buildings. MAS has also requested that the National Guard lower the sale price of the property to reflect the cost required to rehabilitate the buildings (law requires that the land is sold at fair market value).

“MAS developed feasible plans that show that we can have preservation and development at the Admiral’s Row site. We have hoped, and continue to hope, that more of these very significant historic buildings will be retained and incorporated into the development (see our video feature on Admiral’s Row),” said MAS director of advocacy and policy Lisa Kersavage.

“MAS appreciates the National Guard’s focus on this issue and the rigorous review it is conducting as part of the Section 106 process. We will continue to work with them to address issues that they have articulated in our effort to preserve more of the buildings. The Brooklyn Navy Yard is seeking to demolish the buildings to create a very large surface parking and we strongly believe that more of the historic buildings could be preserved by reconfiguring their plan.”

The details of the National Guard Bureau’s recommended mitigation measures include: the preservation of the Building B (the oldest and grandest house on the site, pictured) and the Timber Shed (built c. 1853 and likely the only such structure in the nation); the preservation of the historic trees along Flushing Avenue, the photographic documentation of buildings proper to demolition and archaeological work.