Carroll [Gardens]

I say. Now this is fucked up.

Sez here, in the ever-creditable paper of record for folks living south of Atlantic and north of Hamilton, the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill Courier, that the signature architectural feature of Carroll Gardens—the GARDENS—don't actually belong to the owners of the brownstones they lead up to, but to the freakin' city, specifically the Department of Transportation. Said department, it appears, once lived in fear that it would one day have to widen the neighborhood's streets, and, when that fateful day came, didn't want to tangle with stubborn landowners.

Of course, what says Quirky Antiquated Zoning Law to you and me says LOOPHOLE, LOOPHOLE, LOOPHOLE to the unscrupulous developer. Said real estate rats can now use this bit of legal weirdness to tear down an existing structure and build one of greater floor area. In response to this, a group is trying to get Carroll Gardens' zoning changed from the currently R6.

Nice idea. Better idea would be to get the Landmarks Commission to landmark a greater part of the nabe. Two lousy blocks! That's how much of Carroll Gardens is landmarked. Two lousy blocks! Carroll Street and President Street between Smith and Hoyt. First Place through Fourth Place from Court to Henry should have be designated long ago.