Too Little, Too Late
OK, so the National Trust for Historic Preservation came out with their list of most endangered historic sites and, whaddaya know, the whole of the Brooklyn Waterfront was on it, right up there at Number One.
Well, big whoop. Nice of them to notice, of course, but—call me a pessimist—it's not endangered, it's gone. The Greenpoint Terminal Market done burned down. The Revere Sugar plant was dismantled bit by bit. The Old Dutch Mustard Buidling was demolished. IKEA wiped up the Todd Shipyards (and its many years of official records!).
The 1915, Cass Gilbert-designed Austin, Nichols Warehouse in Williamsburg lost its landmark status in a dumbass City Council vote in December 2005. Gone, gone, gone. And do you think IKEA going to give up its parking lot now that the City gave it the green light to pave over the Civil War-era Graving Dock in Red Hook. Ain't Sweden's history; ain't Sweden's problem.
I am also doubtful that the Domino refinery will be landmarked and saved. Bloomberg wants big box stores and large cruise ships up and down Brooklyn's coast and that's all he wants. So, thanks for the gesture, National Trust. Two years ago would have been better.
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4 comments:
Alas, sad but true. It's why I can't even go down Beard Street anymore, and I don't know how David Sharpe stands docking the Barge Museum in the 'hood anymore.
I for one won't be shopping ever at Brooklyn's Ikea, Loganberry juice, meatballs or no.
And it's so true. In Stockholm or Malmo, it'd never have happened. Fuck, in Montreal or Amsterdam, where "adaptive reuse" of history is a mantra, it would never have happened.
But here in the temple of manna, fuck it. Pave it over and collect the ratables and let the customers run over the kids and the grannies.
I gotta get outta here.
Next up before our very eyes: Kicking out the Catuccis and American Stevdoring. But hell. They can't hold their parties on the pier on July 4th anymore anyways. Maybe the Parks Department can outsource it to...Live Nation, Disney, Clear Channel, MTV or the Mayor's Office for Film and Television.
This town's so done, even the next recession can't save it.
Wow, you guys must be kidding. knock down all those rusting, sagging piece of s#%t eyesores and lets reclaim the waterfront for pedestrians, cyclists, parks, housing and not totally obsolete and useless manufacturing detritus that blocks people from 90% of the waterfront.
Anonymous #2: I believe Todd Shipyards was knocked down for IKEA. The Civil War Graving Dock will be IKEA's parking lot. Old Dutch Mustard is being replaced by a hotel (not housing, unless you're the type that lives in a hotel). Greenpoint Terminal Market burned down for no specific reason; who knows what will arise there. How does any of this benefit cyclists, pedestrians or parkland? You can bet the forces behind these changes don't care about any of those things. Also, I believe IKEA and that hotel will be even bigger eyesores than the things they replaced.
Anonymous #2 must not be from NY or maybe even from the US. It is sad to see something be torn down that our fathers, grandfather built; also erase history & our memories. Same goes for the neighborhoods too. Certain religious groups tearing down beautiful homes to build a elaborate house to house them and their 10 kids...hmmm (go back to your home if it is still there).
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