The rowhouses of Chester Court get closer to designation as a historic district. Image credit: Brownstoner
Faux-Tudor 1915 development consisting of 18 buildings takes step toward designation. On November 25, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on potential designation of Chester Court as a historic district. The proposed district comprises of 18 two-and-a-half story faux-Tudor dwellings built in 1914 and 1915 in two facing rows near Prospect Park’s eastern edge by developer Brighton Building Company. The buildings were designed by former Brooklyn Commissioner of Buildings Peter J. Collins, who was also the company’s president. Landmarks voted to add the district to its designation calendar on October 28.
At the hearing, local Council Member Mathieu Eugene spoke in support of Chester Court’s “rightful designation as a historic district,” while Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adam’s Director of Land Use Richard Bearak testified that the district was both historically and architecturally significant, and reflected Brooklyn’s character and cultural heritage. A representative of Brooklyn Community Board 9 said the Board unanimously voted in favor of recommending designation, and said there was an “alarming” rate of destruction for new developments throughout Brooklyn. The Historic Districts Council’s Barbara Zay testified to Chester Court’s “strong architectural cohesion,” and noted that its development history was closely linked with the broader neighborhood and nearby historic districts. One Chester Court resident described herself as “overwhelmed with pride and joy,” and said landmarking would preserve the “character and charm” of the community. Other residents and a representative of the block association also spoke in support.
Paimaan Lodhi, of the Real Estate Board of New York, also spoke in support designation, stating that Chester Court was “the type of historic district we think should be designated,” with adequately informed property owners who endorsed landmarking.
Landmarks Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan closed the hearing after stating that the commission would vote on the designation in January.
[UPDATE] Landmarks unanimously voted to designate the district at its meeting on December 16th, 2014. Chair Srinivasan noted that the district’s designation had garnered “universal, unanimous approval” at the hearing from various stakeholders and thanked the district’s residents, the Chester Court Block Association, Council Member Eugene, Brooklyn Community Board 9, and the Brooklyn Borough President’s office, as well as Landmarks staff.
LPC: Chester Court Historic District, Brooklyn (LP-2567) (Nov. 25, 2014).