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Brooklyn House Associated With Abolitionist Movement Slated To Be Razed And Redeveloped As Apartments
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Aug 12, 2019
Modified Aug 12, 2019
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Jake Dobkin / Gothamist
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Aug 12, 2019
Modified Aug 12, 2019
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Despite preservation attempts, a 19th century house in downtown Brooklyn with ties to the city’s abolitionist movement appears headed for demolition, barring a last-minute intervention by the Landmark Preservation Commission.
Samiel Hansab, the owner of 227 Duffield Street, last week filed an application with the Department of Buildings to construct a 13-story mixed use building that would contain 21 residential units. The DOB has received a demolition application. No permit has been issued yet.
Hansab did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In June, community activists and elected officials launched a campaign to landmark the property, which was once owned by a pair of abolitionists and has long been believed to have been used as a stop along the city’s Underground Railroad. The previous owner of 227 Duffield along with another historic house on the block had pointed to an underground tunnel between the properties as evidence of a clandestine passageway for fugitive slaves. Back in 2007, the city had sought to take the property by eminent domain to create a park, but after heated debates, the request was dropped and Duffield street was renamed Abolitionist Place.
All told, 20 local elected officials, including Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, signed a letter urging the LPC to consider granting the building landmark status. "With a lack of African American historical sites in Brooklyn, we cannot stop at the installation of statues recognizing historical figures," the letter read. "We must also work to preserve the physical movements of our ancestors."
To date more than 3,000 people have signed an online petition to landmark 227 Duffield.
An LPC spokesperson said the request to evaluate the property is still under review.
The move to landmark a building associated with the abolitionist movement is not unprecedented in New York. Back in 2009, the city landmarked a string of mid-19th-century row houses in Chelsea to head off an extensive renovation attempt by an owner. Today, the house at 339 West 29th Street is considered the only surviving documented Underground Railroad stop in Manhattan. But unlike 227 Duffield, there exists written historic records of its association with the Underground Railroad.
Downtown Brooklyn has been in the midst of a redevelopment boom. In June, plans were unveiled for a 941-foot mixed-use tower, which would be the tallest building in the borough.
UPDATE: The story has been updated to reflect the latest comment from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Also, an earlier version incorrectly said the DOB had approved the demolition application. It is still reviewing the application.
Tagged
downtown Brooklyn
preservation
Underground Railroad
original
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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