Brooklyn FD Prepares for Armageddon

Construction work is well under way on a 10 foot high chain link fence, topped with barbed wire, which will encircle the Fire Department building and antenna adjacent to the Botanic Garden's south entrance at Empire Boulevard and Washington Avenue (gmap). Apparently, the existing 8 foot high barbed wire fence and adjacent spiked 5 foot high wrought iron fence weren't sufficient protection. (The three fences are shown below with red arrows, as seen from Washington Ave, the newest one on the left.)

It's not clear what type of equipment and/or valuables are located in this building, or why it would be a target that warrants this type of triple barricade. What we do know is that the new fence significantly narrows the sidewalk, encompasses (former) street trees in its territory, and seems to broadcast a general "F--k You" to its neighbors on Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard. Not to mention it kind of negates the "scenic route" sign at Washington Avenue.

Thanks, FDNY, for making Empire Boulevard that much more of an enjoyable pedestrian experience.

Want to express your gratitude? You can email the commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and tell him your thoughts about this lovely addition to our neighborhood.

Comments

[Noah]

Yeah, being a resident of the 1035 Washington Ave. building, I've been watching this stupid thing go up from my living room and kitchen windows.
It's completely unnecessary and a blight in our little neighborhood. I would expect this from a commercial developer, but from our own FDNY?? Thanks guys.

[kendall]

from first glance, seems like more of a temporary construction fence...wonder what's being done behind it..

[jessica]

If you take a close look, it definitely seems like it will be a permanent installment. The posts have been embedded in concrete. The presence of a construction trailer does indicate that there may be some construction on the horizon, but I have a bad feeling that the fence is here to stay, at least for a few years.

[Noah]

3 YEARS?!?!

I had a somewhat heated exchange with the Project Manager/Forman/Official about the fence this morning.
I asked if it was permanent or temporary, and, after asking "who's asking?", he said it would be up for the next 3 years.
He then asked "What's it to you?", which was the wrong thing to say and I launched into a tirade of how ugly it is and that I have to see it everyday and it takes up half the sidewalk, etc...
All he could say was that it wasn't his fault, that the "architect" designed it and it's not his doing. I still thought he was entitled to my wrath for being so glib and careless.

[babs]

I think they're preparing for the coming food riots -- seriously, I have a friend who knows some survivalists out west who claim that the U.S. Army is on alert for total mayhem before the end of the year...

[babs]

They are now jackhammering part of the building itself. This is a NYC landmarked building and there are no permits or LPC approvals on file. 311 refused to take my complaint stating that it was not a landmarked building but government property and they can do whatever they want.

[jessica]

You're right babs, definitely a Landmark building. But I did check BIS and they DO have several approved Alt Type 2 permits for work on file with the Building Department.

The fact that it is City property should have no bearing on the requirement to obtain required approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. As an architect who does a lot of work for City University, I am always required to submit to LPC for approval on any job that affects the exterior, despite the fact that I am working on a City building using City funds. This is NOT the same type of situation as Admiral's Row, for example, which is army property.

If you are concerned about the integrity of the exterior, I would suggest contacting LPC directly rather than going through 311.

[jessica]

Let me also add that the Architect of Record, SHCA, is a reputable firm with experience in Historic Preservation.

As unattractive as the fencing is (no argument there; I wrote the original blog entry), this work seems to be on the level.

[babs]

All BIS permits on file refer to interior work; there are no permits for exterior demolition of any sort, yet this is what they were doing; I photographed the results on Tuesday evening. Their intentions may be good, but the manner of going about it is a landmarks violation. I have already called Landmarks directly; they referred me to 311, so I am submitting a written complaint, with photos.