Treyger Supports Landmarks Preservation

Treyger Presents Testimony at Landmarks Preservation Commission
Backlog Hearing Supporting Two Historic Local Structures
BROOKLYN – Council Member Mark Treyger presented testimony at a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing today offering his support to designate Gravesend’s Lady Moody House and Coney Island’s Water Pressure Pumping Station as landmarks.

The Lady Moody House, a privately-owned home at 27 Gravesend Neck Road, stands on property once owned by Lady Deborah Moody, one of the first women to own land in the New World. Moody is credited with establishing the community known today as Gravesend.

“The Lady Moody House is one of the most historically significant structures in southern Brooklyn,” said Treyger. “The structure’s mere presence acts a constant reminder to residents of the area that there is culture and history in southern Brooklyn, too. Not everything can be a condominium. We must preserve this integral piece of southern Brooklyn’s infancy.”

Treyger also lent his support to granting landmark status to the Coney Island Water Pressure Pumping Station, an Art Deco-style structure built in 1938 by notable architect Irwin Chanin in order to boost water pressure for fire fighters battling the blazes that plagued the neighborhood in the early 20th century.

“The Coney Island Pumping Station symbolizes our community’s strength and perseverance,” Treyger said. “This structure provided an invaluable utilitarian service to this community, and it merits recognition based on that alone. But its significance from an architectural and artistic perspective also deserves consideration. This iconic structure in the Art Deco architectural style is part of this great city’s storied past, and examples of this style should be preserved to keep the spirit of New York’s past alive for future generations.”

But Treyger said he strongly believed that the city-owned property, out of service for more than 40 years, needs to be renovated and repurposed to serve the public good in a recreational or utilitarian form.

“However, while I support the external landmarking of the station, I believe granting this status needs to be done with the public good in mind,” said Treyger. “I can only support landmarking the station if its future involves an internal renovation for the purpose of being put to recreational use. Its aesthetic significance cannot be doubted, but it will not do this community enough good if it simply continues to occupy space without serving our residents.”

The hearing at which Treyger presented his testimony was the first in a series meant to clear a decades-long backlog of nearly 100 cases.

“This community needs a sense of closure,” said Treyger. The wait to resolve this issue – since 1966 – has been too long. I want to thank the Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Meenakshi Srinivasan, and the rest of the Commission’s members for their consideration.”