Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission approves removal of fire escape at 29 Willow Street in Brooklyn Heights
Summary
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved removal of a front‑façade fire escape at 29 Willow Street in Brooklyn Heights, 6–1, after hearing that the building is being converted from 10 units to two and that modern egress systems make the stair redundant.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Feb. 24 approved an application to remove the front‑façade fire escape at 29 Willow Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Applicant representative Kiva O'Sullivan said the building is being converted from a 10‑unit tenement into two condominium units and that recent safety upgrades mean "the fire escape [is] no longer required as a means of egress." The vote was 6 in favor and 1 opposed.
The Brooklyn Heights Association supported the application; Judy Stanton testified that although she presumed the fire escape might be original, the unit conversion removes its functional necessity and the stair is "a largely utilitarian element whose functional purpose is eliminated." Commissioners debated the historical evidence for the escape's installation — staff and several commissioners said there is no photographic proof — and Commissioner Jefferson said he "didn't have enough historical facts to approve" before recording his lone negative vote. The Commission recorded the motion as passing and directed staff to note precedent and documentation in the file.
