During our testimony yesterday at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, we presented this petition to save the landmarked Duffield Houses and stop the developer's plan to erase Brooklyn history on behalf of the 550+ of you who signed it!

In the end, the majority of the LPC was against the plan because it wasn't contextual with the surroundings, but most importantly would destroy too much of the house's historic fabric. While they took no action onTuesday and directed the developers to revise the design so it does not “overwhelm” the block’s historic character, this will surely force them to go back to the drawing board. We'll call it a win, for now.  But this is by no means the end of the story for these historic homes.

Here are two thorough accounts of the hearing for those who would like more details:

• Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now (6sqft)
• LPC Rejects Plan That Would Gut DoBro’s Duffield Street Houses for 33-Story Tower (Brownstoner)

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and especially those who contributed and shared it with others. We didn't expect such a large response in such a short amount of time!

If you would like to be updated on any future proposed plans for these houses, get involved in the fight to save these and other historic buildings in Downtown Brooklyn, or even just want to keep up on important news in the neighborhood, consider signing up for the Downtown Brooklyn Community Association (DBCA) newsletter.

The DBCA was formed by neighborhood residents to enhance the quality of life and advocate for historic preservation in Downtown Brooklyn.    

Thanks for your support!