Save Our Castle
Many of us know the desperate need that Sunset Park has for more schools. It is a need that goes back 40 years. But the City has begun a process (a legal procedure) to take possession of our NYC Landmarked "old 68th Precinct" - the castle.
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They will have permission to demolish it to give us 300 seats - we need 1,900 seats. So this is a drop in the bucket - but we understand you have to start somewhere.
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But many of you have pointed out - "How can you say you are providing for our children's education by tearing down a piece of living history?"
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We have until July 15th to send our "testimony" to stop this.
Please send an email to: sites@nycsca.org
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Your opening can be: re: 4302 4th Ave Brooklyn - "the castle"
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You can say what you want, but feel free to use one or more of the lines below.
THIS IS NOT IN ANY ORDER - PICK WHAT YOU LIKE - CHANGE THE WORDS OR USE AS THEY ARE
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I, put your name, am opposed to the SCA doing anything to change the landmark status of the building because:
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It is a historical landmarked part of our history.
There is no other architecture from this era in not just Sunset Park, but the greater area.
It would be a lie, to say that it is in danger of imminent collapse, Landmarks Preservation has been inspecting it regularly
If it was in imminent danger of collapse litigation against the former owner, for demoliton by neglect, would be needed to get back the $6 million dollars profit they made from the buildings sale.
The first female appointed to the NYC Police Department worked in this building. It was her first assignment.
The loss of a unique landmark for only 300 of the needed 1,900 seats is disproportionate.
It is the most iconic landmark in sunset - the "people's" landmark
If SCA must demolish our landmark for 300 seats, does this mean we will not get any more of the 1,600 seats that we need - in essence you are saying there is no other location possible.
The SCA has ignored or failed to consider other specific locations like the NE corner of 39th St & 4th Ave
The process by SCA is flawed - the general public was not made aware of the Public Hearing.
The SCA assumed the Community Board would reach out to the public, but they didn't even invite all their members.
The SCA has not disclosed the specifics of the deal with the current owners - we wonder what they promised.
It is an insulting introduction to our newest Americans, our immigrant community - learning that government can ignore their own landmark laws and destroy our history without due process
Rather than work with the community, the SCA seems to want to punish the community to cover up their lack of due diligence in finding an appropriate site or sites for all 1,900 needed seats.
The SCA is ignoring locations west of 3rd Ave where hundreds of students live and where our new waterfront park is.
The SCA is ignoring underutilized hotels - especially one recently padlocked for prostitution.
SCA didn't include any other Sunset Park sites on its comparision list for this siting.
SCA disregards the fact that Distric 15 lines differ from Sunset Park community lines and in their planned "ignorance" of the fact do a disservice to sunset park and our children by "listening" to residents of other communities about our landmark.
There can be other sites for schools but we cannot replace a 130 year old building.
If we destroy a piece of history that kids could see and touch in order to build an educational facility, are we really helping our children to learn?
Why do sufficient school seats and our historical heritage have to be mutually exclusive? Why can't we have both?
Why is it always a community of color that has to suffer for the greater good, why isn't it a privileged community?
Why wasn't this advertised to the community in local newspapers, twitter and the Internet?