February 14, 2019

Kate Lemos-McHale, Director of Research

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
One Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007

Dear Ms. Lemos-McHale,

The Historic Districts Council writes in support of Respect Brooklyn’s request to designate the Flatbush
Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn (494 East 23rd Street) as an individual landmark. This neo-Gothic edifice features
two different eras of construction, the original by architect John J. Petit in 1898 and a later addition by Hobart B.
Upjohn in 1922. Upjohn’s treatment of the site and existing architecture resulted in a seamless, attractive
composition of two very different time periods. It is clear that it was designed with the intention to be a part of the
urban fabric of its surroundings, and it is compositionally extremely successful. The church complex’s siting is
deliberately set back from the corner with a deep, grassy yard and plantings, which creates a distinct bucolic setting in
a dense urban environment. Both buildings feature rough-hewn ashlar, and stone window surrounds which enframe
stained glass windows. Buff-colored terra cotta door surrounds on East 23rd Street announce the church, but quietly.

Houses of worship all over the city are under assault, as some congregations have become obsolete. However, that
does not relegate these small masterpieces to functional obsolescence. Much can be done to adapt religious structures
for new uses, and with the LPC’s oversight, this task could be done exceptionally well. Religious buildings
collectively represent our evolving cultures over time, and the continuity of their presence is essential to our urban
form. Older cities all over the world have proven that the retention of these buildings does not mean that they
become architectural white elephants. Instead, they offer beauty, variety, and eventually tourism to locales.

Finally, the Historic Districts Council chose Victorian Flatbush as one of its Six to Celebrate neighborhoods in
2012. The area presently has five historic districts, but the blocks in between, like this one, remain undesignated and
unprotected despite architecture of the same vintage and style. These neighborhoods of Beverly Square East, Beverly
Square West, Caton Park, Ditmas Park West, and South Midwood are deserving of landmark status and we ask the
LPC to “complete the quilt” of city designation of these neighborhoods to safeguard their unique context in
Brooklyn.

Sincerely,

Simeon Bankoff
Executive Director

CC: Harry Bubbins, Respect Brooklyn