The  Landmarks Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed expansion of the Park Slope Landmarks Historic District on Tuesday, October 26th at 12:30 p.m. on the 9th floor of the Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street in Manhattan. Additionally, CB 6 will be holding a public hearing on the proposed expansion on Thursday, October 14th at 6 p.m at Old First Reformed Church, 729 Carroll Street.

The Park Slope Civic Council supports the expansion of the  current Historic District, to give more of Park Slope Landmarks protection. After surveying of the neighborhood, the Landmarks Preservation Commission proposed to expand the district (PDF). The proposed expansion includes about 600 buildings over 8 square blocks in the South Slope.

The decision to hold this hearing was in response to many months of organizing by community residents, led by the Park Slope Civic Council. As chairman of the City Council’s Landmarks Subcommittee (which will eventually hear and vote on the proposed expansion).

The current Park Slope Historic District was created in the 1970s, and includes most of the brownstone blocks on Eighth Avenue and Prospect Park West, and additional blocks in Northern Park Slope. The proposed expansion would add the blocks between Seventh and Eight Avenues, from Seventh Street through 14th Street, as well as areas adjacent to Bartel Pritchard Square (the full proposed boundaries are available on the LPC website (PDF)).

The Park Slope Civic Council and other groups have been organizing for this expansion since the spring of 2007, concerned that too much new development was undermining the architectural character of the community, and placing treasured buildings at risk. The LPC then conducted field surveys, and held their own public meeting in the community June, which was attended by several hundred local residents.

While a historic district asks a little bit more of building owners, it helps make sure the neighborhood retains the architectural character that makes it a great place.