Ten Reasons to Save Fire Station Five

[thelakelander]

Kids Kampus Isolated? Why, because you say it is? Ever seen the Special Events quarters there? Cramped and stepping all over each other. They could use the space of another building and could store their equipment in the caverns of the fire station.

Not me, its the map.  That entire site is pretty isolated from DT's everyday activities.  

In case no one here has realized, commerical spaces are not flying out the windows.

The city's budget is also not flowing with milk and honey.  Its going to be a hard enough sell to justify spending any public money moving the building due to a shortsighted land swap deal in the first place.  Shoot for taxpayers to support a building restoration on top of that, just for history's sake, and it will be rubble sooner rather than later.

Leave it in Brooklyn to turn to dust or move it where the City could immediately get good use from it. This is an easy solution. If Brooklyn had more going on in growth, it would be an easier sell, but the empty wasteland there right now continues to collect dust and weeds. There is no reason to leave it there.

In reality, if placing a bet on whether this thing survives, I'd put my money on it being torn down.  Its just my opinion, but the easiest and most cost efficient way for this thing to survive is to relocate it nearby within Brooklyn, which would still give it a chance of qualifying for federal historic tax credits.  

[sandyshoes]

I hope some kind soul will go snap some good photos inside and out before anything happens...just so we have something to remember it by.  It's not sounding very hopeful.

[thelakelander]

Location, location, location.  What is Brewster located around?  That abandoned section of LaVilla does not have the traffic count, visibility or dense daytime office population surrounding it that the intersection of Forest and Riverside does.

Lake - Have you driven down Monroe? Uh, Brewster is down the street from the new Medical complex, a number of law offices and mixed use commercial space. Is it St. Johns Town Center? No, but its a far cry from the desolate picture you paint of Lavilla. Monroe turns off of 95 as well, so its not like Brewster is in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, and by the way, Brewster is ready for occupancy, FS 5 is still boarded up. Big difference.

Its pretty silly to compare Brewster's location with the intersection of Forest and Riverside.  

A. Two six lane roads and a full interchange to two interstates vs a oneway street with a Northbound I-95 off ramp.  

B. The towers of BCBS, Everbank and Fidelity as immediate neighbors vs Ted Pappas' two story jail like office building and a small church.  

C. A block away from the riverfront vs. the center of what's left of LaVilla.  

D. In short, not comparable.

[mtraininjax]

Not me, its the map.  That entire site is pretty isolated from DT's everyday activities.  


The city's budget is also not flowing with milk and honey.  Its going to be a hard enough sell to justify spending any public money moving the building due to a shortsighted land swap deal in the first place.  Shoot for taxpayers to support a building restoration on top of that, just for history's sake, and it will be rubble sooner rather than later.

In reality, if placing a bet on whether this thing survives, I'd put my money on it being torn down.  Its just my opinion, but the easiest and most cost efficient way for this thing to survive is to relocate it nearby within Brooklyn, which would still give it a chance of qualifying for federal historic tax credits.  

Kids Kampus has COJ Special Events offices there as well. Check them out some time, they have no room in the same building that has the restrooms in it. This is where all the carts are stored for special events.

Sure the City's budget is challenged, but is it better to bulldoze the building? I know how you loved to see Farah tear down the dump just south of their building, which had little to no historical value, let along a Fire Station.


Federal historic tax credits could be applied for at Kids Campus as well. We can ask Joel at the City if you are interested.

[mtraininjax]

Its pretty silly to compare Brewster's location with the intersection of Forest and Riverside. 

A. Two six lane roads and a full interchange to two interstates vs a oneway street with a Northbound I-95 off ramp. 

B. The towers of BCBS, Everbank and Fidelity as immediate neighbors vs Ted Pappas' two story jail like office building and a small church. 

C. A block away from the riverfront vs. the center of what's left of LaVilla. 

D. In short, not comparable.

I think its silly to debate the entire issue, all I wanted to do was show you that there is MORE LIFE around Brewster for people to use a commercial structure than there are in Brooklyn. Ask anyone in the Everbank Building if they would move to FS 5 on the corner of Forrest and Riverside? Ask Fidelity or BCBSF if they'll move? You'd get laughed out of their offices. There is nothing going on in Brooklyn to warrant leaving this structure there with hope that it can become part of the commercial space. Lavilla has life in commercial spaces, and that was my point about Brewster.


There is no life in Brooklyn for a 2-story commercial building. Period.

[thelakelander]

I think its silly to debate the entire issue,

I agree 100%

all I wanted to do was show you that there is MORE LIFE around Brewster for people to use a commercial structure than there are in Brooklyn.

I don't agree, but we're all entitled to our opinions.

Ask anyone in the Everbank Building if they would move to FS 5 on the corner of Forrest and Riverside? Ask Fidelity or BCBSF if they'll move? You'd get laughed out of their offices.

I agree 100%.  However, why ask them such a silly question?  My guess is that FS 5 would be better off being used to house a business that served the major companies located nearby. Sort of like Johnny's Deli next door.  Think restaurant (Firehouse Subs maybe?), pharmacy, bookstore, etc.  Not corporate relocation.

There is nothing going on in Brooklyn to warrant leaving this structure there with hope that it can become part of the commercial space. Lavilla has life in commercial spaces, and that was my point about Brewster.

There is no life in Brooklyn for a 2-story commercial building. Period.

Okay.  Disagree that Brooklyn has no market, but okay. Nevertheless, don't limit yourself to commercial only.  Mixed-use would be more realistic and more in line with the small adjacent two story buildings along Edison Ave.

[vicupstate]

Mtrian, Tens of millions of dollars in development was propsed for the Brooklyn portion of Riverside Ave. before the economy tanked. The only way that Brooklyn can have no value, is to think that the recession is permanant.   

[mtraininjax]

People, there is no place to move FS 5 in Brooklyn that has mixed use going on right now. Where do you propose moving it where there is hustle and bustle today? There is MIXED-USE going on NOW in Lavilla, a need for the building in Kids Campus. There is no life in Brooklyn, right now, today for FS 5.

The clock is ticking and Fidelity wants to tear it down. In order to move it, you have to have a need/use for it, otherwise its no better than the Genovar hall rotting on Ashley Street.

Lake - I agree with you, I think it will be torn down, because no one in the City can take a stand and put together a worthwhile plan. The difference in costs are relatively low whether you move it 50 feet or half a mile, but one thing is for sure, it will be torn down if its not moved.

[thelakelander]

People, there is no place to move FS 5 in Brooklyn that has mixed use going on right now. Where do you propose moving it where there is hustle and bustle today? There is MIXED-USE going on NOW in Lavilla, a need for the building in Kids Campus. There is no life in Brooklyn, right now, today for FS 5.

My suggestion was directly across the street from its current site.  Its already more lively than the quiet stretch of Monroe where Brewster now sits.



There is no reason that dirt lot can't resemble a scene like this with Fire Station 5 as a part of it.

[mtraininjax]

My suggestion was directly across the street from its current site.  Its already more lively than the quiet stretch of Monroe where Brewster now sits.

Lake - My issue is not about where its more lively, its really about where it can be used best, right now. It could work there across the street, but drive it a few more blocks to Lavilla where Mixed use is already in place, and getting ready for the courthouse. This building would/could be used for law offices. Why not move it where it can get the most care as soon as possible?

Brooklyn is a long way off from the renaissance we all want to happen there. It will, but no one has yet put a shovel in the dirt across from FS 5. Why wait, when its going on now near the courthouse?

[thelakelander]

In the end, I guess we'll just agree to disagree.  I believe the market along Riverside Avenue is already ripe for a mixed-use project to take advantage of the existing built in surrounding office population.  Thus, I also believe that its viable to keep Fire Station 5 in Brooklyn, if the right site is chosen.

[mtraininjax]

Lake - Being RIPE and being RIGHT are 2 different things. Shovels are not in the ground with the RIPE solution, where as with the RIGHT solution, they are building it as we speak.

When Brooklyn grows up and gets a shovel in the ground, it will be the RIGHT location for it, till then we can agree to disagree.

[thelakelander]

Whatever you say.

[mtraininjax]

I agree, throwing up the white flag....

[thelakelander]

No, I've made my point.  I'm resting my case.