In Memoriam: 231 Duffield Street

231 Duffield is still standing, but it has been gutted and looks like its shell will only last a few more days at most. Much of the press attention has focused on 227 Duffield (owned by Joy Chatel) and 233 Duffield, but I wanted to take a moment to remember the historical importance of 231 Duffield.

In this memorial posting about the building, I would like to go back to the NYC Economic Development Corporation report titled “Research Report on the Potential Underground Railroad Associations of the Duffield Street and Gold Street Properties in Downtown Brooklyn.” Before getting to the connection to the Abolitionist movement, here's a bit of background:

231 DUFFIELD STREET (BLOCK 146, LOT 13)

Lot 13 originally was part of the John Duffield estate. By 1829, Lot 13 (along with other adjacent lots) had been acquired by John Duffield’s daughter, Susan Lawrence. It appears that Susan Lawrence never developed the lot during the time she held it…. Lot 13 was purchased at public auction for $550 by Robert Dingee of Brooklyn. It appears that lot remained undeveloped during the time that Robert Dingee owned it, from 1847 to 1850. In 1850, Robert and Frances Dingee sold Lot 13 to John A. Ackeley (also spelled Ackley) for $800. Again, the relatively low price paid for the lot suggests there were no improvements to it at the time. After purchasing Lot 13, Ackeley appears to have built the first house on the property after 1850.

One of the Peer Reviewers hired by the EDC in this study was Dr. Judith Wellman. Her widely used Wellman Scale evaluates the significance of potential Underground Railroad sites. A level three is defined as

Good chance the story is true Abolitionist sympathies, abolitionism or African-American background but no direct evidence of Underground Railroad activity. Potential Underground Railroad affiliation backed by oral tradition and/or some evidence of abolitionist activity, e.g., antislavery society membership, signatures on antislavery petitions or antislavery church membership.

In Appendix B page 3 of the EDC study, Dr. Wellman writes:

I would definitely put the Hawes/Hilles household (231 Duffield) at a level three because of the Hawes connection with Plymouth Church and the Hilles family as African American. Similarly, I would put the Truesdale/Harris household (227 Duffield) at level three because of Elizabeth Harris’s birthplace in North Carolina and Thomas Truesdale’s subscription to the National Anti-Slavery Standard. I was not sure about which households several other members of abolitionist churches belonged to. The Truesdales and Hawes families (especially the Truesdales) deserve further work. Level 3 fits people who have some connection with abolitionism, even if there is no documented connection as yet with the Underground Railroad. Membership in abolitionist societies and churches and subscription to abolitionist newspapers would count as abolitionist connections.

Dr. Wellman commented several times in the EDC report about the significance of the 231 Duffield, and Dr. Cheryl LaRoche supported Wellman in her comments.

Demolition continues of 231 Duffield

The demolition of 231 Duffield continues. The whole block was an important part of Brooklyn's Abolitionist history since many of this reviled community lived on the block. The buildings on this side of the block were connected underground. Here are photos from this evening:





Here is the view from the back of the building:

Demolition begins of historic Duffield Street building

Here are photos of the scaffolding that has been erected around 231 Duffield Street. While most attention has been on 227 and 233 Duffield, one important part of the history of the block is that all these buildings were connected underground. 231 Duffield is controlled by the V3, the same company building the hotel at 237 Duffield, and it looks like they intend to use their demolition permit. Some speculate that escaped slaves may have used other buildings on the block for various purposes, but that they stayed in 231.

These photos were sent by a reader.

BK Eagle: City Has All Parcels in Place for Creation of Willoughby Square Park

The Brooklyn Eagle has spread the word about the most recent NYC Economic Development Corporation press release. They report several new details including:

The recently acquired parcels, totaling approximately 23,046 square feet, include 225 Duffield (2,007 sq. ft.) and 223 Duffield (2,107); 116 Willoughby St. (7,500); and 402 (2,000), 404 (2,506), 406 (2,506), 416 (2,189) and 418 (2,231) Albee Square.

Here is Brooklyn Eagle's image of 225 Duffield- 227 Duffield is at the right in the photo. All three properties shown were connected by underground tunnels:

Development Watch: Downtown Sheraton/Aloft

Brownstoner reports on the completion of one of the hotels on Duffield Street:

The 25-story Sheraton is almost done (no word on an opening date but the website says it's "currently accepting group inquiries at the pre-opening office") and its younger sibling next door, the Aloft, has reached five stories. The Sheraton looks pretty nice, we think. Certainly heads and shoulders above some other hotels that have been built in the borough in recent years.

It is my understanding that the hotel was supposed to open last October, which means that it is much more prompt than almost any other large development in the Downtown Brooklyn area.

The article didn't mention a problem that developed a few months ago. Construction of the new hotel undermined the foundation of the building just south, leading to these cracks that go from the bottom to the top of the building:





These photos were taken July 9, 2008.

City Secures Rest of Willoughby Square Park Properties

Brownstoner covers the City acquisitions to create Willoughby Square:

It looks like we were on to something when we reported the city's acquisition of two properties in the Willoughby Square Park footprint earlier this month. Now the rest of the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place: Public records show that the city has taken title to nine properties through the process of eminent domain. The properties include 392, 402, 404, 406, 416, and 418 Albee Square as well as 223, 225 and 229 Duffield Street. Based on our understanding of how the eminent domain process works, the owners will not receive full compensation from the city until appraisals are completed. A few of these buildings still have some rent-controlled tenants in them who are being relocated by HPD. As for the city's plans for the project, the RFP process for both the landscape design of the 1.25-acre park and the development of the 700-car underground parking garage have been completed but the contracts have not been awarded or announced yet.

Surviving '08 and hope for '09

227 Duffield keeps on keeping on, and the press keeps noticing. Curbed puts Duffield on its list of three "Threatened Neighborhood Landmarks That Are Somehow Still Standing":

The houses, on Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn, found themselves the target of the city's eminent domain policy as politicians eyed--er, a parking garage, for the space. Given the economic situation, this one's anyone's call as to how it will end up. Our prediction: Underground Railroad-themed parking garage! Yes? Good?

AMNY put Duffield #4 on list of 10 to save at the end of 2007. Here's their recent follow up:

Nos. 231 and 233 Duffield Street
New plans for this block of homes included an Underground Railroad museum and sale of air rights for a new hotel. But negotiations between the owner and developer have stalled, and the project may be scaled back.

Finally, the Brooklyn Paper puts Duffield on "90 to watch in ‘09!":

67. Abolitionist monuments: The city announced plans to create a $3-million, four-part abolitionist memorial throughout Brooklyn, with plans to start a museum in the former Underground Railroad houses on Duffield Street, set to start in the new year. We’ll believe it when we see it.

There are several factual errors in all these... AMNY should know that 227 Duffield is the most prominent of the Abolitionist homes, and that 233 is owned by a strong advocate of the history. He is not selling, but the developers at V3 have already gotten control of 231 and have applied for a permit to destroy the building.

We do hope, as implied by the Brooklyn Paper, that the city's abolitionist memorial will include Duffield Street. That's not part of the city's plan, but the the groups awarded the contract have the opportunity to include Duffield. Let's hope they do!

I remain hopeful about establishing a museum at 227 Duffield this year. Keep posted for news.

Remembering Sherri Williams, fatal victim of mortgage fraud

A friend of Sherri Williams posted about her on this blog, and I thought it deserves more attention:

Sherri and I were classmates and I loved her like a sister. We studied together daily, she was a great person, her smile was contagious so was her laugh. I look at my degree fromm BMCC and say I did this for us. 3 years later I still think of her, especially when it snows ... he funeral was just after a snow storm so it reminds me or her death. That killer will be bought to justice ... she's in a better place and is greatly missed ... Carnel, keep strong, mommy loved you more than you can ever imagine .... Take care!! Thanks for this posting ... Happy 25th Sherri, I Miss You ... Love Quanee

Sherri's death is tragic, and it is heart-wrenching to find out the reason for her death. According to the most recent information, the fire that killed her was a distraction for another fire, which was set for the purpose of mortgage fraud. 

It puts things in perspective. Bernard Madoff may have been responsible for a $50 billion fraud, but I don't think he killed anyone. 

One of the last people to write on the subject of the arson/murder at 1033 was activist Phil DePaolo in "Drug Dealer" Theory of Pacific Street Fires Debunked, It Was Fraud. The New York Times wrote about it here. 

God bless you, Sherri Williams. 

Getting rid of those pesky Abolitionists

The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

is proud to bring Brooklyn forward by obliterating any bit of history of those pesky Abolitionists. Oh, maybe a plaque or two will be nice, but those homes have to go.

No, they haven't actually said that in words, but they have said this in images found here:

http://www.dbpartnership.org/utils/imgshow.aspx?sid=11

Here is an annotated version of their vision:





Click here for animated version.

Hopper-Gibbons Safe-House Gets Reprieve

The Underground Railroad Free Press reports on the good news about the Hopper Gibbons home:

In October, a group of neighbors and local historians secured a last-minute reprieve for the only documented Underground Railroad safe-house in Manhattan Borough of New York City. The current owners of Hopper-Gibbons House had sought to substantially modify the building and the City of New York had mistakenly issued a work permit for the changes. The group's efforts got the permit revoked after a city review found that the architectural plans violated building and zoning codes. The home, located at 336 West 29th Street in Manhattan, dates from 1847 and was purchased by Quaker abolitionists Abigail and James Gibbons in 1851. The Gibbons home is part of an elegant two-block oasis of townhouses built as a piece in 1847 and known as Lamaratine Place at the time.

Mobs of the 1863 Draft Riots, which lynched blacks and attacked the homes of abolitionists, assaulted the Gibbons home, threw furniture out the windows and set fire to several rooms. Gibbons daughters Lucy and Julia escaped only by scrambling over rooftops to the neighboring Hebrew Orphans Asylum.

For more info, visit the Underground Railroad Free Press.

For a video of Hopper-Gibbons and Fern Luskin, please click here.

Albee Square Mall hearing 11/18

This from The Campaign for Community Based Planning:

The building that was once Albee Square Mall, the gateway to Downtown Brooklyn’s Fulton Street Mall shopping area, is now a construction site. Eventually, a mixed-use tower development called CityPoint is planned for the site. In the meantime, the Brooklyn Paper reports, Albee Square, the triangular intersection of Fulton Mall, DeKalb Avenue and Bond Street, is “a wasteland.”

According to the article, the City’s Department of Transportation and Economic Development Corporation will hold a hearing on Tuesday, November 18 to collect ideas for the site. The meeting will take place at 5pm at St. Francis College (180 Remsen St., between Court and Clinton streets, room 6301). Call 718-222-7271 for info.

Aloft Erect on Duffield in Downtown BK

Curbed gives some updates on hotel going up in their post "Construction Watch: Aloft Erect on Duffield in Downtown BK":

The Aloft/Sheraton on Duffield Street in Downtown Brookyn is well on its way to becoming an actual hotel. The building is at 222 Duffield, basically across the street from those Underground Railroad buildings that generated so many headlines and up the street from a hip Hot Karl Fischer Hotel that is just starting to get underway in the sense of demolition going on on the future site. This baby will have 500 rooms when all is said and done, introducing a lot of people to the pleasures of stays on Duffield St.

Article >>

Joy Chatel is #27 of Brooklyn's Top 50 Most Influential

Brownstoner.com is publishing its list of Brooklyn's Top 50 Most Influential. In their list of numbers 21-30, they recognized the achievements of Joy Chatel:

27. Joy Chatel tirelessly fought to save her home, which a national network of historians believe was involved in the Underground Railroad, from eminent domain ... and actually won. Now the city must build its underground parking garage and public plaza around her home. Without Chatel, hundreds of pages of history on Brooklyn's role in the abolitionism movement would not have been written. As a concession, the city has already agreed to commemorate Brooklyn's abolitionist movement in the planned plaza. And if Chatel succeeds in her dream, the home will be turned into a museum, an unplanned addition to the glitzy Downtown Brooklyn overhaul.

Joy repeatedly states that this effort is not about her— in her view, the history of Duffield Street is owned by everyone. But we're still very glad to get the recognition.

Thank you Brownstoner!

City chooses Brooklyn Historical Society, Weeksville & Irondale Ensemble to commemorate Abolitionism

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and friends announced today the groups they have chosen to memorialize Brooklyn's Abolitionist history:

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in cooperation with the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, and in partnership with a Commemoration Advisory Panel, has selected In Pursuit of Freedom, a multi-faceted proposal to memorialize the history of abolitionism, the anti-slavery movement, and the Underground Railroad in Brooklyn. The proposal was designed by the Brooklyn Historical Society, the Weeksville Heritage Center and the Irondale Ensemble Project in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by NYCEDC. The project will provide new resources for understanding Brooklyn’s important role in the abolitionist movement through exhibitions, marked walking tours, a theater project and a website.

We applaud the City's efforts to celebrate this history, and it is encouraging that they see that this history as an important part of Brooklyn's future. Here is a description of the project:

In Pursuit of Freedom contains four inter-related components:

• A commemorative artistic installation in Downtown Brooklyn will be the starting point for visitors to follow a series of historical markers at sites throughout the borough. A self-guided walking tour of these sites will also be created and distributed at key locations in Brooklyn.


• Interpretative exhibits will be installed at the Brooklyn Historical Society, Weeksville Heritage Center and the Irondale Center at Lafayette Avenue Church. Each of these installations will include images, maps and primary source documents, and will be closely aligned with the needs of teachers and students.


• An original theater piece will draw upon the story of abolitionism in Brooklyn as it relates to important issues that continue to challenge contemporary society.


• An interactive website will connect all of the components to make the project available to a national and international audience.

There was no mention of Duffield Street in the press release, and to this day, the City has not acknowledged any historical importance to the street.

We invite everyone— especially the EDC and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership— to come to 227 Duffield and the neighboring historically significant sites. In the words of Deborah Schwartz, President, Brooklyn Historical Society (via the EDC press release):

The struggle for freedom was not only fought on battle fields, but also in churches, schools, newspapers and local communities all over America. Leaders and activists who lived and worked in Brooklyn were vital to the outcome; their stories need to be told and understood. With this project we hope to invigorate a lively civic discourse about the relationship of history to our present lives.

Photo essay of Duffield on June 30, 2008

For a peek into how Duffield Street looks as of June 30, 2008, please visit this photo essay.