TESTIMONY

Landmarks Preservation Commission / Fort Totten
Proposed Municipal Historic District
May 4, 1999
100 Old Slip

As Secretary of the organization, I am speaking on behalf of the Fort Totten Conservancy today. Our organization was formed several years ago to ensure that when Fort Totten was decommissioned by the Army, it would remain in the public realm. Most importantly, Fort Totten s architectural, historical and natural resources had to be protected for all people to enjoy.

It has been a long and hard battle to save this unique place, something that predates our organization's involvement by almost 15 years, when a request for a National Register historic district encompassing Fort Totten was initially made. For the likes of Fort Totten's historian, Jack Fein, it has been a lifetime of trying over and over to gain official protection.

Therefore, we are proud to support a municipal historic landmark district at Fort Totten. However, we are puzzled by the seeming omission of two important areas from the proposed designation map.

The first are a collection of neo-Georgian buildings built in the late 1920 s which were included in the National Register district of 1983, as well as being included within the Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Fort Totten Draft Reuse Plan (January 1998) and Final Reuse Plan (April 1998). These structures, located on the south and east of Fort Totten, are adjacent to the 1960 s barracks, which were constructed upon landfill. After months of discussions that the Fort Totten Conservancy had with former Deputy Commissioner Dolan of the FDNY, an understanding was reached between our organization and Commissioner Dolan that these buildings were to be protected, with a green berm placed directly behind those buildings to shield the view of the proposed Fire Training Academy from the rest of Fort Totten. These buildings are an integral part of the architectural fabric of Fort Totten, and should be treated as such.

The second is a small pond to the west of the proposed district, which currently remains under the control of the Army Reserves based at the Ernie Pyle Center. This is an important natural and historic resource which should be protected, and steps to include it in the district if the Federal Government eventually disposes of it is essential.

It is important that these areas are included within the Fort Totten Historic Landmark District to make sure that future generations of Americans can enjoy this treasure in its entirety.

Sincerely,


Paul Graziano



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