Midwood’s Victorian Homeowners Seeking Historic Designation

The homeowners living in the “Victorian Flatbush” section of Midwood and Ditmas Park are looking to protect their neighborhood from overzealous developers. According to a report by NY 1, residents are looking to shield their century old neighborhood by appealing to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to receive a special historical district status.

Residents fear that their neighborhood, which stretches over parts of Flatbush and Midwood and features a cluster of gorgeous Victorian style homes, is vulnerable to developers looking to build high-rise buildings. They also fear the actions of homeowners who might significantly alter the historic exteriors and interiors of their homes without a permit granting express permission.

“We don’t want to see this area changed, we want it to stay the way it was when the planners, the developers, the builders, built this 110, 112 years ago,” Brooklyn Borough Historian Ron Schweiger told NY 1.

The neighborhood, which is sort of an anomaly for the city, features tree-lined streets filled with unattached and unique Victorian-style wooden homes, all built before the turn of the 19th century. The homes were built as a response to the construction of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit line to Coney Island and they are considered an example of the earliest suburbs.

In response to the request of community members, the Landmarks Preservation Commission says they will survey the district to determine if they qualify for historical status.