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April 12, 2006
Underground Railroad sites threatened?
Eminent domain could take historic Brooklyn spaces, say residents in development’s path
Metro NY
By Amy Zimmer
Atlantic Yards isn't the only land up for government grabbing here in Brooklyn and Joy Chatel isn't just trying to save her business.
Read about Chatel's fight to preserve what are possibly very important historical landmarks in Downtown Brooklyn:
Joy Chatel’s four-story building at 227 Duffield St., where she operates a hair salon, is going to be condemned. So is Lewis Greenstein’s building at 233 Duffield. The city plans to use eminent domain to take these and other properties to clear room for development in a rezoned Downtown Brooklyn.
But Chatel and Greenstein claim there’s more to save than bricks and mortar. They say their properties were once stopover sites for slaves on the Underground Railroad. Also, they say the city is steamrolling their attempts to preserve the sites.
“We found out that five abolitionists lived on this block,” Greenstein said. “We found tunnels on the block.” Someone discovered two large stoves and cauldrons in the sub-basement of his building. “Who has two stoves in the basement? It was used to feed the slaves.”
More coverage:
NY Daily News, Relics get Railroaded?
NY Sun, Landmarks To Judge Building’s Role in Abolition Movement
Posted by lumi at April 12, 2006 8:26 AM