Holy Innocents Plans
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
Holy Innocents, the beautiful Roman Catholic church on Beverley between E17th and E18th has plans for converting the large lot they own diagonally across the street on E17th (their “glorified parking lot” mid-block between Beverley and Cortelyou) into a community center, reports Courier Life:
Judith Tolbert, an organizer for Brooklyn Congregations United (BCU), and Cresci are reaching out to Flatbush residents, local politicians and community business for contributions to make this vision happen.
“We could just put a steel building there for $100,000, but that wouldn’t do much good,” he said.
Instead, Cresci has contacted Custogeorge, Tooman and Allen to create a preliminary design for the center.
“I’m trying to convince residents it won’t be an eye sore,” he said.
Dan Allen, of the firm, is already working with Cresci to restore Holy Innocents, a nationally registered historic place. Cresci estimates that the project will cost $3 million to $4 million “to do it right.” However, Allen’s firm estimates that the total cost will come to over $9 million
The proposed community center will be a modern-style two-story building with class rooms on the second floor, an auditorium on the second and a kitchen in the basement. The space could offer activities for the elderly, after-school programs for kids and an expanded operation of their existing soup kitchen, said Joseph Grannum, Brooklyn Congregations United’s representative for Holy Innocents. The kitchen currently serves around 80 families, but could feed 100 with the additional space, he said.
6 Responses to “Holy Innocents Plans”
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Sharon says:
This is exciting. My finacee and I are always walking past the lot and talking about how they should do something with that space. Glad that they are!
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Duckduck says:
would be perfect space for community garden but i guess that’s not really holy innocents style.
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Xris (Flatbush Gardener) says:
It’s an ideal site for a community garden. It’s a large lot – 150×100 – with lots of sun. And it’s close to one of the most densely-populated areas of Flatbush.
There’s no reason a community center and garden couldn’t co-exist on this site.
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inez says:
We need a community center in this area badly. A community center would offer the kids in the neighborhood a place to hang out instead of the streets.
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westminstress says:
And a community garden could give the kids something to do (work in the garden and sell the produce, as they do in Red Hook). I think having both is a great idea.
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d.k. says:
a community center is a horrible idea. those of you who think otherwise probably don’t live on the block. it would propose a quality of life issue….increasing foot traffic,automobile traffic/parking problems, increase need for trash pick up, noise pollution and public safety concerns. there is the building formerly used for holy innocents school steps away. why not use that space after school hours as a community center?.
