184 Kent Sort of Landmarked Now

Landmarked. De-landmarked. Now, kind of landmarked. What building would that be? Why Williamsburg's 184 Kent which was the subject of a bitter dispute a couple of years ago when the City Council voted to de-landmark it and allow massive towers to be added to the building. Well, as things turned out the old Austin, Nichols & Company Warehouse in Williamsburg is now formally protected thanks to the donation of a historic-preservation easement to the Trust for Architectural Easements. "A new owner, 184 Kent Fee L.L.C., bought the building in 2006 and recently donated a deed of easement, which prohibits destruction of the warehouse and preserves the building’s height and shape in perpetuity." [NYT]