Like most, we're fans of the Historic Districts Council, whose tireless work in preservation checks this development-happy city from razing some of its historic landmarks. Imagine our glee when we received their "Six to Celebrate" list, celebrating areas "chosen from applications submitted by neighborhood groups around the city on the basis of the architectural and historic merit of the area, the level of threat to the neighborhood, strength and willingness of the local advocates, and where HDC's citywide preservation perspective and assistance could be the most meaningful." The list is pretty outer borough heavy, with two from Brooklyn, two from the Bronx, one from Queens and a single Manhattan area. So, without further ado... Let's start off in the Bronx, where Port Morris in the South Bronx is turning ferry gantries into a waterside recreation area and park. It's joined by leafy Van Cortlandt Village in Kingsbridge Heights, where the presence of Fort Independence is pushing history buffs to try to bring more attention to the area.
From Brooklyn there's architecturally diverse Bay Ridge and newly hipster-drawing Victorian Flatbush, where an increasing amount of people are ditching the Slope for historic Victorian homes. And who could forget Queens? Straight from Hipster Summer Paradise, aka the Rockaways, are the Far Rockaway Beachside Bungalows, which are about 100 bungalows built between 1918 and 1921 right off the boardwalk. And what is the one and only Manhattan neighborhood on the list?
Morningside Heights gets chosen for its stunning row-houses, pre-war apartment houses and a not-too friendly academic neighbor which makes every neighborhood group in its path shiver in their boots.
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