In 2016, the Prospect Heights National Register Historic District was expanded to include nearly 920 neighborhood buildings. Owners of properties in the National Register district are eligible to receive State and federal tax credits to help offset the cost of rehabilitating their buildings. A map of the NR district, showing eligibility for State and federal tax credit programs, is here. 

The New York State preservation tax credit program is currently available to owners of income-producing properties, as well as individual homeowners (including owners of cooperative apartments). It provides a tax credit of 20% of the amount of qualified expenses that are part of a project to rehabilitate a historic building. To be eligible, a property must be in a distressed census tract (shown in green on the map).

Unfortunately, after March 31, 2020, properties in the Prospect Heights National Register District will no longer qualify for this credit. However, we understand from New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation that if a property owner sends in a Part 1 application before March 31, they will retain eligibility for the program for five years.

Therefore, property owners who are considering a renovation in the next five years of a building that would otherwise qualify for the New York State preservation tax credit should act quickly to file so they can preserve their elibility for this significant tax benefit. 

For more information, see the New York State Parks web page on tax credits. 

But neighborhood faces a race against time as landlords alter historic buildings to add extra floors

BROOKLYN, NY, August 7, 2018: The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (PHNDC), and The Cultural Row Block Association on Eastern Parkway (CuRBA) today announced that their campaign to designate the Prospect Heights Apartment House District as a New York City landmark has so far received the support of more than 1,000 residents and stakeholders.

The Prospect Heights Apartment House District is a six-block area of southeastern Prospect Heights containing 107 buildings constructed between 1909 and 1929. The district documents the change in urban living from row houses to apartments in early 20th century Brooklyn.

“Exceeding one thousand supporters after just a few months demonstrates the breadth and depth of support for this idea,” said PHNDC chair Robert Witherwax, The petition has received more than twice the number of signatures that were collected for the 2009 designation of the brownstone streets of Prospect Heights as the neighborhood’s first historic district.  Mr. Witherwax added, “It’s very telling that nearly half of the supporters – tenants and owners alike – actually live in the apartment buildings within the proposed historic district.  This shows deep grass roots support among all residents for this preservation.”

BROOKLYN, NY, January 19 2018: The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (PHNDC), The Cultural Row Block Association on Eastern Parkway (CuRBA) and the Historic Districts Council (HDC) have announced that HDC has selected the Prospect Heights Apartment House District as one of its “Six to Celebrate” preservation initiatives for 2018. “Six to Celebrate” is a designation that the advocacy organization uses to set preservation priorities and channel resources to historic communities in need of recognition across the city.