Great News! Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten Building And Its Neighbor at 238 President Street Now Landmarked

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NYC Landmark Preservation Commission voting on 236 and 238 President Street this morning

Drawing of the building from The Brooklyn Eagle, November 21, 1897

238 President Street and 236 President Street seen in 1912 and today

Wonderful news regarding the two beautiful historic buildings at 236 and 238 President Street,  Just today, they officially became New York City landmarks.
Carroll Gardeners had worked tirelessly at protecting the two iconic neighborhood buildings, after it became known that a developer planned on demolishing the former  Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten at #236 to make way for new condos.

Here is a report by Glenn Kelly, who attended New York City Landmark Preservation Commission's meeting this morning, where members of the Commission voted unanimously to landmark the two
buildings.
"This morning, at 9:30, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to support landmark status for both 236 and 238 President Street. There was a thorough presentation of the historical significance of both buildings and a recap of the public hearing speakers and their arguments. There were no questions and there was no discussion among the commissioners so the proceedings moved quickly to a vote. 
 Grace Protos, Phil Mindlin, and I congratulated each other afterward and will gather for a celebration in the near future.
Thanks go out to all who supported this effort."

For some background:
In November 2017,  Carroll Gardeners learned that the small beige brick home at 236 President Street, between Court Street and Clinton Street was in danger of being torn down. At the time, this ornate and unusual building was listed for sale in such a way as to appeal to developers who would take full advantage of the building's R6A zoning and its remaining floor area.

236 President Street soon went into contract. At an initial meeting with members of the board from the adjoining buildings at 232, 238 President and St. Paul’s Church at the intersection of Carroll and Clinton Streets, the developer expressed the intention to demolish the original building in order to erect a six-story luxury condominium that would utilize the full area allowed by the lot’s R6A zoning.

The demolition of 236 President Street would have robbed Carroll Gardens of an important part of its history. The two-story, stand-alone structure was designed by Hough & Duell in 1897 as the Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten in tribute to Hans S. Christian by his widow. A Norwegian immigrant, Christian lived at 231 President Street and owned a lime and brick factory on Second Street in Gowanus.

The building's uniqueness was mentioned in a November 1897 article in the Brooklyn Eagle, which covered the Kindergarten's dedication. "It is the only building of its kind in Brooklyn, so far as known, and one of the very few in existence in the City."

Though built exclusively as a kindergarten, complete with cloak room, teachers' parlor, matron's quarters, pantry, janitor's room and sun-filled classrooms, the building was transformed into a residence decades ago.

To save the building,  the residents of 238 President Street reached out to New York City's Landmark Preservation Commission to request expeditious historic landmark designation for the “Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten”,  as well as their own building, which predates it by 45 years and once housed the "Brooklyn Deaconess Home and Training School of the Methodist Episcopal Church."

In effect, the two buildings share much history.  In  February 1897, Mrs. Elmira Christian, Hans Christian's widow, purchased 238 President Street and deeded it to the Brooklyn Church Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. in her husband's memory. The building would became the “Brooklyn Deaconess Home and Training School of the Methodist Episcopal Church.”  The school's charitable activities would serve the needs of immigrant families in the area.

The Christian Memorial Kindergarten was erected by Elmira Christian as a free standing structure on her property. Both buildings shared the same building parcel until 1974.

Today's vote by the Landmark's Commission is a real victory for the entire neighborhood!