The 19th-century Kensington Stables was evicted earlier this month from
one of the two stables just off the southwest corner of Prospect Park
that house its 45 riding ponies.
A draw for the borough’s children since the days of horse-drawn wagons,
the stables, on Caton Place between Dahill Road and McDonald Avenue, will
now have to consolidate its collection of ponies into one remaining stable,
a complication that threatens to slash tours and other programs.
“It’s a unique part of the community,” said Jeremy Laufer,
district manager of Community Board 7. “I don’t know any other
community in Brooklyn where there are horse stables, and that just adds
to uniqueness of the neighborhood — and it’s an amenity to Prospect
Park.”
Fran Levy, a stable manager, said that the property was sold to a developer
who plans to build an eight-story, 108-unit condominium complex on the
site.
As a result, said Levy, all 45 horses, at one time divided between the
two stables, are now being consolidated in just one. That leaves horses
parked on either side of the stable, leaving little room for walking tours,
a program that had always been popular with youngsters. Levy said the
fear is that a horse might suddenly kick its legs out while children walked
the narrow path between them.
Although the stables still offer up to 500 rides each week at The Shoe
and Breeze Hill in the center of Prospect Park, Levy expects that the
closure will sap the business of up to 15 percent of its profits.
“You can’t do the tours anymore because if you drop your eyes
for even a second when you’re in between the horses it’s dangerous,”
said Levy. “I consider this a direct threat.”
The replacement of the stable has also enraged nearby homeowners. Rather
than the cozy homes typical of Windsor Terrace and Kensington, which the
stables straddle, residents say the project is simply too tall. Laufer
said that because the area is already zoned for buildings like the one
proposed, the board would not have a say in the matter. Still, he said,
board members expect to tour the area on May 22 and he hopes that the
attention the stables are receiving will inspire neighbors to take a look
at other projects currently being proposed in the area.
“We’ve been trying to encourage folks in the community to organize
against this kind of development,” said Laufer. “If, in the
end, they aren’t satisfied with what’s happening at the stables,
there are other projects [to oppose].”
In the meantime, Levy said that she and Kensington Stables owner Walter
Blankinship are appealing for affordable legal help, and Levy said that
ideally the remaining stable would be granted a zoning variance in order
to build upward. That way, she said, a second stable could be added, in
addition to a rooftop riding ring for the horses. She put the cost for
such a venture at around $500,000.
“Everyone is upset right now,” said Levy. “But what can
we do? They’re allowed to build.”
