Two Brooklyn neighborhoods will get a boost to their preservation efforts from the Historic Districts Council after being awarded spots on the organization’s annual Six to Celebrate list. Neighborhood organizations in Coney Island and Bed-Stuy will work with the organization throughout 2026.
In Coney Island, the Coney Island Museum will partner with HDC to promote the museum’s goals for the neighborhood, including visioning a future that honors the neighborhood’s legendary character in the wake of the divisive casino proposal. Plans also include walking tours and a survey of historic buildings in the neighborhood.
There are currently six individual landmarks in Coney Island, including Child’s Restaurant, the Wonder Wheel, and the Coney Island Museum (formerly also a Child’s Restaurant). There are no historic districts. The LPC designated the Coney Island Boardwalk a scenic landmark in 2018.
In Bed-Stuy, the focus is specifically on Stuyvesant North. A new organization, the Stuyvesant North Preservation Society, will work with HDC on championing further historic district designations in the area.
Bed-Stuy currently has four historic districts. The most recent is the Willoughby-Hart Historic District, designated in 2024 in the wake of the demolition of the Jacob Dangler Mansion.
Also included on this year’s list is a city-wide category highlighting historic hotels. According to HDC, they will collaborate with partners to document properties in all five boroughs and advocate for re-use of the historic buildings as housing.
Rounding out the list is the Art Deco architecture of The Bronx, Manhattan’s Flower District, and Roosevelt Island.
HDC launched the initiative in 2011 and each year six preservation projects receive hands-on assistance on strategic planning, advocacy, and outreach. Groups accepted into the program are also eligible for modest reimbursable grants to support their preservation activities.
Some Brooklyn neighborhoods that have been part of the program include Bushwick, Crow Hill in Crown Heights, the Little Caribbean area of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Park Slope, Bay Ridge, East New York, Gowanus, Greenpoint, and Downtown Brooklyn. Details on all the neighborhoods, including walking tour booklets to purchase, are available at the ‘Six to Celebrate’ website.
This story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site Brownstoner
