Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable

Brooklyn, NY
Completed 2014

At 181 Atlantic, in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, we kept a neighborhood market in business serving the needs of the residential district. 181 Atlantic is neither architecturally significant nor highly contributing to the architectural character of the District so when the Department of Consumer Affairs informed the store owner that his fruit and vegetable displays extended too far beyond the property line, he complied and moved them back. However, in an attempt to remain competitive with Key Food at one corner of the block and Trader Joe at the other, he simultaneously recessed the storefront by five feet in order to maintain the same amount of fresh fruit and vegetable display outside, on the sidewalk. That ample outside display was essential to sales. Unfortunately, the setting back of the storefront invited a Notice of Violation from Landmarks which brought to store owner to us. We studied the District, the oldest in the City, and argued that 181 Atlantic, like other small storefronts along Atlantic Avenue, had always been a simple building, like the other mom and pop businesses serving the needs of the residential neighborhood, and that by recessing the storefront, the owner was able to stay in business and continue to contribute to what the Designation Report calls, the district’s “collective emanation.” We further argued that Atlantic Avenue’s history is inherently characterized by such storefront adaptation. The Commissioners gave our proposal unanimous approval. Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable remains competitive and continues to provide the neighborhood with a bountiful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.