Metro

Landmarks grow in Brooklyn

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Downtown Brooklyn is standing tall, with a cluster of 21 buildings set to become the city’s first-ever landmarked “skyscraper district.”

The controversial plan was green-lighted yesterday by a City Council subcommittee.

The plan — aimed at protecting Brooklyn Borough Hall and 20 primarily high-rise commercial and government office buildings from overzealous developers — is vehemently opposed by real-estate industry honchos.

But it is expected to pass through the full council Feb. 1 thanks to key endorsements yesterday by the council’s subcommittee on planning and Councilman Stephen Levin, who represents the area.

“After close consideration, we believe that this new historic district will strengthen the character of Downtown Brooklyn, allowing for new development and growth like the new retail space planned for the Municipal Building [next to Borough Hall] while preserving the graceful, historic, early-generation skyscrapers that make it Brooklyn’s civic center,” Levin and Councilman Brad Lander said in a joint statement.

REPORT AND LIST OF BUILDINGS

SKYSCRAPER DISTRICT MAP

The predominantly late 19th century and early 20th century buildings also include the 35-story Montague-Court Building at 16 Court St. and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Building at 75 Livingston St.

The district would mostly run along Court Street, from Montague Street four blocks south to Livingston Street.

The “Borough Hall Skyscraper District” designation was first pitched to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2010 by the Brooklyn Heights Association and other preservation groups.

The commission endorsed the plan last year.

But it has faced steep opposition from the Real Estate Board of New York, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Law School, Court-Livingston-Schermerhorn Business Improvement District, and other groups.

“Not only is this an inappropriate use of landmark designation, but it will end up costing the city much-needed tax revenue and jobs,” said REBNY president Steven Spinola. “This is another case of the city landmarking away its economic future.”

Opponents also claim it would deter new businesses from moving into the Court Street commercial corridor because of the added costs needed to operate in a historic district.

But city officials say the “historic district” designation doesn’t prevent new development or façade work at these sites — it only sets guidelines overseen by Landmarks staff to ensure that such construction blends with the neighborhood.

The proposed district abuts the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, which became New York’s first neighborhood granted historic district protection in 1965.

rcalder@nypost.com