This Guy Just Dissed Everyone Who Wants to Save Brooklyn Heights Historic Buildings

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, NY — This Christmas, the fight to preserve historic Brooklyn Heights buildings has a total grinch.

The issue of historically preserving two iconic Montague Street buildings in the neighborhood has hit a rather unpleasant speed bump, and that speed bump is David Malanga, a representative for the owner of one of the buildings that were up for discussion at a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing this week.

Malanga represents Montague-Goldman Corporation, the owner of 185 Montague St., the National Title Guaranty Company Tower that was one of two Montague buildings up for historic preservation at Tuesday's hearing.

Malanga reportedly said after the hearing that all the preservationists are just old and don't know how to make a profit.

"Half of those people who were in the room are going to be dead in 50 years," he said, referring to the historic preservation advocates, according to Brooklyn Paper.

Hundreds of activists and community members in Brooklyn Heights said they want to see the National Title Guaranty Company Tower and its neighbor preserved by the LPC.

The National Title Guaranty Company Tower is an iconic example of Art Deco architecture built in the 1930s. The other building up for preservation at the hearing was 181 Montague St., the People's Trust Company building built at the turn of the century.

But Malanga said historically preserving the building will keep his company from making necessary repairs.

"Tenants these days are not looking for the old-style building, they want a new modern look," Malanga said. "How am I supposed to collect the same amount of rent as the guy next to mine if my building is from the 1920s and his is from the 2000s?" the spokesman said.

The commission on Tuesday ultimately agreed to schedule a hearing on the preservation of the Montague Street buildings, much to the excitement of advocates who have been working for over five years to get them preserved, the Brooklyn Paper reported. The commission's vote on them is set for Jan. 17.

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