Judge Bars Grand Prospect Hall Demolition As Fight Heads To Court

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A court ruling this week saved Grand Prospect Hall from demolition at least until a hearing between developers and neighbors trying to save the historic building, according to court records.

Neighbors who spent the past two weeks racing to save the beloved banquet hall from demolition got a win Wednesday when a judge ruled that the building's new owners must hold off on demolishing its facade until a Sept. 16 court date.

The court date will address a request from neighbors that developers be restrained from further work on the building until the Landmarks Preservation Commission has a chance to review its status as a city landmark.

"The destruction of the property at this juncture would deprive the Landmark Committee of its ability to assess the application," a petition filed Tuesday reads.

Both neighbors and local elected officials, spurred by applications to demolish the venue, sent letters earlier this summer asking that the Landmarks Preservation Commission designate the building as a landmark.

An LPC spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the request for evaluation is "currently under review."

For a building to be designated a landmark, the agency must find that a request "may merit" consideration, which adds the site to a "survey list," though a spot on the list does not mean it will be formally considered at that time, according to the agency.

The court action is the latest move to try and save the building, which has served as the backdrop for movies, photoshoots, beloved local commercials that spawned an SNL parody and thousands of local events held at the building since the late 19th century. Nearly 10,000 people had signed a petition as of Wednesday aimed at stopping its demolition.

Neighbors leading the fight also sent a letter to the Department of Buildings on Wednesday, asking for an emergency hearing.

Though an application for full demolition of the building has still not been granted, neighbors worried scaffolding and sidewalk sheds put up in the last week meant demolition was near, according to the letter.

Inspectors who visited the building Wednesday after multiple 311 calls about the scaffolding said they found the construction being done was in line with existing permits, which includes the installation of scaffold and sidewalk sheds, according to the DOB. The inspectors did not find any demolition work on the front of the building, the department said.

A demolition permit for the interior non-structural elements inside the building was granted in late July, records show, though new owner Angelo Rigas has said the inside of the building was gutted before he took control of the property.

The application for full demolition was also submitted in July, though the department is waiting for developers to finish submitting documents needed for its review.

Rigas has not replied to requests for comment from Patch. His attorney on Wednesday declined to comment on the court order.

This story has been updated with comments from the Department of Buildings and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.