Carroll Gardeners Working to Save Smith Street Plaza Trees

One of the things that has riled up Carroll Gardens residents as much as the design and height of the building that is planned for 360 Smith Street is the loss of part of the plaza in front of the Carroll Street subway station and the trees that have been planted there. Several trees on the property that is being developed are already being cut down, but residents are trying to save the others--which were planted in the 1970s and have achieved the status of hearty urban survivors. The exact property lines in the plaza itself are the subject a difficult dispute, with resident claiming that more of the plaza is public property than the developer is willing to acknowledge.

As for the threatened trees, a Parks Department officials says they are Honey Locusts and that while the ones on private property are toast, the ones in the public part of the plaza will be saved (once the "public" part of plaza is determined). Here is an email to Parks from resident Barbara Bookhart, who has started the Carroll Gardens Brooklyn History blog:

I understand that Parks Department Forestry Dept. has been asked by the developer William Stein to remove the five locust trees several weeks ago, and that you are evaluating the request?...Those trees were put in the plaza by Buddy [Scotto] and the Carroll Gardens Association in the 70s...they have survived very well. We don't want to lose the trees. We hope that Forestry will decide that the trees, which are perfectly healthy, should not be removed.

There are more photos and more about the issue at Pardon Me for Asking. Right now, it looks like some of the trees will survive.