263 Prospect Ave, Brooklyn
Prospect Hall was a building of historical and architectural importance. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was not landmarked in New York City.
The Hall closed at the onset of the pandemic with owner Michael Halkias succumbing to COVID-19 two months later in May 2020.
In mid-July 2021, Prospect Hall was sold "as part of an assemblage" to Angelo Rigas through his company Gowanus Cubes for 30 million.
A few weeks later Rigas filed permits to demolish the properties including Prospect Hall.
Local activists started a petition to save the building and a stop work order was placed on the demolition.
In September, the Landmarks Preservation Commission decided that Prospect Hall had undergone too many architectural changes since opening in 1903 to qualify for preservation. They also noted that Angelo Rigas had already gutted much of the building's interior.
Realtors and developers often move quickly to demolish a building in order to avoid landmarking.
National Register of Historic Places