Register it! Ovington is historic

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

Move over Senator, there is a new historic block on the block.

Ovington Avenue, between Third Avenue and Ridge Boulevard, will be included in the State Registry of Historic Places, thanks to a unanimous ruling by the New York State Office of Historic Preservation last week.

“It is important to get the designation because it is a step forward in preserving a piece of our community that is both rare and beautiful,” said Victoria Hofmo, president of the Bay Ridge Conservancy, which fought for Ovington’s protection.

The March 16 designation means that homeowners would still be able to make minor changes to their building, but protects the façades of the gorgeous brownstones that line the block.

Landmark designation also qualifies homeowners for tax deductions and loans.

“Ovington Avenue has a row of double-width brownstones,” Hofmo said. “I don’t think that exists anywhere else in the city.”

Ovington joins Senator Street as the only two Bay Ridge blocks deemed worthy of historic distinction — so far.