Home Asides FDNY, DOT shut down Atlantic Ave. tunnel tours

FDNY, DOT shut down Atlantic Ave. tunnel tours

by Benjamin Kabak

A simmering conflict between the FDNY, DOT and Robert Diamond, the main force behind the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association and the Atlantic Ave. tunnel tours boiled over this afternoon as DOT revoked Diamond’s permission to conduct tours. Citing fire safety concerns brought to light by recent FDNY investigations, DOT announced its decision in a letter to Diamond at 4:45 p.m. this afternoon.

The recent battle between the city and Diamond started around 10 days ago when the Fire Department forced him to cancel a movie screening inside the tunnel. Rooftop Films had planned to air a few films inside the tunnel as they had done in August, and National Geographic was set to film inside the tunnel. Due to concerns over ventilation and the space available for entrances and exits into and out of the tunnel, the FDNY sent a letter to DOT expressing its safety concerns, and today, DOT pulled the plug on the tours.

Diamond, who has been conducting tours inside the 165-year-old tunnel since the early 1980s, was apoplectic. FDNY has urged him to build a second entrance to the tunnel, but for years, DOT has dragged its feet on granting permission to open another entrance to a few feet further down Atlantic Ave. For now, then, the tours will stop at Diamond figures out his next move. He does not have kind words for the city.

“This entire debacle has occured because the City of New York for the past 30 years has failed to address the status of this historical treasure,” he said to me. “The City, especially DOT, has ignored my pleadings for the past 30 years to come together and formulate a policy for the preservation and utilization of this remarkable historical resource. Now that the Bloomberg Administration’s ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude towards historic treasures has been exposed for all to see, I hope the next city administration, which is only around the corner, will have more common sense than to destroy a proven tourist attaction and historical resource.”

You may also like

3 comments

Jerrold December 17, 2010 - 8:12 pm

Let’s HOPE that the next city administration is “only around the corner”. It would not surprise me if Bloomberg looks for a way to buy himself yet another term, especially if he means what he says about NOT running for President.

Reply
Anon December 17, 2010 - 8:46 pm

National Register of Historic Places

http://www.nps.gov/nr/

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel

URL: http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/d.....001388.pdf

URL: http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/d.....001388.pdf

Publisher: National Park Service
Published: 09/07/1989
Access: Public access
Restrictions: All Rights Reserved
Format/Size: Physical document with text, photos and map
Language: eng: English
Note: Below Atlantic Ave. between Boerum Pl. and Columbia St.
Item No.: 89001388 NRIS (National Register Information System)
Subject: EVENT
Subject: ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING
Subject: INFORMATION POTENTIAL
Subject: ENGINEERING
Subject: HISTORIC – NON-ABORIGINAL
Subject: TRANSPORTATION
Subject: STRUCTURE
Subject: 1850-1874
Subject: 1825-1849
Keywords: Stebbins,Asa;Et al.;1844
Place: NEW YORK — Kings County — New York City

Record Number: 412531
Record Owner: National Register of Historic Places

Reply
Long branch February 4, 2011 - 8:47 pm

If you want to know more about Robert diamond and his crack filled, escort persuit and imprisionment in Morris and Monmouth County NJ just contact me.
he is a fraud and anyone that would go into a tunnel with this person is out of their mind. Truth be told once and for all…PLEASE

Reply

Leave a Comment