"Non-Contributing" in Second Street

543-545-547-549 2nd St., Park Slope Historic District

Are the buildings pictured above, in 2nd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues, "historic"?

According to the Dept. of Buildings database, they were built in 1955. Note the auto-centric design: the front yards are parking lots.

It may be surprising to discover buildings like these within the boundaries of the Park Slope Historic District, which was designated in 1973, when these buildings were less than 30 years old. These are what are called "non-contributing" buildings: they do not contribute to the historic fabric of the district. However, the important point is that all the surrounding buildings contribute to the fabric of the historic district; therefore these buildings were included in the district as well so that the district would not have "donut holes".