Natural bluestone was the primary sidewalk material in 19th-century New York, and it remains a signature feature of historic neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill. Bluestone restoration requires skilled stone masons to carefully lift uneven flags, hand-chisel damaged edges, level the underlying sand bed, and reset the stone to eliminate hazardous tripping points. Because natural bluestone is legally protected by the LPC, completely removing it in favor of concrete is strictly prohibited without explicit, hard-to-obtain approvals.
← Back to Full Glossary