Articles on NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

Demolition Freeze Proposed for NYC

demolition freeze

Rizzoli bookstore on April 4th had an outdoor protest to oppose the likely demolition of the beloved 57th Street building. This event stirred Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer into action, she created a bill that would prevent the demolition of buildings such as Rizzoli from happening again in the future.

Take a Tour of Greenwich Village’s Finest Homes on May 5

Homes in Greenwich Village

If you have ever walked around in Greenwich Village, it’s pretty certain that you will have come across some rather beautiful, stately looking homes. Now, as grand as they may be to look at from the outside, wouldn’t it be great to see what these homes look like from the inside? Well, for one day in May, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is now giving you a chance to tour six of the neighborhood’s most famous structures.

Making History? Landmarking the South Village

South Village Historical District Rezoning

For over forty years, the South Village has been one of the many battlegrounds between two utterly conflicting desires: the will to preserve the old New York character, and the drive to remain open to the constant state of change and progress that keeps the city fresh and prosperous. When the city approved the Hudson Square Rezoning last month, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) promised to consider the landmarking of the South Village. The proposed extension of the historic district will add 240 properties on top of the current 2,315, with the new additions falling inside the boundaries of West Fourth, West Houston, Sixth Avenue and LaGuardia Place.

Tribeca Condominium Project is Resurrected

A plan to turn a vacant Tribeca lot into two new condominiums is once again underway after an almost nine year delay. Developers Andreas Giacoumis, along with Darrin Krampus of BORO Architects, presented Committee Board 1 with original designs for 246 Front Street and 267 Water Street, which were supposed to be erected in 2003 when the Landmark Preservation Commission approved the plans. The economy experienced a sharp downturn, however, and developers became wary of building new property throughout Manhattan neighborhoods, so the project was stalled.

Debate Continues over Whether or Not Landmarks Hinder Development in New York City

The Real Estate Board of New York and the Landmark Coalition continue to battle over landmark laws in New York CityThe debate over landmarking has finally come to a head. The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) composed a three page signatory letter confronting landmarking policies developed by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) which allow for any building erected more than thirty years ago to be conserved as a landmark. Today will mark REBNY’s first public announcement to speak out regarding transparency in the landmark process, lack of public input for what buildings should become landmarks, and that the increasing number of landmarks have weakened Manhattan’s economic growth. In response to the historic districts created by the LPC on West End Avenue in Manhattan and in the Downtown Brooklyn Skyscraper District in particular, REBNY has formed the Responsible Landmark Coalition.