Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A call to expand the proposed East Village historic districts

The City's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is considering proposing two historic districts in the East Village. (See that here.)

Here's a letter on the matter from Andrew Berman, executive director, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP):

[T]he scope of the LPC's current study areas is limited, and only covers a fraction of the neighborhood's important historic resources. The LPC has said that they are willing to consider other areas of the neighborhood for possible historic district designation in the future, and it is important that we make clear that such additional consideration is essential. However, we also believe that, given the areas the LPC is looking at right now, they can and should expand the boundaries of their study areas to include other important nearby historic resources.

Therefore GVSHP, the Historic Districts Council and the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative have asked the LPC to expand their study area to include several adjacent areas. We are hopeful that the LPC will study these additional areas as well as part of their current effort.


The LPC is only studying these areas for possible consideration for historic district designation, and has not taken any formal action towards designation yet. It is therefore critical that we let them know that we want them to move forward with historic district designations in the East Village, that we want them to expand their study area boundaries, and that we want them to consider additional areas soon.

The LPC will be presenting their proposal to Community Board 3's Landmarks Subcommittee this Thursday. This is an important opportunity to let the LPC and Community Board 3 know that we want to see landmark protections expanded in the East Village.

HOW TO HELP:

• Send a letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Community Board 3 supporting the expansion of historic district designations in the East Village, expanding the study area, and ensuring that other critical areas of the neighborhood are considered soon. (Here is a sample letter to use.)
• Come to the Community Board 3 Landmarks Committee public hearing on the proposal this Thursday, May 12 at 6 pm at BRC Senior Services Center in Sara Delano Roosevelt Park, 30 Delancey Street between Chrystie and Forsyth Streets.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We want them to expand the historic district? I don't. Historic districts only contribute to making Manhattan unaffordable to anyone who is not very rich or who has hit the housing lottery and has a rent-regulated apartment.

glamma said...

yes! please protect us! we need you!!!

Ken from Ken's Kitchen said...

There are probably better ways to protect neighborhoods than by landmarking them. The EV's recent rezoning that put a limit on building heights was a good step.

A better way to protect neighborhoods would be to pass more effective and protective rent regulations, expanded to include guys like Anonymous @ 8:02 AM.

The best way would be to give home rule back to NYC to regulate our own housing and get us out of the grip of Albany politicians owned by the real estate industry.