On Tuesday, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) and other groups... not to mention various politicos ... rallied to help save the historic townhouses at 326 and 328 E. Fourth St. The GVSHP doesn't have good news to report:
Unfortunately, as we gathered in front of the houses on Tuesday to make this last appeal to the city to consider landmark designation, the city was issuing permits to the developer to allow the houses' destruction, effectively foreclosing the possibility of landmark designation.
Boohoo. So the crappy looking building gets torn down.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part about it though is all you busy-bodies that want to preserve these buildings even though its not your property. You want it preserved - buy the property and preserve it yourself.
That first cooment is indicative of exactly why NYC is losing it's soul to big business. Everyone gets so caught up in the rat race that this kind of "succeed or get out of the way" attitude permeates every aspect of the city. Hell, even in the wake of the 2008 drubbing of wall street that revealed all their crimes against our economy, big NYC business hasn't missed a beat and the hubris is back.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that the owners of these buildings couldn't maintain them in the first place. They have become an eyesore rather than the charming gems they once were.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the answer. It's just a shitty shame all around. I wish I COULD buy them up and keep them intact, restore them to their former glory. But hell, I have trouble maintainingng my own apartment -- real estate taxes have gone through the fricking roof in this city.
anonymous says:Boohoo. So the crappy looking building gets torn down.
ReplyDeleteif somebody tore it down and replaced it with an ugly glass facade or some other nouveau building crap (think new cooper union building) you'd probably be the first to stand on line and pay $3,000 for a "modern" 3 bedroom on a quaint, charming, etc. etc. tree lined block.
BURN THEM DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletedemolishing it is a pain
BURN THEM DOWN!!!
funny thing is, most people, like myself, do not give a shit just like the city.
ReplyDeleteCity- 1
NIMBYs- O
These buildings have been rotting for a long long time. One of them might be considered significant in that it was once used as a synagogue.
ReplyDeleteWord around the neighbourhood is that they are preserving the facade and building an extra story of 'luxury condo / apartments' on the lot.
Who it is that wants to spend top dollar to live on such a Ghetto block is beyond me.