How you can help save the historic 135 Bowery

From the EV Grieve inbox ...

Dear Friends of the Historic Bowery,

The historic buildings on the Bowery are under extreme threat. In May, New York lost the 1835 townhouse at 35 Cooper Square to a proposed tower development. The Bowery Alliance of Neighbors and others have urged the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to act swiftly to save the remaining historic buildings on the Bowery and the LPC listened.

In June, the LPC voted to designate the circa 1818 Federal-style house at 135 Bowery as an individual landmark — but the future is still uncertain! Its landmark designation still awaits ratification in City Council where the bank that owns it will be applying tremendous pressure opposing the designation.

Please add your name to the petition to demonstrate broad public support for saving this rare surviving and intact townhouse from the Federal era. Sign the petition to tell Councilmember Margaret Chin and City Council that we do not want to lose this Bowery landmark.

Find the petition here.

Thank you for your support.

Jean Standish, Vice Chair
Mitchell Grubler, Chair, Landmarks Committee
Bowery Alliance of Neighbors

The plan to save what's left of the Bowery

The Villager has coverage this week of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (BAN) meeting from June 16.

From The Villager:

The Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (BAN) last week presented a plan to limit the size of new buildings and preserve traditional commercial uses on the east side of the Bowery between Canal and E. Ninth Sts.

The alliance, which includes artists, loft dwellers and local merchants, has been calling for preservation of the east side of the thoroughfare for the past three years as new high-rise residential and hotel towers have been threatening to overwhelm the low-rise character of Bowery.

“This is the first step in gathering support for the plan,” said Anna Sawaryn, president of BAN, who led the group’s June 16 forum. “We intend to present it eventually to Community Board 3 and ultimately to City Planning.”

“We felt it was important to preserve the wholesale lighting, restaurant-supply and jewelry businesses that remain on the Bowery,” said Mitchell Grubler, a member of BAN. “Rezoning was the only way to do that before those businesses are forced out by expensive high-rise development.”

There's more coverage at Save the Lower East Side! and BoweryBoogie.