LPC Oversight Hearing

On Wednesday, October 20, the City Council Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses held an oversight hearing on the administrative practices of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The meeting was unfortunately held in a room that could only hold 60 people, although an estimated 100 more showed up and were turned away because of space limitations. As one of the council members remarked, “Obviously, the number of people who are here indicates there is a problem with landmarking”.

The hearing itself was abbreviated. Subcommittee Chair CM Simcha Felder set parameters for the discussion; which were to include only procedural issues of the LPC and not to discuss either specific items for designation or discussions of transparency in the designation process. There was great concern from the Council that the hearing was going to be centered around the designations of 2 Columbus Circle and St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church. In actuality, although there were vocal advocates for both buildings in the room, the vast majority of the people who tried to show up were concerned about exactly those practices. Unfortunately, most of the public’s concerns went unheard.

LPC Chair Robert Tierney testified before the subcommittee and detailed the procedures under which the LPC permitting and violation process operates. After his presentation, a number of council members questioned him on a variety of topics: including the LPC’s policy on violation notification; the specifics of the designation process; and the relatively scant amount of agency resources in the face of community requests for designation (over 200 different items every year). Chair Tierney then spoke about the designation process, where potential landmarks were vetted informally by staff and commissioners, and thanked the council for their support during this year’s budget, which allowed for a small increase in staff. He then left the hearing.

Some very limited public testimony was then permitted. Former LPC Chair Beverly Moss Spatt spoke eloquently of the LPC she had known, “the openness, collegiality and space for public dialogue, both consensus and dissent, which is positive in a democracy.” She discussed the now defunct Survey Department that she had created to identify potential landmarks throughout the city. Former LPC Commissioner Anthony M. Tung testified that he was astonished by the LPC’s refusal to calendar hearings on designations that had huge public support, and urged the Council to hold further hearings to investigate this and other practices. Michael Henry Adams contrasted the unwillingness of the LPC to consider endangered buildings with the policies in other jurisdictions, and introduced speakers from other landmarks commissions from Boston, Cleveland and Philadelphia who spoke briefly about their landmark commissions and their practices. Michael Slattery of the Real Estate Board of New York discussed how the policies at the LPC have altered in the past decade to make things easier for building owners and businesses.

HDC was the only preservation organization that had an opportunity to speak, and testified about the lack of resources for the LPC and our continuing concerns about transparency in their decisions. We are currently studying these issues and will be addressing them in an upcoming position paper. The hearing ended promptly at 5:30pm, after only 10 people had a chance to testify, with promises of a continuance. If you would like to learn more about the hearing, or came to the hearing and were unable to deliver your testimony, please contact Simeon Bankoff. We also welcome feedback about your experience at the hearing, in order to help build the record and advocate for a follow-up hearing.

Landmarks Lion Awards Ceremony

On Monday, November 8th, the Historic Districts Council will honor the architecture and planning firm of Beyer Blinder Belle with its annual Landmarks Lion Award. The ceremony will be held at the Rubin Museum of Art in the converted Barneys department store in Chelsea and the museum’s newly opened galleries of Himalayan art will be open for guests. This is the first private function in New York City’s newest museum – don’t miss out on this terrific opportunity. It’s not too late to order tickets, but you have to hurry! Tickets begin at $250 and include cocktails and a seated dinner, RSVP necessary. Contact Alice Rich for more information.

Sunnyside Preservation Panel

On October 18th HDC and the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance co-sponsored “Before and After Landmarks Designation: Real Stories from Neighbors” at the Sunnyside Community Services Senior Center. The event was attended by 35 people interested in how landmarking would affect the neighborhood of Sunnyside Gardens. Panelists Daniel Icolari of St. George (Staten Island), Wanda Chin and Daniel Karatzas of Jackson Heights, and Kevin Wolfe of Douglaston (Queens) offered insights and experiences on how becoming a district affected their neighborhoods. The panel was moderated by HDC vice president and Sunnyside resident Jeffrey Kroessler. Topics addressed included how communities can garner the support of their neighbors for landmarking, what building owners can expect after landmarking, personal accounts of working with the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the benefits of becoming an historic district.

Demolition By Neglect Bill Passes First Hurdle

On Wednesday, October 20, the Demolition by Neglect Bill sponsored by CM Tony Avella (Bayside, Queens) was approved by the City Council Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses. This bill will enhance the LPC Civil Fines Legislation to allow for civil penalties for cases of demolition by neglect. It had been previously heard by the subcommittee and had to be slightly amended (regarding the process of notification) due to council member concerns. The subcommittee recommended to adopt the bill and it will be passed onto to the full Land Use Committee with a positive recommendation. HDC is in full support of this bill and applauds CM Avella for taking this important initiative.

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The Advocate for New York City’s Historic Neighborhoods
232 East 11th Street New York NY 10003
tel: 212-614-9107 fax: 212-614-9127 email: hd@hdc.org