March Madness for New York City Landmarks

It’s been an eventful month for preservation in New York. From old-school elegance to vernacular Modernism, over the past weeks, the preservation community has grappled with a series of weighty issues which have also attracted a great deal of press and general interest. This is going to be a long newsletter – so feel free to scroll down to the parts that are interesting to you or go to the following topics:

Plaza Hotel – The fight goes on
Modern Landmarks – Three buildings considered for designation
Preservation Outside Manhattan – When owners attack
Act to Save New York’s History – An incredibly easy way to help (really)
Not All Gloom and Doom – 40th Anniversary of the Landmarks Law!
Had Enough? – coming next issue

Before we get to specifics, a word about the Landmarks process and terminology. When the Landmarks Preservation Commission decides to bring a building or neighborhood forward for consideration, the agency takes an action to “calendar” the property – which means that they will have a public hearing about whether to designate the building at some future time. What “calendaring” also means is that a notation is placed in the Building Department’s computer that serves a notice that the property is under LPC consideration, and Buildings should check with Landmarks before issuing any permits. Permits that have been issued previous to “calendaring” are still valid, and lots of work can happen to buildings that doesn’t require Buildings permits (such as painting – see article below). After a property is calendared, it comes to a designation hearing – where the LPC research staff presents information about the property to the LPC commissioners and public testimony is given. At this point, the property is regarded as “heard but not designated” and is still marked as “calendared” in the Building Department’s computers. The LPC then holds a public meeting, where the commissioners discuss the building based on the presentations of staff and the public, and vote on whether to designate the property as a landmark. At this point, the property (or district as the case may be) is officially a landmark and the notation in the Buildings computer is changed to reflect that. After the LPC designates, the City Planning Commission has the option to consider the designation and issue a report (either favorable or none), and the City Council must vote to ratify, modify or overturn the designation. For completeness’s sake, the Mayor has the right to veto any action of the City Council, including ratification or denial of designation, but the Council has the right to overturn the Mayor’s veto. Got all that? Let’s go to the play book….

The Plaza Hotel - The fight goes on

As many readers might be aware, the much-storied Plaza Hotel was bought last fall by Elad Properties who intends to close the hotel and convert it into condominiums with a department store/mall and a small boutique hotel. The building is currently an individual exterior landmark and is zoned as-of-right for residential or hotel use (special zone R-10H for all you zoning mavens). The current retail and restaurant uses in the hotel predate the zoning and are counted as “ancillary uses” in any event – which would no longer be the case if the hotel goes from 800 to 150 rooms as planned. The new owner is currently looking for a special zoning permit to allow retail uses on part of the first three floors. This process entails making an application to the LPC under Section 74-711 of the Zoning Resolution to ask the agency apply for the zoning variance on the owner’s behalf based upon an agreed-upon “preservation purpose” (this section of the zoning resolution was originally conceived of to allow for , and in fact encourage, the restoration and reuse of former industrial & commercial buildings). This application is scheduled to be considered by the LPC at their regularly-scheduled public hearing on March 29, 2005. Manhattan Community Board 5 considered the proposal earlier this month and voted to deny the application, which called for the installation of escalators through the Terrace Room and the truncation of the ground floor corridors (among other things). In addition, although this proposal is still scheduled to be heard, the LPC has moved to calendar a number of interior spaces of the Plaza Hotel for possible designation – including the 59th Street and 5th Avenue lobbies, the Oak Room, the Oak Bar, the Palm Court, the Grand Ballroom and lobby spaces, the Terrace Room and lobby. What this exactly means for the conversion plans is still be determined – but this is a strong starting point for the preservation of these important rooms.

Modern Landmarks - Three buildings considered for designation

After much consternation from enthusiasts, the LPC recently calendared two Manhattan works by architect Morris Lapidus, the 1949 former Patterson Silks/Odd Jobs store on University Place and 14th Street, and the 1961 former Summit Hotel on Lexington Avenue and 51st Street. Lapidus, who died in 2001, was renowned for his design of flamboyant Miami Beach hotels, such as the 1954 Fontainebleau. Although reviled by architectural critics, Lapidus’s works were popular at the time and have recently begun to be reassessed. The Summit Hotel was one of the two intact hotels by Lapidus in New York, where he lived and worked for decades. Recently, the hotel was bought from its original owners and has been undergoing major renovations. Although much of the work is supposedly restorative in nature, major elements such as windows and the ground floor facades have been removed or are under construction sheds.
The former Patterson Silks/Odd Jobs building on 14th Street is an even worse situation. A very early work by Lapidus, and a very unusual application (for New York) of “Popular Modernism” applied on a small-scale. The building was restored in 1998 to much fanfare. However, when the LPC approached the owner, BLDG Management, earlier this year about the possibility of designating the building, their response was to file immediately for alterations permits that allowed them to remove the distinctive glass tower and red “swiss-cheese” wall. The LPC often contacts owners about designation prior to officially calendaring a property, in an effort to build support and avoid “hostile” designations. Unfortunately, this consideration can badly backfire for the building, as also happened in Tottenville.
Both these buildings are scheduled to be heard for designation on March 29, 2005 with the hopes that future work on them will be sensitive and restorative under guidance of the LPC. And while it might seem like the LPC actions are too little, too late for the Patterson Silks Building, as long as the building remains under LPC consideration, its restoration is still possible.
Speaking of small-scale modern buildings, the LPC recently heard one of the youngest buildings ever to be considered for landmark status, the 1966 (former) Jamaica Saving Bank in Elmhurst designed by the William F. Cann Company. The building, which still hosts a bank branch, is reminiscent of Eero Saarinen’s landmark TWA Terminal and as well as many of the temporary pavilions erected for the 1964 World’s Fair, which took place relatively nearby. As an example of “Popular Modernism”, the bank building makes a nice counterpart to the Patterson Silks Building as a late example of the same style and helps lay to rest the persistent myth that preservationists only care about columns and cornices. Now if only the agency would hold a hearing for Two Columbus Circle ….

Preservation Outside Manhattan - When owners attack

In addition to the former Jamaica Savings Bank, the LPC also held a designation hearing for the 1886 former Sohmer Piano Factory Building in Astoria. The factory, one of the most prominent remaining industrial buildings on the Astoria waterfront, is a very visible reminder of Astoria’s important manufacturing history – the area around the building was once called “Sohmerville” much as neighboring area is still called “Steinway” (after the Sohmer Company’s more successful competitors). The building had been heard by the LPC three times before, and was still home to a manufacturing business, the Adirondack Chair Company. Unfortunately, the company is opposed to designation, stating that corporate financial concerns combined with the poor condition of the property might cause the business to fold, or at least relocate. Advocates from nearby Roosevelt Island, as well as preservation groups from Queens and HDC disputed this assertion, stating that 40 years of landmarks preservation in New York refuted this gloomy prediction and numerous commercial sites not only survived designation, but prospered under it (such as the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea). The site has obvious potential as a high-rise development; and this is not a unique occurrence. Similar threats have arisen all across the city to historic industrial sites on the Brooklyn and Manhattan waterfronts. Hopefully, the LPC will continue to act to save our industrial and commercial architectural heritage before it all disappears.
In Staten Island, owner opposition to designation doesn’t begin to describe developer John Grossi’s reaction to learning that the Second Empire house he recently bought in Tottenville was under consideration as a possible landmark. When Mr. Grossi was denied a permit for demolition of the late 19th-century building, he threw what the Staten Island Advance rightly called “a paint tantrum.”.Fortunately, the ire of his neighbors convinced him to repaint the house (although there is still concern about the ornament that was removed) and as of this writing, Mr. Grossi claims to have withdrawn his plans for demolition pending further action by the LPC. It is important to keep in mind that the painting and ornament removal is completely legal under the building’s current status (we really recommend readers take the time to visit http://www.silive.com/news/advance/photos/ and click “Friday, March 18” for the full experience). While it is probably impossible for the LPC to designate every significant building in New York City before they are threatened with inappropriate development, Mr. Grossi’s statement:“I bought the property with zoning rights. I didn't buy a house, as far as I'm concerned" fills us with dread.

Act to Save New York’s History - We need your help!

It is statements like that, which speak of a disregard of our city’s heritage and determination to demolish anything in search of a short-term profit, that show the clear need for a strengthening of the current preservation process. As regular readers know, HDC is lobbying for the adoption of “The Historic Buildings Notification Bill”, which would create a safety net that will catch these unprotected historic buildings before they are torn down and give the LPC the chance to act on them before it is too late. Last month, we had a hearing before City Council and now we need your support . Please go to the following link, http://www.nonprofitmaps.org/action/descrip.asp?Cname=hdc&AlertID=16, type in your name and send your message of support for New York’s historic buildings to your councilmember. Really, it’s that easy – just type in your name, your address and hit “send”. It should only take a minute and it will help immeasurably. Please, if you only do one thing to help us out this year, do this.

Not All Gloom and Doom - 40th Anniversary of the Landmarks Law!

Preservation isn’t only about struggle and turmoil – it’s about the celebration of our city and its history. On April 19, 2005, the New York City Landmarks Law and the Landmarks Commission celebrate their 40th birthday. To help commemorate this important anniversary, HDC and our colleagues at the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center are hosting a number of events ~ although in our case, we’re doing it virtually. For a growing list of preservation-related events during April and May – National Preservation Month - go to http://www.hdc.org/40thanniversarycalendar.htm.
Want to be added to the list? Send information about your event to hdc@hdc.org. Remember to list the time and date, where the events is, information on whom to contact for more details or to RSVP, and a short description. Only events in April or May will be listed and we will be updating the posting board weekly.

Had Enough? - coming next issue

While we are tempted to have a full report on other happenings this month – the 11th Annual Preservation Conference (300 people, great opening reception, interesting speakers, fun tours), asking for more money for the LPC during City Council budget hearings (our actual testimony was “Dear Council members, please give the LPC more money. Thank you”), continuing work on the Fulton-Nassau National Register Historic District, our upcoming panel in Crown Heights North on April 20th, we thought we’d leave something to talk about for our April issue.

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The Advocate for New York City’s Historic Neighborhoods
232 East 11th Street New York NY 10003
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