E-BULLETIN OF THE HISTORIC
DISTRICTS COUNCIL
Special Report
December 9, 2005
Well, we lost. Despite round-the-clock organizing and advocacy,
yesterday the City Council voted to overturn the Mayor’s
veto of their rejection of the landmark designation of the Austin,
Nichols and Company Warehouse at 184 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. For more details, see the article below from the Gotham
Gazette, which is a great website on New York City news and policy.
Special thanks to all the Council members who supported us by
voting against the overturn or abstaining from the vote: Charles
Barron, Gale Brewer, Vincent Gentile, Allan Jennings, Margarita
Lopez, Michael McMahon, Bill Perkins and Al Vann. Special, heartfelt
thanks for Tony Avella and Letitia James for their championing
our cause. Without their help, the building would not have had
a chance.
Thank you especially to all the people and organizations who wrote,
called, showed up or testified in favor of the designation. If
nothing else, the widespread support for this building has shown
that preservation reaches beyond any one particular neighborhood,
that each historic building we save adds to the wealth of our
city.
What can we learn from this? We have to redouble our efforts to
educate and communicate to our elected representatives that preservation
is an important and worthy social goal, and preservation efforts
must be encouraged, not diminished. We must be doubly careful
to present the case for saving buildings and neighborhoods in
clear and positive ways. And we must be tireless in our vigilance
and outreach. We must let our representatives know that we are
watching their decisions, and we expect them to represent us.
The loss of the Austin Nichols Warehouse was a terrible one, but
we cannot let it dissuade us. This time we lost by four votes.
Next time, let’s win by 51.
City Council Stated Meeting - December 8, 2005
by Mark Berkey-Gerard
08 Dec 2005
Every two weeks the New York City Council meets for its Stated
Meeting to introduce and pass legislation. Gotham Gazette covers
these meetings and posts a summary of the bills passed.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"There are 75 buildings on the Greenpoint Williamsburg waterfront
in this book, the AIA Guide to New York City, the Bible of what
is beautiful and architecturally worthy in this city. This building
not in here." - Councilmember David Yassky arguing why a
Brooklyn warehouse at 184 Kent Avenue should not be an official
landmark.
MEETING SUMMARY:
The New York City Council overrode three vetoes from Mayor Michael
Bloomberg; the council rejected a landmark in Brooklyn, instituted
parking regulations on a Hindu holiday, and gave public administrators
$32,000 raises.
REJECTING A LANDMARK
A week ago, the council overruled the Landmark Preservation Commission's
recommendation to designate the Austin, Nichols, and Company Warehouse,
located at 184 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, as an official landmark.
Councilmember David Yassky, who represents the district where
the building is located, said the building was not worthy of protection.
"There are 75 buildings on the Greenpoint Williamsburg waterfront
in this book, the AIA Guide to New York City, the Bible of what
is beautiful and architecturally worthy in this city," said
Yassky. "This building not in here."
The current owner of the building has plans to convert it into
luxury condos. Yassky and others argued that designating the building
as a landmark would impede plans to transform the area from a
manufacturing to a residential neighborhood.
Mayor Bloomberg vetoed the council's action; his spokesperson
called it a "highly significant building designed by a historically
significant architect."
Some members sided with the mayor, arguing that the council was
giving too much power to developers and doing nothing to help
the 50 current residents who are being evicted from the warehouse.
"I don't see how we can substitute our judgment over that
of architects and historians," said Councilmember Letitia
James. "We need a process that is free of influence from
developers, free of influence of politics, and free of influence
from politically connected lobbyists."
But most council members sided with Yassky, and said the council
was within its power to reject the landmark commission's decision.
"If we have a vote, should we not be using our own judgment?"
asked Councilmember Melinda Katz, who chairs the land use committee.
The council overruled the mayor by a vote of 37 to 8 with 2 abstentions.
The council only needed 34 votes to override Bloomberg.
Tony Avella, Charles Barron, Letitia James, Margarita Lopez, Michael
McMahon, Bill Perkins, and Al Vann sided with the mayor. Gale
Brewer and Vincent Gentile abstained from the vote.
© Gotham Gazette
For full story, go to http://www.gothamgazette.com/article//20051208/203/1674
