On the Town in New York: HDC’s Fall Lecture Series

During the month of September HDC will present “On the Town in New York: Historic Theatres and Bars of New York City,” a fascinating series of programs that will investigate the history, archaeology and preservation of some of New York City’s most notorious haunts.

On September 6, Comedy & Tragedy: Tales of Preserving the City’s Historic Theaters will discuss the theatres of New York City, focusing on their unique histories, architectural significance and façade design. From Broadway’s designated landmarks to the neglected theatres of the other boroughs with unknown fates, this panel will cover all aspects of theatre history in New York City. Scheduled speakers include preservationists and scholars Cezar Del Valle, Tony Robins and Susan Tunick.

On September 13, Bottoms Up: Dives, Drinking Holes & Other Historic Places of Good Cheer will examine the culture of social drinking and eating in New York City through an examination of establishments developed specifically for leisure. Discussions will focus on both the architectural and social significance of these historic watering holes. Historians and bon vivants Francis Morrone, Matt Postal and Mark Caldwell will be speaking.

Both lectures will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at The SoHo Playhouse, located in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District at 15 Vandam between 6th Avenue and Varick Street in Manhattan.

The series will conclude with Enter Stage Right: A Behind-The-Scenes Tour of Broadway’s Historic Theaters, a rare behind-the-scenes tour of Manhattan’s Theatre District. The tour, put together by noted tour guide Joseph Rosenberg of VIP Tours New York and restoration specialist Jeffrey Greene, will go inside some of Broadway’s most infamous theatres. Walk the stages graced for decades by the theatrical elite, relish in the extravagant designs of stately lobbies, discover firsthand what life is like behind the curtains! The tour will be given twice, on Sunday, September 23rd and Sunday, September 30th. Specific times and locations will be announced upon registration.

Each lecture is $15/$10 for Friends of HDC. The Sunday tour of the Theatre District is $45/$35 for Friends. The complete series of all three events is $65/$45 for Friends. Please note that the complete package includes attendance for only one tour session. Advance reservations are required. Tickets be ordered online via Paypal by clicking here, by calling the HDC office at 212-614-9107 or e-mailing lbelfer@hdc.org.

Update on the Sunnyside Gardens Designation

If it seems like we’ve been reporting on the Sunnyside Gardens designation for months, well, that’s because we have. In addition to being the largest historic district ever designated in Queens, this designation also serves as a useful object lesson on the path from “hope” to “landmark” which all landmarking efforts have to tread.

In August, the designation was deliberated upon by the City Planning Commission, which is scheduled to vote on it immediately after Labor Day. Judging from the comments of the Planning Commissioners, we expect a positive vote. Then, the city Council will weigh in on this – and there have been minor, but troubling signs that this vote is far from a sure thing.

A little history; landmark designation cannot be taken from granted just because LPC has voted in the affirmative. In 1975, the Board of Estimate overturned the designation of the Steinway Historic District in Western Queens and again, in 1981, the LaLance & Grosjean Historic District in Woodhaven. That historic district was razed and a shopping center was erected in its place. More recently, the Austin, Nichols Warehouse and the Jamaica Savings Bank in Elmhurst were overturned by the City Council in 2005. It would be overstating to say that we fear this outcome for Sunnyside Gardens, but it would imprudent to do anything else than our utmost to ensure this designation remains in place.

HDC and the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance have been meeting with members and staff of the City Council to discuss this designation and they have all stated that they need to hear from supporters of this designation. Sample letters to Speaker Christine Quinn can be found here.

As always, addressing the Council members directly is the best method of communicating your support. Unfortunately, we do not know when the hearing before the Landmarks Subcommittee will be and will not find out until at best a week ahead of time. If you’re interested, check the City Council calendar often. The Land Use calendar for each week is usually published on the Thursday before.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to communicate their support to the LPC, City Planning and the Council. Your voices are definitely being heard, and if this designation succeeds, it will be due in part to your efforts.

And don’t worry about having nothing to do once Sunnyside is affirmed; there’s still DUMBO, and Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park waiting in the queue!

Campaign to Save the Carnegie Libraries!

One of HDC’s newest efforts is to save the Andrew Carnegie-funded public libraries throughout the five boroughs. Carnegie’s grant of $5.2 million in 1901 provided funding for the construction of 67 exquisite branch buildings, from Tottenville on Staten Island to Mott Haven in The Bronx! Click to read more about HDC’s Campaign to Save the Carnegies.

While most of these libraries are still in operation, few of the structures enjoy landmark status and many are faced with the threat of impending demolition. Read HDC adviser Dr. Jeffrey Kroessler’s op-ed advocating for the preservation of the Elmhurst branch in Queens, one of branches slated for destruction.

Summer Fun at the LPC
July and August are quiet months at a lot of work places, but not at the Landmarks Preservation Commission. In four Public Hearings and a Public Meeting, nine sites were designated, four more potential landmarks had public hearings and six were calendared, while 83 applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness were considered. Here are some highlights.

Save the Date: HDC’s 19th Annual Landmarks Lion Award

On October 24th HDC will present its Landmarks Lion Award to Lisa Ackerman, Executive Vice President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. The reception, dinner and award ceremony will take place at the Prince George Ballroom in the Madison Square North Historic District. Benefit Committee listing begins at $500. For more information, to join the Benefit Committee or place a congratulatory ad in the program, please contact Frampton Tolbert at ftolbert@hdc.org or 212-614-9107 x 13.

Become a Friend of HDC
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