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April 28, 2004
Statement of the Historic Districts Council
Before the City Planning Commission
Re: The Murray Hill Historic District Extension
The Historic Districts Council is the city-wide
advocate for New York City’s historic districts and for neighborhood
meriting preservation. HDC is pleased to have the opportunity to
testify in support of the proposed Murray Hill Historic District
Extension.
The Historic Districts Council has been a supporter
of the designation of a complete Murray Hill Historic District for
many years. When the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated
the original Murray Hill Historic District in January 2002, HDC
was disappointed that the boundaries excluded several buildings
worthy of designation. The Murray Hill neighborhood had struggled
for 30 years to protect the neighborhood through landmark designation.
Unfortunately, the boundaries for the original historic district
were odd at best and reflected neither the historic Murray Hill
neighborhood nor the best interests of preservation policy.
HDC is therefore extremely pleased that the Landmarks
Preservation Commission has now voted to correct its earlier omission
and designate twelve additional properties in the Murray Hill neighborhood.
Designating these twelve buildings will help to create a more cohesive
historic district and protect the designated historic resources
in Murray Hill from jarring, inappropriate development on its borders.
HDC has been particularly concerned about the fate of 126 and 128
East 36th Street, which are threatened with demolition for a new
development that could be 24 stories as-of-right. If these buildings,
which have been included in the National Register nomination for
Murray Hill, are lost, then the integrity of the Murray Hill Historic
District will be seriously compromised. The designation of these
rowhouses is desperately needed in order to have a complete historic
district that adequately reflects the history and development of
the Murray Hill neighborhood.
The Murray Hill neighborhood is a prime example
of how the zoning in and around New York City’s historic districts
is often not compatible with the scale of the historic neighborhood.
A 24-story as-of-right development in the midst of a neighborhood
with fine brownstone rowhouses and carriage houses simply is not
acceptable. The Historic Districts Council is finishing up our Zoning
Study, which analyzes the zoning in and around New York’s
81 historic districts. The purpose of the study is to identify potential
areas of conflict in and around historic districts and to suggest
zoning changes that would better reflect, preserve and protect the
various historic districts. Our examination reveals to what extent
the zoning reflects the built environment and to what extent it
does not. The study has shown that in many historic districts, like
Murray Hill, the zoning is incompatible with the protected character
of the neighborhood. The final version of the Zoning Study will
be completed by early summer. The Historic Districts Council looks
forward to working with the Department of City Planning and the
City Planning Commission at that time.
In the meantime, the Historic Districts Council
urges the City Planning Commission to issue a report in support
of the designation of the Murray Hill Historic District Extension.
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