REBNY report shows that housing production, particularly affordable housing, is drastically lower in landmarked areas in the five boroughs. In 2013, the Real Estate Board of New York conducted a study which showed that nearly 28 percent of Manhattan is landmarked and that fewer than 2 percent of new housing units built in Manhattan over a ten-year time period (2003-2012) were constructed on landmarked properties. On July 1, 2014, REBNY released a new report which … <Read More>
Search Results for: Landmarks Designation
Proposed Demolition of Two Historic Buildings Would Make Way for 14-story Development
While praising design of proposed new structure, commissioners generally agreed that demolition of contributing buildings in a historic district was inappropriate. On April 1, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered a proposal to demolish two adjoining buildings in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District at 51 and 53 West 19th Street, and build a 14-story residential structure at the site. Both buildings, constructed for residential use in 1854, were significantly altered in the 1920s when … <Read More>
Potential Historic District Supported by Elected Officials and Community Boards
Representatives and members of the Park Avenue Christian Church petitioned Landmarks to ensure that designation would not impede planned development. On February 11, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the potential designation of the Park Avenue Historic District, comprising 68 buildings in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The area is characterized by a predominance of early-20th century high-rise apartment buildings, as well as some low rise dwellings, individual mansions, institutional buildings, and … <Read More>
Commercial Development of Waterfront Sugar Refinery Approved
Landmarks endorsed project with modifications that better displayed factory’s industrial character, and historic sign and chimney. On January 14, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to issue Two Trees Management a Certificate of Appropriateness to convert the Domino Sugar Refinery for commercial and office use. The plan includes glass-and-steel additions on two roofs, demolition of non-historic accretions, and the creation of windows and balconies. The adaptive reuse of the former factory is part of a … <Read More>
Emergency Demolition May Be Necessary for City-Owned Individual Landmark
Landmarks urged DOB and DCAS to look at all possible alternatives before resorting to demolition. On December 17, 2013, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing for the application for an advisory report to demolish the individually landmarked Public School 31, located at 425 Grand Concourse in the Bronx. The Collegiate Gothic-style building was designed by C.B.J. Snyder and is currently owned by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which assumed possession of the … <Read More>
HDC Defends NYC Landmark Preservation
Last week CityLand published a Guest Commentary from Steven Spinola, President of REBNY. Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council submitted this commentary in response.
In his recent editorial in CityLand, Steven Spinola, the longtime President of the Real Estate Board of New York, suggested a number of ways which the Landmarks Law needs to be reformed to adhere to its “spirit.” This is a curious statement that warrants further examination. … <Read More>