Helping Governor Cuomo Find Genius Solutions for Public Transit

Past engineering geniuses built the great subways and railroads of New York City. On May 23, 2017 Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a call for new geniuses: the MTA Genius Transit Challenge with a prize of $1 million for the best genius ideas that will improve public transit. The three categories for genius input are modern signals to move trains faster through the tunnels, methods to buy new subway cars and fix the old ones faster, … <Read More>


Commission Addresses Demolition of Fire-Damaged Individually Landmarked Synagogue

Commissioners allowed demolition to proceed, but mandated that any material that can be retained or salvaged must be preserved. On July 12, 2017, Landmarks decided on application filed by the owners of the Beth Hamerdash Hagodol Synagogue, an individual City landmark, at 60 Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side.  The building was severely damaged by a fire in May of 2017, believed to have been set by a teenage arsonist who gained access … <Read More>


Subcommittee Delays Action on Three Landmark Designations

Six designations sent to full Council where they were ratified; three items held over for further deliberation. On February 27, 2017, City Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting, and Maritime Uses heard testimony and voted on the items designated at the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s last meeting devoted to the backlog initiative. The designated properties were introduced to the Subcommittee by Landmarks’ Lisa Kersavage and Lauren George. The Subcommittee approved designations for six of the … <Read More>


City’s Failure to Preserve Deed Restrictions on the Rivington House Explored [City Council Passes Tougher Oversight]

UPDATE: On December 6, 2016, the New York City Council voted 42-0 to approve Introduction 1182-2016 which requires the Department for Citywide Administrative Services to conduct an extensive review of a request to remove a deed restriction on a property managed by DCAS, including a public hearing, to determine whether the request removal furthers the best interests of the City.

The legislation is a response the controversial sale of the Rivington House to a luxury … <Read More>


Seven More Buildings Considered for Designation Under East Midtown Initiative

Items considered at hearing were from three development periods: the pre-Grand Central Terminal Era, the Grand Central/Terminal City Era, and the post-Grand Central/World War II Era. On September 13, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held hearings on the potential designation of seven individual landmarks in Midtown Manhattan. The items heard were among the twelve properties identified as potentially worthy of Landmarks protection in the agency’s Greater East Midtown Initiative. The initiative is part of … <Read More>


City Council Subcommittee Hears Testimony on Adorama Site [UPDATE: Subcommittee Approves Adorama Application]

The proposal would allow for a two-wing through block building with two floors of retail in the Ladies Mile Historic District. On September 7, 2016, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises heard testimony on an application for a special permit to facilitate the development in Chelsea neighborhood. The developer would restore and maintain two landmark buildings on site—one of which contains the Adorama camera store. The remainder of the lot—currently a parking lot … <Read More>