Two Adjoining Bank Buildings Considered as Individual Landmarks

Elected officials and local residents urge Landmarks to designate 20th century financial-services-industry structures. On November 29, 2016, Landmarks held hearings on the possible individual landmark designations of two buildings built as banks in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The People’s Trust Company Building, at 181 Montague Street, and the adjacent National Title Guaranty Company Building, at 185 Montague Street, are both part of Brooklyn’s “Bank Row.”  Historic banking structures on the … <Read More>


Eleven Buildings Individually Landmarked as part of the Greater East Midtown Initiative

Hearing were held on twelve buildings over two meetings, with vary degrees of opposition— Citicorp Center Complex will be voted on separately at a later date. On November 22, 2016, Landmarks voted to designate eleven buildings in the Midtown area as individual City landmarks. Public testimony on the buildings was considered at two meetings on July 19 and September 13 of 2016. Landmarks undertook the surveying of the area as part of a mayoral program … <Read More>


Second Hearing Held on Late-19th Century Flushing Church

Landmarking of Bowne Street Community Church, originally the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church of Flushing, opposed by church representatives at second hearing due to misidentification of landmarked lot. On November 15, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a second hearing on the Bowne Street Community Church at 143-11 Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, Queens. The church was added to Landmarks calendar in 2003, and first heard as part of the Commission’s Backlog Initiative in October 2015. At … <Read More>


Neo-classical Bank Building, Later Serving as a Courthouse and Church, Designated an Individual Landmark

Designation was opposed by Church that is the building’s current owner, while supported by local Council Member. On August 9, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Williamsburgh Trust Company Building, at 177 South 5th Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, as an individual City landmark. The Neo-classical building was originally constructed as a bank for the Williamsburgh Trust Company in 1906. It features two classical porticos and a sculptural relief over … <Read More>


Court Rejects Developer’s Attempt to Appeal Denial of Hardship Application

Stahl York Avenue Company is unable to demolish and redevelop two Lenox Hill apartment buildings due to Landmark designation. On January 8, 2016, New York County Supreme Court Justice Michael D. Stallman denied an article 78 petition filed by Stahl York Avenue to allow redevelopment a portion of the site known as the City and Suburban Homes Company, First Avenue Estate. The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated this location in 1990 and amended the … <Read More>


CityLand’s Top Ten Stories of 2015

Welcome to CityLand‘s fourth annual top ten stories of the year! We have selected a range of our most popular and prominent stories, guest commentaries concerning New York City land use in 2015.  Our fourth year as an online publication was marked by rezoning in East Midtown, the fight to renew rent stabilization protections in the City, proposed reform of the landmarking process, and capped by the first stage of review for Mayor de … <Read More>