Proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. Credit: LPC

New district would encompass more than 300 buildings in an area that was home to successive waves of immigrant groups. On June 26, 2012, Landmarks heard extensive testimony on the proposed designation of the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. The proposed district would encompass approximately 330 buildings located primarily along Second Avenue between St. Marks Place and East 2nd Street and adjacent side streets. A portion of the district would extend along East 6th and East 7th Streets, reaching Avenue A.

The area is largely characterized by multi-family 19th century tenement buildings that housed various immigrant groups newly arrived to the country. The area became home to German and Irish immigrants as wealthier New Yorkers moved uptown, and in time became known as Kleindeutschland (Little Germany). Later, the area became home to Jewish and Eastern European immigrants, and Second Avenue became a focal point for lower Manhattan’s Jewish community, gaining the title of the “Yiddish Rialto.” After World War II, the neighborhood came to be dominated by Latin American immigrants. Realtors began calling the neighborhood the “East Village” shortly after the removal of the elevated Third Avenue subway line in 1955. The area has a rich legacy in the arts, and in social activism. Landmarks calendared the district on June 28, 2011.

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One building owner intended to demolish house in order to build seven-story office. On July 13, 2010, Landmarks heard testimony on the possible designation of two separately owned Federal-style rowhouses located at 135 and 206 Bowery in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. When the houses were built in the early 1800s, the Bowery was considered a fashionable upper-class residential and commercial district. While both buildings have undergone extensive alterations, they retain their essential forms and characteristics. Landmarks calendared the buildings on June 15, 2010. Council Member Margaret Chin, whose district includes the Bowery, supported designating both structures.

The 3.5-story house at 135 Bowery was built circa 1817 for John A. Hardenbrook, one of the 24 stock brokers who signed the Buttonwood Agreement that formed the precursor to the New York Stock Exchange. Hardenbrook’s daughter, Rebecca Hardenbrook-Somarindyck later lived in the house, and it remained in the family until 1944. The building’s ground floor historically housed commercial businesses while the upper floors were used as apartments. (more…)

Following the Ocean on the Park Historic District designation vote, Landmarks agreed to consider extending district to include adjacent vacant lot. On December 15, 2009, Landmarks declined to extend Brooklyn’s recently- designated Ocean on the Park Historic District to include an adjacent vacant lot at 185 Ocean Avenue. Landmarks designated the Ocean on the Park Historic District in October 2009, and it comprises twelve attached rowhouses located at 189 through 211 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. The free-standing brick house that formerly occupied an adjacent lot at 185 Ocean Avenue was developed in conjunction with the twelve other buildings, and the lot shares a driveway and a garage with 189 Ocean Avenue. In 2008, the owner of 185 Ocean Avenue demolished the house in order to build an eight-story condominium with a cantilevered portion over the shared driveway of 189 Ocean Avenue. The owner completed the condominium’s foundation before his building permits expired in September 2009.

Landmarks agreed to consider extending the historic district to cover the building site after hearing testimony at the October designation hearing from Fern Bernich, the owner of 189 Ocean Avenue. Bernich testified that the proposed building at 185 Ocean Avenue would negatively impact her property if Landmarks did not include the lot in the district. After Landmarks calendared the lot for consideration, Landmarks counsel Mark Silberman explained that Landmarks could remove it from its calendar if it determined that the owner of 185 Ocean Avenue had valid building permits. 6 CityLand 160 (Nov. 15, 2009). (more…)

Chase Manhattan Plaza and NYU’s Silver Towers considered as City Landmarks. On June 24, 2008, Landmarks heard testimony on the potential designation of two iconic modernist sites, 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza in Lower Manhattan, and University Village in Greenwich Village.

Chase Plaza includes a tower office building, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and a plaza, featuring a sunken Japanese rock garden and a sculpture by Jean Dubuffet. The entire complex occupies two-and-a half-acres and necessitated the demapping of a portion of Cedar Street. Built between 1957 and 1961 in the International Style, the 60- floor glass and aluminum tower is a result of David Rockefeller’s commitment to Lower Manhattan when financial firms were migrating to Midtown. A representative from JP Morgan Chase, which still owns the property, stated that the company was proud that Landmarks was considering the property. (more…)

Emergency hearing held on East Village horse stable and auction house. On September 7, 2006, less than one month after calendaring, Landmarks held a hearing on the possible designation of the Van Kearney and Van Tassel Horse Auction Mart at 126 East 13th Street in the East Village. The 1903 Beaux-Arts building, which has also served as an automobile showroom, a women’s assembly-line training center during the second World War, and the studio of painter Frank Stella, was recently purchased by a developer who received a building permit to construct a seven-story building on the site, but had yet to receive demolition permits. In response to community petitioning, Landmarks calendared the building, which halted the issuance of demolition permits by Buildings. 3 CityLand 126 (Sept. 15, 2006).

Numerous public figures spoke in favor of designation or sent representatives to the hearing, including State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Council Member Rosie Mendez, and State Senator David Chang. Mendez spoke of her community’s recent struggles to protect P.S. 64 and St. Brigid’s Church, and asked that Landmarks work more closely with Buildings to avoid the destruction of important historic buildings. (more…)