
Houses on West 217th Street from the proposed historic district. Image Credit: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
Community voiced support of preservation of suburban character after neighborhood rezoning earlier this year. On November 20, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the proposed designation of the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the proposed historic district on September 25, 2018. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the Park Terrace West designation process, click here. (more…)

Rendering of proposed four-story residential building (center) at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue in Brooklyn; View from Decatur Street. Image Credit: LPC/DXA Studio
Applicants failed to convince Landmarks Commissioners on the appropriateness of the project. On October 2, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on a certificate of appropriateness for the construction of a four-story residential building at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue, located in the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District in Brooklyn. The applicants proposed to demolish and reconstruct an existing garage on a different portion of the lot to make room for the proposed building. (more…)

Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten, at 236 President Street. Image credit: LPC.
Owner of one of two buildings associated with Methodist Church and the immigrant community of Carroll Gardens threatened litigation should Landmarks designate the property. On June 26, 2018, Landmarks held a joint hearing on the potential individual landmark designations of two buildings in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. The adjoining buildings are the 238 President Street House and the former Hans S. Christian Memorial Kindergarten, at 236 President Street. The Italianate-style building at 238 President Street was built in 1853 as a one-family residence, and converted to a training center and residence for Methodist deaconesses in 1897. The two-story Beaux Arts building at 236 President Street is a rare early example of a purpose-built Kindergarten in the United States. (more…)

City and Suburban Homes Company, First Avenue Estate. Image credit: LPC.
Developer claimed that Commissioners irrationally and prejudicially analyzed hardship application, and that designation amounted to an unconstitutional taking. In 1990, Landmarks designated the City and Suburban Homes Company, First Avenue Estate an individual City landmark. The block-sized development is bounded East 64th and 65th Streets and York and First Avenues. Built between 1819 and 1915, it was constructed to provide high-quality housing to low-income New Yorkers in an alternative to crowded, poorly ventilated tenement buildings. The First Avenue Estate is one of only two full-block light court tenement complexes in the City. (more…)

53rd Police Precinct Police Station. Image credit: LPC.
Both dating to the early 20th century, firehouse and police precinct station designated in part for their role in Far Rockaway’s development as a year-round residential community. At its meeting on May 29, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate two buildings in in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens as individual City landmarks. The buidlings are the 53rd Police Precinct Police Station, at 16-12 Mott Avenue, and the Firehouse, Engine Companies 264 & 328, Ladder Company 134 at 16-14 Central Avenue. (more…)