Rockefeller Center will see massive crowds throughout the holiday season, prompting city officials to expand pedestrian protections around the area. Image Credit: CityLand

Elected officials have previously called attention to dangerous crowd sizes in the area during the holiday season. On November 22, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced a temporary expansion of the pedestrian space around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall for the holiday season. The area between 5^th and 6^th Avenues from 48^th to 52^nd Streets will be affected. (more…)

Speaker Corey Johnson Image Credit: CityLand

After modifications and a lengthy Stated Meeting, Borough Based Jails passed despite significant opposition. On October 17, 2019, the City Council voted to approve the City’s Borough Based Jails System application with modifications. The approved plan includes four jail facilities located at 124-125 White Street in Manhattan, 745 East 141st Street in the Bronx, 126-02 82nd Avenue in Queens and at 275 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and closure of the Rikers Island detention facility.

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Rendering of proposed 20-story building at 200 Montague Street, Brooklyn. Image Credit: Beyer Blinder Belle/LPC.

The Commission’s approval to demolish the existing building was primarily based on the collapse and replacement of the building’s original curtain wall in 2006. On May 21, 2019, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered and voted to approve revised plans to demolish an existing four-story building and construct a new 20-story building at 200 Montague Street in the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District in Brooklyn. Designed by Philip Birnbaum, the existing four-story Modern-style building was initially constructed to two stories in 1959. Two additional stories were added in 1967-68. The building was used as a bank and had a drive through until the 1990s. In 2006, the building’s curtain wall collapsed from water and air infiltration and was replaced with a kalwall façade designed by FacadesMD. Landmarks classified the building as Altered Modern in its 2011 designation report on the historic district. (more…)

449 Convent Avenue rendering. Image credit: LPC.

19th-century rowhouse that previously stood at site demolished by emergency declaration after owner failed to make repairs following fire. On July 24, 2018, Landmarks voted to approve the construction of a new building at 449 Convent Avenue in the Hamilton Height/Sugar Hill Historic District Extension. An 1897 Renaissance Revival rowhouse occupied the site until 2011, when it was demolished by the Department of Buildings under an emergency declaration. The demolition followed a severe fire, and the building was declared unsafe after the owner failed to make necessary repairs. (more…)

Former Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse, at 850 Twelfth Avenue in Manhattan. Image Credit: LPC.

Massive West Side powerhouse, designed by Stanford White, continue to operate as steam-generating plant. On December 5, 2017, Landmarks voted to designate the former Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse, at 850 Twelfth Avenue, an individual City landmark.  The structure, which occupies an entire block along the West Side Highway, dates to 1905 and was designed by McKim, Mead and White’s Stanford White. The monumental generating station was built to power the Interborough Rapid Transit subway system, and was sited on the Hudson to facilitate the delivery of coal by barge. Consolidated Edison acquired the building in 1959, converting it to a steam generating plant. Cone Edison still operates the plant to generate power. (more…)