Council re-designated buildings despite owner’s offer to tenants. On February 1, 2007, the City Council voted unanimously to overturn one of the final actions of the Board of Estimate. In 1990, Landmarks designated the entire 15-building complex called the First Avenue Estate that occupies the block bounded by East 64th and East 65th Streets and York and First Avenues. At its final meeting, the Board of Estimate carved out two buildings from the designation to allow the owners to redevelop the site.

The new development never materialized, and residents and preservationists pushed the City to re-designate the buildings. After a 16-year delay, Landmarks voted in November 2006 to reestablish all 15 buildings as an individual landmark. 3 CityLand 169 (Dec. 2006). (more…)