Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law.
Christopher Columbus is in trouble. Political pressure to remove Columbus monuments most recently dates from 1992 during the preparations for the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s first voyage. The movement to remove the monuments accelerated in the summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. (read more…)
Hearing held on proposal to compel designation hearings. On November 14, 2005, the Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses held a public hearing on a proposed Local Law which would allow the Council to order the Landmarks Preservation Commission to hold a public hearing on a proposed landmark designation. The proposal, sponsored by Council Member Bill Perkins, would add two new provisions to the landmarks law. Under the first, the Council, by a majority vote, could force Landmarks to hold a public hearing on a proposed landmark designation within 60 days of its vote. The second amendment would direct Landmarks to calendar a public hearing within 60 days of receiving notice that the state’s Historic Preservation Office identified a property as eligible for the state register.
Council claimed that the changes were in response to increased community complaints that Landmarks’ existing designation process was not “sufficiently transparent,” a claim related to failed attempts to force hearings on Two Columbus Circle and St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Harlem. Opening the hearing, Perkins stated that he hoped the legislation would shed some light on how Landmarks operates. (read more…)
