Three-year conflict over illegal addition resolved

Owners will demolish illegal addition, restore original conditions, and build a smaller addition. On March 20, 2012 after several years of back and forth with the building owners, Landmarks approved a proposal to build a new addition on a secondary structure at 12-14 West 68th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The proposal includes the demolition of an illegal, fifth-floor addition built by the former owner of the building … <Read More>


Landmarks approves Tribeca project after developer revises plan to retain historic fabric

Two-story building on Lispenard Street will get three stories and a set-back, two-story penthouse; adjacent five-story building gets a penthouse addition. After rejecting two prior plans, Landmarks approved Murat Bugdaycay’s development proposal for two store-and-loft buildings on Lispenard Street in the Tribeca East Historic District. The plan calls for adding three stories and a set-back, two-story penthouse to a two-story building at 52 Lispenard Street, and a smaller, two-story penthouse to the … <Read More>


Kickstarter wins Landmarks’ approval for Brooklyn HQ

Internet fundraising company plans to renovate dilapidated building in Greenpoint. On March 20, 2012, Landmarks approved a plan by Kickstarter, the crowdsourced fundraising company, to adaptively reuse a neglected building at 58 Kent Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn into its headquarters. 58 Kent Street is one of five buildings making up the former Eberhard Faber Pencil Company factory, which Landmarks designated as a historic district in October 2007. (See CityLand’s coverage here). The two-story … <Read More>


Landmarks approves Park Slope Historic District Extension

New Brooklyn historic district brings another 600 buildings bordering original Park Slope Historic District under Landmarks jurisdiction. On April 17, 2012, Landmarks unanimously approved the creation of the Park Slope Historic District Extension. The extension includes 600 buildings on the southwest border of the 1973-designated Park Slope Historic District. The new district is generally bounded by 7th Street to the north, 15th Street to the south, 8th Avenue to the east, and … <Read More>


Two new members appointed to commission

Michael Goldblum and Michael Devonshire replaced Stephen Byrns and Roberta Brandes Gratz. Architect Michael Goldblum and architectural conservator Michael Devonshire have replaced Commissioners Stephen Byrns and Roberta Brandes Gratz on the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Byrns joined Landmarks in 2004 and is a founding partner of BKSK Architects LLP. Gratz joined Landmarks in 2003 and will continue to serve the City as a member of the Sustainable Advisory Board for PlaNYC.

The City Council … <Read More>


Landmarks’ designation process upheld

First Department ruled that preservation group failed to show its members were affected differently than general public. The City’s Landmarks law provides the public with the ability to nominate properties for landmark designation by submitting a Request for Evaluation form. After receiving a request, the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Request for Evaluation Committee, which includes the Landmarks Chair, screens the nomination in order to determine whether additional consideration is appropriate.

A nomination requiring further consideration is … <Read More>