Google Street View of 434 Vanderbilt Avenue
“White knight” owner stepped in to rehabilitate 1866 townhouse after building fell into disrepair. On June 5, 2012, Landmarks approved a proposal to dismantle and reconstruct the deteriorating facade of an 1866 Second-Empire building at 434 Vanderbilt Avenue in the Fort Greene Historic District. In addition to rebuilding the front facade, the proposal included plans to build a rear metal deck on top of an existing one-story extension. The owner also plans to replace the windows on the rear facade with glass entry doors to the deck. The work at the rear would be partially visible from street vantages.
According to Landmarks staff member Joshua Speakman, prior to 2006 a former owner performed illegal work on the home, which included replacing the roof, windows, and historic dormers. Subsequent owners took steps to repair and stabilize the dilapidated structure, which included installing temporary steel (read more…)
Mark Silberman
Hobbled by a bad back and recently returned from vacation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s General Counsel Mark Silberman sat down with CityLand to talk about his role at the Commission and Landmarks’ role in the City. He brings a perspective on the broader role of historic preservation nationally and in our culture.
A young environmentalist. Raised in Illinois and a graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz, Silberman began his career in government and advocacy as a lobbyist in Washington for environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth, an offshoot of the Sierra Club and the first grassroots international environmental organization. Silberman worked on amending the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect groundwater, pesticide reform, and hazardous waste issues.
Silberman decided he could be more effective with a law degree. He attended Hofstra University’s law school, choosing this institution largely for the opportunity to work with environmental lawyer and former Parks Commissioner William Ginsberg. After graduation, Silberman worked at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s recently created environmental law group, where, he estimates, he spent around 30 percent of his time working on pro bono cases. Among those cases, Silberman worked with two colleagues representing the Natural Resources Defense Council and the West Harlem Environmental Action Coalition over the operation of the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Harlem, eventually winning a million dollar settlement with the City. (read more…)
