Public Hearing Held on Potential Harrison Street Historic District

Local residents and landmark activists testified for and against designation for a block-long, 19th-century residential enclave. On January 15, 2013, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the potential designation of the Harrison Street Historic District in Stapleton, Staten Island. The district primarily lies along Harrison Street, between Quinn and Brownell Streets, and also includes the corner of Brownell and Tompkins Streets.

The proposed district encompasses 43 one and two-family residential properties and … <Read More>


Landmarking of Brinckerhoff Cemetery Proceeds to Council Vote Despite Owner’s Opposition [Update: Designation Approved By Full Council]

Owner of the vacant former cemetery site claimed she purchased the lot to build a home for herself, not knowing of the property’s history, and was not competently represented throughout the landmarking process. On December 6, 2012, the New York City Council’s Land Use Committee voted to recommend approval of the designation of the Brinckerhoff Cemetery as a New York City Landmark.  The property, at 69-65 182nd Street in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of Queens, … <Read More>


Former Ridley & Sons Department Store Buildings Designated as an Individual Landmark, Awaiting Full Council Approval [Update: Designation Approved By Full Council]

Lower East Side department store, closed since 1901, approved for designation after adjacent property removed from consideration. On December 6, 2012, the New York City Council’s Land Use Committee voted to approve the designation of the former Edward Ridley & Sons Department Store Buildings. They voted to approve the designation after its Council’s Subcommittee on Landmark’s, Public Siting & Maritime Uses hearing on December 4, 2012.  Located at 315-317 Grand Street and 319-321 Grand … <Read More>


Marine Midland Bank Building Enters Designation Process

Gordon Bunshaft-designed Mid-century Modernist office tower on trapezoidal site enters process towards designation. On November 20, 2012, Landmarks voted to calendar the Marine Midland Bank building, at 140 Broadway in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District, as potential individual City landmark. The building was designed by Gordon Bunshaft, partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Other individual landmarks in the City designed by Bunshaft include the Manufacturer’s Company Trust Building, and Modernist icon, the Lever House<Read More>


Landmarks Holds Public Hearing on Rainbow Room [Update: Rainbow Room Designated]

This article was originally published on 8/17/2012 (see below for update).

Rockefeller Center-owner Tishman Speyer endorsed designation, but said it would continue with plans to “revitalize” the currently unused nightclub and restaurant space. On September 11, 2012 Landmarks held a public hearing on the potential designation of the Rainbow Room on the 65th Floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza as an interior landmark. The Rainbow Room was designed by Associated Architects and opened in 1934. … <Read More>


REBNY: Improve the City’s Landmarks Designation Process

The Landmarks Preservation Commission’s (LPC) process for designating New York City historic districts is being used more and more to take the place of zoning.  The designation of historic districts has been pursued to promote many different agendas: to address issues of height and scale, to stop new development and to limit development on vacant or near-vacant sites by purposefully including these sites within the boundaries of historic districts.  These objectives are contrary to the … <Read More>