Landmark West! representative altered public official’s statement when she read it during public hearing. Virginia Parkhouse, a Landmark West! representative, allegedly misread a letter from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer into the record at a Landmarks Preservation Commission public hearing. Stringer subsequently informed Landmarks of the misstatement, Landmarks complained to the Department of Investigation, and DOI issued a subpoena to Parkhouse. Parkhouse moved to quash the subpoena, claiming that it interfered with her right to … <Read More>
Landmark West!
Commission debates legalization of illegal addition
Architect testified that Buildings’ database failed to indicate that West 68th Street property was located within landmarked district. At its April 14th public hearing, Landmarks considered the legalization of a one-story, fifth-floor addition to a residential building at 12-14 West 68th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The 506 square-foot addition was built onto a 1925 studio building, itself built as an addition at the rear of the main 1895 Queen … <Read More>
Court affirms DOI’s subpoena power
Preservationist allegedly altered contents of letter from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. In 2006, Landmarks held a hearing to consider the designation of the Dakota Stables, a building on the Upper West Side. Shortly before the hearing, the owner of the Dakota Stables pulled permits and began stripping the facade of the building. 3 CityLand 157 (Nov. 15, 2006). At the hearing, Virginia Parkhouse, a Landmarks West! volunteer, read a letter from Borough President Scott … <Read More>
Court rejects challenges to sale of Two Columbus Circle
Preservation group opposes conversion and remodeling of modernist building. Landmark West, a historic preservation group, seeks to stop the EDC’s sale of the nine-story modernist building at Two Columbus Circle to the Museum of Arts and Design. In February 2005, it lost its first two challenges to the sale, (2 CityLand 28 (Mar. 15, 2005)), when the First Department ruled that the Landmarks Preservation Commission was under no obligation to hold a public hearing on … <Read More>