Historic Districts Council Newsstand

HDC's Blog Has Moved!

2008-06-06T17:53:00.001-04:00

NYU Proposes to Pulverize Provincetown Playhouse

2008-04-25T15:10:00.003-04:00

The historic Provincetown Playhouse and Apartments, 133-139 MacDougal Street

From GVSHP:

This week NYU unveiled the latest phase of their 'NYU 2031' Plan, which include plans to demolish the historic Provincetown Playhouse and Apartments at 133-139 MacDougal Street. GVSHP was swift to call upon the university to drop this proposal; NYU's plans and GVSHP's responses were covered by AM NY, the Villager, Crains NY, City Realty, the NY Sun, and Backstage.

The Provincetown Playhouse is one of the most important sites in the history of 20th century American theater -- a launching pad for works of Eugene O'Neill, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edward Albee, John Guare, Sam Shepherd, Charles Busch, and David Mamet, among others. The apartments over the theater have housed many well-known artists over the years who wished to be near this center of cultural vitality. When NYU bought the building and then renovated it, they touted the Playhouse's rich history and their honor in owning and re-opening it. Additionally, NYU recently agreed to a set of "planning principles" with Borough President Stringer's NYU Community Task Force (of which GVSHP is a member) which says that university should "prioritize...re-use before redevelopment" in their planning. The Provincetown Playhouse is a key historic site within the proposed South Village Historic District, which NYU promised to support; demolition of a historic lynchpin in the proposed district like the Playhouse will damage the chances of landmarking the entire area moving ahead.

GVSHP wrote NYU President John Sexton strongly urging the university to rethink this plan, and wrote to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission urging them to move ahead swiftly with the proposed designation of the South Village Historic District section containing the Provincetown Playhouse to save this historic building.

'NYU 2031' Long-Range Plans: The latest stage of NYU's long-term planning process showed greater transparency and engagement with the public than in the past, but also showed some very disconcerting concepts. NYU continues to project adding as much as 3.6 million square feet of new space in and around its 'campus core' over the next 23 years. Analysis by GVSHP of NYU's growth (which was distributed to attendees at Wednesday's NYU Open House) shows that 3.6 million sq. ft. is the equivalent of all new NYU buildings built in the area over the last 42 years, or the equivalent of 20 more of their highly controversial new 26-story dorms on East 12th Street. This shows that NYU's projected growth in our neighborhoods in their 2031 plan is actually considerably accelerated over their past growth, which belies the impression the university has given.

The 2031 plans also showed that NYU is no longer considering Long Island City as potential location for satellite or remote facilities, and that the university has narrowed such options to Governor's Island, the East Side Medical Corridor, and Downtown Brooklyn -- a development we find very disappointing. At the same time, NYU is contemplating large-scale developments in and around their 'campus core,' in spite of commitments to "prioritize identifying opportunities to decentralize facilities" as part of the planning principles. GVSHP continues to push hard to get NYU to look for satellite locations if they need to grow, and to remain within their existing footprint and envelope in the Village.

HOW TO HELP:

Write to NYU President John Sexton urging him to reconsider plans to demolish the Provincetown Playhouse, and to reduce the University's plans for growth in the neighborhood -- go to www.gvshp.org/ProvincetownLtr.htm for sample letters and contact information.

Come to the Community Board #2 public hearing on NYU's plans for the Provincetown Playhouse on Wednesday, May 28th at 6:30 pm at the Caring Community, 20 Washington Square North; NYU will present their plans, and the public will be given an opportunity to respond.

A New Name for the New York Public Library

2008-04-24T10:25:00.005-04:00

As people might be aware, the New York Public Library recently received an extraordinary gift of $100 Million Dollars from Stephen Schwarzman, the largest single gift to the Library ever (Andrew Carnegie gave $5.2 Million Dollars over 20 years to help build the system - but that's when $5.2 Million really meant something). Any way, the NYPL proposed to prominently engrave Schwarzman's name on the landmark Main Branch.

Here are HDC's comments:

Statement of the Historic Districts Council
Certificate of Appropriateness Hearing

4/22/2008

Item 15
BINDING REPORT
BOROUGH OF Manhattan
086850- Block 1257, lot 1-
476 Fifth Avenue - Individual Landmark Historic District
A Beaux-Arts style library building designed by Carrere & Hastings and built in 1898-1911. Application is to install signage.

The Historic Districts Council is the advocate for New York City’s designated historic districts and neighborhoods meriting preservation. Its Public Review Committee monitors proposed changes within historic districts and changes to individual landmarks and has reviewed the application now before the Commission.

HDC applauds the generous donation of Mr. Stephen Schwarzman, but we feel there is a need to keep the acknowledgment of this gift in historic, and aesthetic, perspective. Signage is not so much a part of this proposal as is carving into historic fabric. The amount of inscriptions and their proposed language, design and location take away from the restrained classical, austere grandeur of the Carrere & Hastings landmark and overshadows the original gifts of the Astor Library, the Lenox Library, and the Tilden Trust.

These organizations and their founders, without whom we would not have this world-famous institution, are mentioned only once on the building's facades, not five times as is proposed for this new donation. They are found in the attic of the main façade (the traditional location for such inscriptions in classically inspired architecture), not twice at eye-level at each entrance and on the floor of the portico. Those proposed for the Fifth Avenue façade are to be cut directly into areas designed to be blank, massive bases for impressive pairs of columns, not locations for inscriptions. They are to be read as part of the continuous line of large blocks that delineate the ground floor from the basement. In addition to the disruption of the original design, we are concerned about the fragile nature of the stone (illustrated by the condition of the ornament in the area just above proposed location) and question the desire to carve into the fabric of this landmark. The 42nd Street façade was treated originally as the secondary façade and no permanent inscriptions exist here. The inclusion of the new inscriptions would be inappropriate, and they should be kept instead to the primary façade.

From a design standpoint, the proposed inscriptions do not reference the Beaux Arts design idiom. Other inscriptions on the building are framed with ornament and stand out as stone plaques. We are also a bit troubled by the wording. The date of the donation should be part of whatever is approved, as the dates are included in the design of the original plaques for Tilton, Astor and Lennox. It should be made clear to visitors, now and in the future, that Mr. Schwartzman's generosity did not build the library originally, but has enabled the library’s continued growth as it proceeds into its second century. The floor plaque could possibly simply read "Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in recognition of his exceptional generosity to the library, 2008" or say "re-named" rather than "named" so as not to confuse the history of the library.

In the future, the New York Public Library will certainly grow and develop to meet the changing needs of its patrons much as it has for over a century. In those future years, untold projects sponsored by generous donors will enable the library’s continuous evolution, and these gifts will also no doubt need to be recognized. Rather than setting a precedent of carving into the library’s façade and disrupting its original design, this generosity should be recognized in other locations such as the portico floor and the interior.

However, the Landmarks Commission voted to allow the engraving to take place - perhaps reassured by President Paul LeClerc's statement that this is the last time the building will be renamed.

Well, that's let's hope that's true and the Library doesn't end up going the way of Shea Stadium.

For more coverage, see:

Public Library To Honor $100 Million Donor With Engravings, New York Sun
Public Library To Bear Name Of Donor, NY1
After Big Gift, a New Name for the Library, New York Times
Wall Street financier gets his name alongside New York lions, The Associated Press
Donor name will be library must-read, New York Daily News
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York Observer
The Gift Is Huge. But How Many Thanks Are Enough?, New York Times

Admiral's Row Update

2008-04-23T17:31:00.003-04:00

Admiral's Row House in August 2005

Admiral's Row - which had its first Consulting Party Meeting last Tuesday (April 15th) is featured in the Lens column of the New York Times: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/geometries-admirals-row/

And remember, check the official Admiral's Row website for materials:
http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/business/buslinks/admiral/index.htm#public

as well as Brooklyn's Other Museum of Brooklyn: http://www.brooklynsothermuseumofbrooklyn.com/

Savior of Cheyenne Diner; A Public Profile

2008-04-23T15:38:00.005-04:00

Diner-Man to the Rescue!
by Chris Shott April 23, 2008

This article was published in the April 28, 2008, edition of The New York Observer.

Michael Perlman should start charging a commission.

On Monday, the 25-year-old from Queens announced that he had just brokered a deal to move midtown’s Cheyenne Diner to the Brooklyn waterfront.

Hey, it was either Red Hook—or the wrecking ball.

Just two weeks ago, the 68-year-old all-night diner on Ninth Avenue near Penn Station had served what appeared to be its final triple-decker burger. Landlord George Papas, who also owns the nearby Skylight Diner, planned to tear down the shiny, chrome-covered, prefab single-story railroad-car-style structure and erect a nine-story apartment building in its place.

Then Mr. Perlman stepped in, convincing Mr. Papas that he could find a buyer to relocate and restore the old neon-lit eatery, preferably some place else in New York City.

Mr. Papas initially agreed to sell the would-be scrap heap for around $7,900—a sum that Mr. Perlman said “reflects the urgency of removing it from the property so development plans can proceed.”

The landlord ended up unloading it for just $5,000 to construction manager Mike O’Connell, son of Brooklyn developer and major Red Hook landowner Greg O’Connell.

“It will gain a new lease on life in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and contribute to the appeal of an up-and-coming neighborhood,” Mr. Perlman proudly announced via e-mail on Monday, then delved into the wonky specifics of the tricky relocation ahead: “The immediate steps will be to confirm a rigger ... and then apply for demolition permits, which is a mandatory precursor to disconnecting utility lines and lifting the diner from its foundation, amongst other requirements.”

It’s the second time that Mr. Perlman has brokered one of these diner-relocation deals in New York City, which is all the more remarkable because he isn’t really a broker. At least not professionally.

A freelance writer, part-time administrative assistant and solo cabaret performer, Mr. Perlman fights to save historic places from destruction in his spare time. His efforts have generated a lot of publicity.

Most notably, last August, he helped find a new home for Soho’s long-standing Moondance Diner, the gleaming greasy spoon with the iconic crescent-shaped logo where Kirsten Dunst’s character, Mary Jane, waited tables in the 2002 summer blockbuster Spider-Man—and which, just like the Cheyenne, was about to be bulldozed in the name of development.

How appropriate, then, that its savior would swing in from the fictional web-slinging superhero’s own neighborhood of Forest Hills.

Mr. Perlman’s Committee to Save the Moondance Diner, in collaboration with the nonprofit American Diner Museum in Providence, R.I., ultimately located a buyer who, for just $7,500, drove into town on a flatbed truck and hauled the factory-built eatery off to La Barge, Wyo., where it’s expected to reopen this summer.

The sale and relocation, which was widely chronicled by news outlets across the country, was a pivotal moment for Mr. Perlman. “That was the effort that made me an official New York City preservationist,” he said.

http://origin.observermediagroup.com/2008/diner-man-rescue

Archaeology in NY: Free Public Symposium on May 18th

2008-04-23T12:15:00.003-04:00

At the Museum of the City Of New York (Gosh they're busy!)

Sunday, May 18, 2008
1:00 to 3:30 PM
FREE w/ ADMISSION

Twenty-eighth Annual Symposium sponsored by the Professional Archaeologists of New York City (PANYC) in association with The Museum of the City of New York.

An afternoon of slides and discussion of archaeology’s contribution to understanding our city.

Colonial Waterfront Development in and around Battery Park: Excavations for the New South
Ferry Subway Terminal.

Program:
“A Battery at the Point of Rocks by White Hall”: Early military fortifications in lower Manhattan
Diane Dallal, Director of Archaeology, AKRF, Inc.

Dendrochronology and the South Ferry Terminal Project: Colonial construction dates, patterns of commerce, and human behavior
William E. Wright, Doherty Associate Research Scientist, Tree Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

Documentation, disassembly and conservation of the Battery Wall: A challenge for a new vision
Joan C. Berkowitz, Director of Conservation, Superstructures Engineers &
Architects

New York City in the Fill: Making sense of all those artifacts
Meta F. Janowitz, Project Lab Director, URS Corporation

Deconstructing South Ferry: Archaeological discoveries enable reconstruction of the past
Linda Stone, RPA, Consulting archaeologist

Upcoming Preservation Programs at MCNY

2008-04-23T12:04:00.004-04:00

Each of the following events is being held at the
Museum of the City of New York,
1220 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street.
For reservations and program information, call (212) 534-1672, ext. 3395.

Tuesday • May 6 • 6:30 PM
The East Side of the East River Waterfront: Transforming the View

The development of the Brooklyn and Queens East River waterfront is underway, with plans to transform former industrial sites to beaches, parks, promenades, and housing. How will infrastructure and transportation improvements meet the demand created by business and residential development? Will there be true waterfront access or “esplanadia”? How will neighborhoods that have always mixed manufacturing and affordable residences survive? Roland Lewis, President and CEO of Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA), will moderate a discussion with Gayle Baron, President of the Long Island City Business Development Corporation and Executive Director of the LIC Business Improvement District; Tom Fox, President and CEO, New York Water Taxi; Milton Puryear, Co-founder, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative; and Phaedra Thomas, Executive Director, Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation. Co-sponsored by the MWA. Reservations required. $5 Museum members, seniors, and students; $9 general public.

Tuesday • May 27 • 6:30 PM
New York Neighborhoods/Preservation and Development: Re-Saving Greenwich Village

Long considered “saved” by preservationists, Greenwich Village is one of the earliest and largest districts to achieve landmark status. However, the Village also includes areas that are not protected by landmark designation, and activists now worry that new projects will threaten its character and scale. Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation; David Gruber, Chairman, Community Board 2 Institutions Committee and President of the South Village Landmark Association; and Sean Sweeney, Executive Director, SoHo Alliance, will discuss the old and new Village in a program moderated by Anthony C. Wood, author of Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a City’s Landmarks (Routledge, 2008). Reservations required. $5 Museum members, seniors, and students; $9 general public.

Tuesday • June 10 • 6:30 PM
New York Neighborhoods/Development and Preservation: Remaking the Middle East Side

The United Nations is undertaking a much needed multi-year project to renovate all of the iconic structures and grounds in its campus, while preserving Le Corbusier’s master plan and without interrupting its operations. Right next door, between 35th and 41st streets, developer Sheldon Solow plans to erect an office tower and six residential buildings while providing public amenities requested by the community. Will the East 40’s ever be the same? City Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick will moderate the program, which will feature presentations by Michael Adlerstein, Assistant Secretary General and Executive Director, Capital Master Plan, United Nations; Marilyn Jordan Taylor, partner at Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill and planner of the Solow site; and Edward Rubin, Chair, Land Use Committee, Manhattan Community Board 6. Reservations required. $5 Museum members, seniors, and students; $9 general public.

Tuesday • June 17 • 6:30 PM
Preserving the Robert Moses Legacy: Jones Beach

Jones Beach is a part of New York City's Riviera--and a great example of visionary parkway, park, and recreational design. Yet it is unprotected by historic park designation or a master plan, and some advocates believe that Jones beach is slowly losing some elements of its special character. Alexandra Parsons Wolfe, Director of Preservation Services, Society for the Preservation of Long island Antiquities, will present a picutre tour of Jones Beach past and present, and discuss its status, stewardship, and proposed plans. She will be joined by Erin Tobin of the Preservation League of New York State, who will explain why Jones Beach was recently declared one of the "Seven to Save" locations in New York state. Reservation required. $5 Museum members, seniors, and students; $9 general public.

Grants for Neighborhood Parks Groups: Upcoming Capacity Fund Deadline

2008-04-23T10:57:00.001-04:00

Applications for Partnerships for Parks’ Capacity Fund grant program, are due on June 2nd, 2008. Applications must be received (not postmarked) by 6 p.m. on June 2nd.

Partnerships for Parks' Capacity Fund provides grants to groups working in parks across the five boroughs of New York City. The Capacity Fund supports projects that help build a community group's capacity to care for their local park. Grants range from $250 to $5,000. Strong applications will improve a group's ability to care for their park, put on programs and events, or expand collaborations with other neighborhood groups. We fund new groups seeking funds for startup costs (setting up a mailbox or voicemail, paying postage for a mailing, etc.), as well as established organizations taking on new projects (bulletin boards, outreach events or activities, fundraisers, mailings, or brochures).

Examples of potential projects include, but are not limited to:
Website, newsletter, letterhead, or other outreach efforts;
Special events or programs, if the group can show how this support would be a sustainable investment in their stewardship efforts; or
An outreach publication produced by Partnerships for Parks.

Please visit www.partnershipsforparks.org to find an application form and guidelines. For more information, call Kate Louis at (212) 227-3626 or email kate.louis@parks.nyc.gov.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
New to fundraising? Attend a Capacity Fund Consultation!

49 Chambers Street, Room 1027, Manhattan, 10007

Wednesday, April 30th from 3-5 p.m.
or
Tuesday, May 6th from 6-8 p.m.
or
Thursday, May 8th from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

In lieu of our usual Capacity Fund Information Session, we will be offering Capacity Fund Consultations for potential grant applicants. Consultations with fewer attendees allow for more interaction and discussion amongst applicants, so come prepared to network and share your ideas! Sign up for a consultation to learn about what kinds of projects qualify for Capacity Fund grants. We will discuss Capacity Fund guidelines and review case studies of projects that have successfully secured funding in the past. Groups will receive tips about how to prepare a strong proposal and feedback about their project ideas.

Registration is required. To register for a consultation, please call Kate Louis at (212) 227-3626 or email kate.louis@parks.nyc.gov.

Report from CECCP's Summit

2008-04-23T10:18:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, April 17th, preservationists descended on the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen in Midtown Manhattan, for an update on the Citizen Emergency Committee to Rreserve Preservation’s (CECPP's) progress in reforming the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and to give feedback on current initiatives.

Highlights included:
* A review of LPC's budget, which in 1991 was $3.6 Million. The Mayor has proposed a $4.3 Million budget for LPC for 2009. This is $300,000 less than their current budget and, when adjusted for inflation, represents a $1.5 Million cut to their operating budget (in 1991 dollars). CECPP updated summit attendees on their collaborative work, with other preservation
organizations, to increase LPC's budget. Attendees were also given a draft letter to send to Mayor Bloomberg, requesting that the Mayor's proposed cuts be restored. If you would like to send your own letter to the Mayor, a copy of the draft is available at
www.poorsparky.com/m2c/bloombergletter_noletterhead.doc

* An update on CECPP's new lawsuit to bring transparency to the landmark designation process. More information on this lawsuit to compel LPC action on longstanding Requests for Evaluation on potential landmarks and historic districts is available on our website at
www.savelpc.org/2008/03/cecpp-sues-to-open-citys-landmarking.html

* A summary of CECPP's efforts to introduce legislation that will make the landmark designation process more open and fair. You can download the legislation, which is currently being drafted by the City Council, at www.poorsparky.com/m2c/Landmarks%20-%20RFE%20Legislation.pdf
Right now, the legislation appears to be stalled in the drafting process at the City Council. Help encourage Council Speaker Quinn to complete the draft and introduce the legislation for public review! Download our draft letter at www.poorsparky.com/m2c/quinnletter_noletterhead.doc and send it!

* A new initiative for reviewing the qualifications of future landmark commissioners! Former Landmarks Commission chair, Gene Norman, announced that he was spearheading the creation of a formal, independent committee, consisting of former Landmarks Commissioners, to interview and evaluate future Commissioners. The process will be similar to the one used by the New York Bar Association in vetting judges. Details on this exciting program are available at www.poorsparky.com/m2c/CECPP%20Evaluation%20Committee.doc

For photos of the summit, go to
www.flickr.com/photos/72353731@N00/sets/72157604608469510 . For copies of handouts, go to www.poorsparky.com/m2c/ and download any documents that you need.

Morningside Heights Representative Seeks Answers on proposed historic district

2008-04-22T12:45:00.002-04:00

From the Columbia Spectator

O'Donnell Files FOIL Request
By Maggie Astor
PUBLISHED APRIL 22, 2008

State Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell (D-Morningside Heights and West Harlem) filed a Freedom of Information Law request last week for documents related to the possible establishment of parts of Morningside Heights as a historic district, or landmarking of particular buildings in the area. The request followed several months of attempts to obtain the documents directly from Robert Tierney, chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

According to an April 15 press release, a variety of politicians and organizations—including Congressman Charlie Rangel, New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and West Siders for Responsible Development—have expressed support for the establishment of a historical district, and written letters to the LPC to urge Tierney to schedule a hearing on the issue.

“There is overwhelming public support for a historic district in Morningside Heights,” O’Donnell said in the press release. “I remain perplexed why some proposals for designation are fast-tracked, while other equally deserving proposals remain stalled for more than a decade.”
Community Board 9 also endorsed a historic district in its 197-a plan for Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion, which the New York City Council approved in December.

“Efforts to help implement any recommendations in the 197-a plan are obviously very welcome and well-received,” said CB9 Chair Pat Jones.

Asked about the responsiveness of the LPC to requests regarding the potential historic district, Jones said, “I have no personal knowledge of that, but it has been long stated that the LPC does move quite slowly, and so we’re supportive of any information that the assemblyman can get to move forward this initiative.”

CB9 also passed a resolution in October urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider all applications after hearing concerns that the commission was ignoring some landmarking requests.

DOB Chief Resigns!

2008-04-22T12:40:00.001-04:00

From the NYT City Room Blog:

April 22, 2008, 12:19 pm
Bloomberg’s Embattled Buildings Chief Resigns
By Diane Cardwell

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced at 12:10 p.m. that he had accepted the resignation of Commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster, an architect he hired to modernize the 1,286-person city Buildings Department, which issues permits, oversees construction and enforces the building code. Ms. Lancaster had come under fire after an increase in construction deaths and other high-profile problems.

The announcement included statements from Mr. Bloomberg and Ms. Lancaster.

2008 Lucy Moses Awards

2008-04-22T11:41:00.002-04:00

The New York Landmarks Conservancy invites you to the presentation of the
Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Eldridge Street Synagogue
12 Eldridge Street
5:30 pm Check-in
6 pm Awards Program
7 pm Reception

Honoring
Kent Barwick, Preservation Leadership Award
Avi Schick, Public Leadership Award
Roosevelt Island Historical Society, Organizational Award

Project Awards
135 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Central Library
New York University Campus Preservation Plan
Eldridge Street Project, Manhattan
Scholastic Inc., 555 Broadway, Manhattan
Harlem Stage Gatehouse
Hendrick I. Lott House, Brooklyn
Herman Ridder School, Bronx
Rodin Studios, 200 West 57th Street, Manhattan
U.S. Courthouse and Post Office, Brooklyn

RSVP Click here to download a reply card.

Mail back to:
Lucy G. Moses Awards
New York Landmarks Conservancy
One Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004

Or contact Amy Sullivan at
212.995.5260 or amysullivan@nylandmarks.org .

The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards are The New York Landmarks Conservancy's highest honors for excellence in historic preservation. They recognize preservation leaders, public officials, owners, architects, contractors, and craftspeople who restore beauty and utility to some of New York's most distinctive architecture. The awards promote public awareness of preservation and its importance to the vitality and texture of the City.The Moses Awards are named for Lucy Goldschmidt Moses, a dedicated New Yorker whose generosity benefited the City for over 50 years. Mrs. Moses and her husband, attorney Henry L. Moses, shared a wide range of philanthropic interests, making many gifts to hospitals, universities, parks, and cultural institutions. "I don't think we're worth anything unless we do for others," Mrs. Moses said in a 1983 interview with The New York Times.

Historic Cheyenne Diner Victory: Diner To Go To….Red Hook, Brooklyn!

2008-04-22T10:58:00.008-04:00

Michael Perlman, Founder & Preservationist
Committee To Save The Moondance Diner Founder
unlockthevault@hotmail.com

The architecturally & culturally significant Cheyenne Diner (411 9^th Ave at 33^rd St) has been purchased, and will gain a new lease on life when transported to Red Hook, Brooklyn. A contract has been signed between property owner George Papas and its new owner, Mike O'Connell of O’C Construction, son of influential Red Hook developer, Greg O’Connell. Preservationist Michael Perlman of Queens, who founded the Committee To Save The Moondance Diner in spring 2007, along with fellow Preservationist Kyle Supley of Brooklyn, have spared the Cheyenne Diner from oblivion, after sparing the Moondance last summer.

Michael Perlman of the Committee To Save The Cheyenne Diner presented a proposal to property owner George Papas (owner of nearby Skylight Diner, 402 W 34^th St, & developer for Cheyenne property) on closing day, Sun, Apr 6^th, and effectively convinced him to work together.

A 9-story condo is slated to rise on premise, which marked the end of the diner’s 68-year run for its Manhattan site.

When put up for sale on the 10^th of April for $7900, with the necessity of rigging and lot acquisition costs in mind, Committee To Save The Cheyenne received notification from 23 potential buyers, some as far as IN, OH, & WY. While the Cheyenne potentially could have landed a good home out of state, many patrons prayed that a NY-based buyer would reach out, so it can ideally remain closer to its roots than the Moondance Diner in WY. George Papas states "I'm really, really happy the Cheyenne's not being demolished, and will stay in NY." In the short-term, a rigger will be enlisted and permits will be secured. In the long-term, O’Connell plans on restoring the diner to its '40 splendor, and Perlman feels it will be great once he polishes up that gem, so patrons can experience the Cheyenne as it was initially conceived.

The Cheyenne Diner is a highlight in terms of its diverse patronage including celebs i.e. Jerry Lewis & David Letterman, & since it’s the last streamlined railway car-inspired diner in Mid-Manhattan, & a scarcity borough-wide. It was pre-assembled by Paramount in 1940, and known as the Market Diner through ’86 after the popular chain. It retains a majority of its original &/or distinctive elements. The streamlined façade features vertical and horizontal stainless steel securing bowed colorful enamel panels, wrap-around windows, a curved entryway with glass block, & a reverse channel illuminated neon sign. The interior features a streamlined barrel roof, ccounter & stools, & Indian tribal coins. The Cheyenne was recently granted 1^st prize on NYC-Architecture.com’s “Top 10 NY Diners/Restaurants. Spiros Kasimis was the 18-year Cheyenne tenant.

Be sure to check out current and historic photos of the Cheyenne here, here and here!

The Persecution of a Citizen Preservationist

2008-04-21T19:44:00.004-04:00

From Landmark West!

Virginia Parkhouse, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer: What Really Happened

A recent New York Times article (April 12, 2008, Metro Section, pB1) tells the story of Virginia Parkhouse—devoted preservationist, long-time Landmark West! volunteer, hardy citizen and, not coincidentally, target of small-minded, vindictive politicians. Click here for the “back story” behind the Times report...

In addition to a couple of minutes' worth of mandatory reading for any civic-minded New Yorker, you will find links to court papers filed by attorney Whitney North Seymour, Jr., defending Parkhouse against a NYC Department of Investigation subpoena issued after she testified at a Landmarks Preservation Commission public hearing in October 2006. You'll also find a link to a fascinating Amicus Curiae Brief filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union in support of Parkhouse's first amendment rights. Excerpts from the brief are included below.

Excerpts from the New York Civil Liberties Union Amicus Curiae Brief (dated December 27, 2007) in Parkhouse v. Stringer

“Virginia Parkhouse has spoken as a private individual before theNew York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and now finds herself investigated and subpoenaed by the Department of Investigation of the City of New York (“DOI”) for non-perjurious statements made at the hearing.” (p. 2)

“The very purpose of the First Amendment is to foreclose public authority from assuming a guardianship of the public mind.” (citing Supreme Court decision Meyer v. Grant, 486 U.S. 414, 419 (1988)). (p. 2)

“Exercise of subpoena power to demand an individual to account for their speech before a public commission subverts those constitutional values that allow the people to decide the merit of political debate. By forcing Ms. Parkhouse to testify under oath concerning her statements to a public commission and by threatening prosecution, DOI has burdened her right to free speech without any connection to a legitimate governmental interest.” (p. 3)

“An individual’s representations before a public commission are expression, pure political speech to which the most rigorous First Amendment protection applies.” (p. 4)

“Much like the additional speech required in McIntyre, the subpoena issued to Ms. Parkhouse undoubtedly burdens her First Amendment right to speak before a commission concerning issues
of public importance. The practical burden of compliance with a subpoena includes hiring an attorney, appearing before the DOI at the appointed time, and facing a battery of hostile questions under oath. Undoubtedly these increased personal costs would make even a civic-minded individual such as Ms. Parkhouse secondguess whether he or she should express their opinion before a public commission.” (p. 8)

“The First Amendment interests in this case are not confined to the personal rights of [the recipients of a subpoena.] Although their rights do not rest lightly in the balance, far weightier than they are the public interests in First Amendment freedoms that stand or fall with the rights that these witnesses advance for themselves.” (quoting decision Bursey v. United States, 466 F.2d 1059, 1083 (9th Cir. 1972)). (p. 9)

“The First Amendment does not convey a “right” to the public to hear only a sanitized and government-approved version of the truth; rather the public holds a right to state what they believe the views of their leaders to be, even if those beliefs are mistaken.” (p. 11)

“Any further investigation serves only a retributive interest in prosecuting Ms. Parkhouse for her speech.” (p. 16)

Related Co. to Redevelop Landmark Kingsbridge Armory

2008-04-21T14:44:00.001-04:00

From Commerical Property News

Related to Redevelop Kingsbridge Armory
April 21, 2008
By: Eugene Gilligan, Senior Hotel Editor

The New York City Economic Development Corp. announced that it has selected the Related Cos. to redevelop the 575,000-square-foot Kingsbridge Armory in the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx.

The armory, which occupies a full city block, was built between 1912 and 1917, and features Romanesque arches, vaulted ceilings, decorative brick and terra cotta, and large battlement towers.

Related’s plans for the structure, The Shops at the Armory, includes destination anchor retail development, coupled with specialty and local retail, restaurants, a cinema and community space. Other proposed features include a recreational facility, catering and banquet space, outdoor open space with a seasonal farmers’ market and café, and parking for 400 cars. Related plans to invest about $310 million to acquire and redevelop the armory.

The project will include 25 to 35 retail stores, rooftop public open space and a landscaped public plaza. Related’s proposal was selected as the result of a Request for Proposals issued by the New York City Economic Development Corp. and the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Task Force, which included city, state and federal elected officials, community representatives and city agencies.

Related will use low-impact development techniques and green building technology, and will strive to achieve at least a LEED Silver rating for the core and shell of the armory, according to a statement released today from the New York City Economic Development Corp. The project must receive a number of approvals in connection with its design, including those required by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and the New York State Historic Preservation Office.

Related has another large redevelopment project in the Bronx, as it is remaking the blighted Bronx Terminal Market into a new retail center, park and esplanade on the Harlem River. The Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market is planned to house approximately 1 million square feet of retail space, consisting of four newly constructed multi-tiered buildings, and one building to be restored due to its historical significance. A 250-room hotel is also planned as part of the second phase of the project.

Upcoming Events from the Manhattan Borough Historian

2008-04-21T11:16:00.003-04:00

Nerd Nite, Take Two (The 1898 Consolidation of the Boroughs)
Thursday, May 1
Michael Miscione's April presentation at Nerd Nite, a monthly event has been aptly described as "the Discovery Channel with beer," was given the hook due to a lack of time, so he's been invited back to do it all again on Thursday, May 1. NN is held at an East Village bar where two or three invited presenters give lighthearted, but fact-filled, 20-min. slide presentations on quirky, nerdy topics. Michael will give an abridged version of his talk about the 1898 consolidation of the boroughs. As you might imagine, NN attracts a lot of college and grad student types, but everyone is welcome. Read an article about April's Nerd Night here .

Nerd Nite NYC
Thursday, May 1
7:00p
Angels & Kings, 500 East 11th St. (between Aves. A and B), Manhattan
Free admission, but there's a 2-drink minimum

Native New Yorkers:
Judith Perez, a PhD candidate at Fordham University is seeking Native New Yorkers to participate in her doctoral dissertation research. She's looking for people who were born and raised in NYC proper -- the five boroughs only -- who are home seekers, home owners and renters. Her dissertation will examine why middle class individuals from the City choose to live in certain communities or neighborhoods. She hopes to learn how different types of urban individuals determine their destinations and understand what residential options are available to them. She will require an hour per interview, at a location that is convenient to the participant. Interviews will begin this summer, starting no later than July 1st. Please contact judithperez@fordham.edu for more information.

Free Online Zoning Workshop
Doris Diether, one of our Community Historians (CD#2) and a long time preservation activist and zoning expert, recently presented "An Overview of Zoning, Past and Present" at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her talk was videotaped and can be viewed on-line at the WNET/Thirteen website. Her lecture discusses New York City zoning, from pre-1916 to today. She covers different types of districts and what they permit, different types of zoning uses, as well as the difference between zoning and landmarking. See her presentation here.

Whaling & New York City at the New York Public Library
Saturday, April 19
Think the only whale in Manhattan is the one suspended from the ceiling at the American Museum of Natural History? Think again. Whales have been part of the fabric of New York City life for more than a hundred years. The trial to determine whether a whale was a fish or a mammal took place in 19th century New York, and Melville's canonical Moby-Dick begins in lower Manhattan, amid the docks and wharves of the pre-Civil War city. And whales are still being researched in New York today. On Saturday, April 19, as part of a citywide celebration of Earth Day, the New York Public Library will host a free symposium on the whale: its controversial history in New York City; its complex and haunting language; and its endangered future. (This event presented by the Cullman Center for Scholars & Writers at The New York Public Library, the New York Institute for the Humanities & the Humanities Initiative at NYU.)

Whalesong: Past and Future, New York and the World
Saturday, April 19, 2008
11:00a to 4:00p
New York Public Library, Fifth Ave. & 42nd St., Manhattan
South Court Auditorium,
Click for details and registration

Talking Trash at the NYPL
Tuesday, April 22
Last time we promoted a talk by Robin Nagle, the Anthropologist-in-Residence at the NYC Dept. of Sanitation, so many people showed up they had to turn people away. Apparently people just can't get enough about New York's trash, so we're passing along two new items from Robin. First, she will also be presenting a talk at the Mid-Manhattan Library on the evening of Tuesday, April 22, entitled "Death in an Angry Sea: One Hurricane, Eight Scows, Twelve Tugboats, and a Hundred Tons of Trash." In January of 1892, a hurricane that walloped New York Harbor sending five garbage boats adrift in a ferocious sea. Robin will talk about the street cleaning men lost in the deadly storm, and the sailors who risked their lives to save their colleagues. See details here.

Also, Robin and her colleague Haidy Geismar, who hope to create a permanent Sanitation Museum one day, have erected a storefront display about the history of trash in NYC at the corner of West Third Street and La Guardia Place in Greenwich Village. Read about it here.

Upcoming Events from the Preservation League of Staten Island

2008-04-17T12:53:00.002-04:00

The Preservation League of Staten Island is pleased to present:

STATEN ISLAND--THEN AND NOW
Friday, April 18, 7:30 PM
Third County Courthouse, Historic Richmond Town. Free!
Dr. Thomas Matteo, Borough Historian of Staten Island, expands on his popular book, Staten Island Then and Now, one of three he has written about our Island. He will talk about some of his interesting and funny experiences in researching the book as well as plans for his next book. Building on the success of the Channel 13 Walking Tour of Staten Island, Tom hopes to bring more of our Island treasures to the public airwaves. For the first time publicly, Tom will discuss the activities surrounding several documentaries he is developing.
The annual meeting of the Preservation League of Staten Island will proceed this talk.
________________________________________________

THE 2008 AWARDS for HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Saturday, May 3, 1:00 pm
Christ Church, 76 Hamilton Avenue, New Brighton
Join us as we honor those who have made a positive difference in preserving Staten Island's historic built environment. Luncheon tickets can be purchased for $35 each. Pay online with credit card or Pay Pal at www.preservestatenisland.org
_____________________________________________________

RESTORING EXTERIOR HOUSEWORK with RUSSELL POWELL
Friday, May 16, 7:30 pm FREE!
Courthouse at Historic Richmondtown
Preservation contractor Russ Powell will share the secrets and knowledge that he has accumulated over the last 30 years. Those who attend will learn about reasons for wood rot, correct replacement wood species, modern epoxy repair methods, and appropriate painting and waterproofing.
________________________________________________

HILLS TO HARBOR: Annual Preservation League of Staten Island House Tour
Sunday, May 18, 1:00 PM
Starting at Christ Church, 76 Hamilton Avenue, New Brighton
Pay on line with credit card or Pay Pal before Thursday, May 15 at $20, a $5.00 discount!
Visit our website: www.preservestatenisland.org
Discover the fascinating history, architecture and ambience of this planned and established Staten Island community!
____________________________________________
For further information on all events please call 718/980-1551 or write to info@preservestatenisland.org

Improv Comedy Show in Support of Marx Brothers Place

2008-04-16T16:27:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends, Neighbors & History Lovers,

PUNCH 59 is doing a Comedy Show this Thursday evening, April 17th at 8pm, and will be plugging Marx Brothers Place and the 93rd Street Beautification Association's efforts to help protect this historic treasure!

Tickets for all performances are available at the box-office day of show. Industry comps are always available. Please email us at punch59comedy@yahoo.com.

Open:	04/17/08
Close:	04/17/08

Schedule: Tickets are available at the door.

Theater:	Gene Frankel Theatre
Address:	24 Bond St. New York, NY 10012 Show Map
Location:	North side of Bond Street, between Lafayette and Bowery
Directions:	Closest subway: 6 to Bleecker, walk north to Bond, west to the theatre

Cost:$10

Company: PUNCH 59 Sketch Comedy Official Web Site: http://www.punch59comedy.com

Be sure to make it to the show to support the efforts of Marx Brothers Place! See website for details. And please circulate this info to all your friends & colleagues!

Hope to see you there!

best regards,

Susan Kathryn Hefti

Co-Chair, 93rd Street Beautification Association

93rdst.beautification@mail.org

212.969.8138

A Guided Visit Inside the Old Croton Aqueduct

2008-04-16T16:17:00.001-04:00

Driving Directions: From Highland Ave./Route 9 in Ossining, turn onto Broadway, a small side street opposite Croton Ave. (Rte. 133). The Community Center will be on your right. Northbound drivers: make the first left after Main St., at the large blue “Ossining” sign. Southbound drivers: turn right at the brown and white sign “Ossining Heritage Area Visitor Center.”

Train Directions: Take Metro-North’s Hudson Line from Grand Central to Ossining (for schedule and fares, see http://www.mta.info/). Walk uphill (allow about 20 min.) on Main St. Turn left shortly before getting to Highland Ave./Route 9 - look for special paving and a restaurant – to reach the Community Center. Best to buy your ticket beforehand; there is a $5. surcharge if you buy it on the train.

Huge Turnout at St. Vincent's Hearing Part Deux; LPC Chair says design "should be rethought"

2008-04-16T12:15:00.005-04:00

From the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

Yesterday's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) hearing on the Rudin/St. Vincent's plan was again a big success -- thank you to the more than 100 people who were able to attend. The hearing room was packed, and speakers ran 7-to-1 against the current proposal. After ending the public hearing, members of the Commission asked tough questions indicating deep skepticism about some elements of the plan, and the Chair of the Commission stated that "aspects of this proposal should be rethought and restudied."

Click here and here for coverage of yesterday's hearing from Metro NY, and here for coverage from the NY Sun.

However, no decision has yet been made, and the LPC will discuss the proposal further at another meeting in May (date TBD; the public will be allowed to attend, but not testify at, this meeting). GVSHP will be submitting further information to the LPC in response to arguments made by St. Vincent's and Rudin, and we will let you know when the next meeting has been set and what you can do to help. While the final outcome is still very much to be determined, clearly the hundreds and hundreds of people who have turned out to testify before or write letters to the LPC, the Community Board, or elected officials have already had an impact, and we have every intention of continuing to work hard to affect the ultimate decision in this precedent-setting case.

Thank you for your support and participation, and let's keep the momentum going! Go to GVSHP's St. Vincent's/Rudin webpage for more information about the project and go to GVSHP's YouTube page to view our 360 degree animated views of the proposed developments in context.

Preservation:Sustainability - A 4-part Program in June

2008-04-16T12:01:00.003-04:00

Preservation: Sustainability is a program of four all-day programs on the vital link between historic preservation and a sustainable future, to be held June 2-5, 2008 in New York City.

Presented by Cornell University's Historic Preservation Planning Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension-NYC, these one-day classes are intended for design professionals in private practice, government and non-profit agencies, and students in architecture, landscape architecture, planning and historic preservation.

Each one-day course addresses a different aspect of sustainability—green building, environment, equity and economics— through the strategies, tools and ethos of historic preservation. Classes are limited in size to facilitate site visits and interaction. Courses can be taken individually.

Instructors will include practicing architects, planners and engineers,and experts from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Vacant Properties Campaign, Association for Preservation Technology, US Green Building Council, Regional Plan Association, Bronx River Alliance, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Beczak Center for Environmental Education, Jackson Heights Beautification Group, City of New York, City of Yonkers, and the faculties of Cornell University, Columbia University, and Pratt Institute.

The program is co-sponsored by the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the Regional Plan Association, the Historic Districts Council and the Neighborhood Preservation Center.

The four classes are:

Monday 6/2
Green Building: Tools and Strategies for Sustainable Re-Use

50 W. 17th Street, 2nd Floor, Manhattan

8:30 Registration and Coffee
9 - 5 Course

Instructors and Presenters: Theo Prudon, Jeffrey Chusid, Walter Sedovic, Jill Gotthelf, Gilbert Delgado, Stephen Tilly, John Anderson

Green buildings are key to solving global warming; green preservation is even more important. What is green preservation? Not only reusing buildings wherever possible but also rehabilitating them to reach the highest level of environmental performance compatible with their historic values. This class introduces preservation professionals and community activists to the basics of green preservation: issues like life cycle assessment and embodied energy which preservationists need to understand in order to reach good decisions and make the case for preservation. We’ll hear from representatives of the City of New York, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the US Green Building Council about critical policy developments in New York and Washington. We’ll talk with architects about opportunities for green rehab and review successful case studies in the New York region, with a focus on the special environmental challenges of dealing with modern buildings.

Tuesday 6/3 (Note: Class meets in Jackson Heights, Queens)
Equity: Historic Districts and Fluid Communities: The Case of Jackson HeightsCommunity

Church Library, 81-10 35th Avenue, Queens

8:30 Registration and Coffee
9:00 - 12:00: Classroom Presentations and Discussion
12:00 - 12:40: Walking Tour of Roosevelt Avenue
12:40 - 1:30: Lunch at Delhi Palace with speaker
1:30 - 2:15: Walking Tour of 74th Street
2:15 - 4:15: Walking Tour of Commercial and Residential Scapes in the Historic District
4:15 - 5:00: Panel and Discussion, Community Church Upper Meeting Room

Instructors and Presenters: Arturo-Ignacio Sánchez, Hiram Monserrate, Emily Goldman, Daniel Karatzas, V. Gandhi, Jeffrey Chusid

Jackson Heights emerged as an upper-income residential planned community during the early twentieth century, a period in New York City’s history indelibly marked by the rise of light-industrial labor markets, massive waves of international migrants, and accompanying anti-immigrant practices. As Jackson Heights enters the twenty-first century, the neighborhood once again is confronting a dramatic structural shift in the larger economy, large waves of ethnically heterogeneous immigrants, and a national political climate that includes significant strains of anti-immigrant sentiments, discourses and practices. This suggests the need for planners, architects and preservationists to discuss and rethink historic preservation initiatives. As a contemporary iconic immigrant neighborhood, Jackson Heights can help open up a larger professional conversation on how to craft and design inclusive and sustainable historic preservation strategies/practices in multi-ethnic immigrant communities. The class will include presentations from a number of historians, city officials and scholars, walking tours of the Jackson Heights Historic District, lunch in the New Delhi restaurant, and one-on-one conversations with local immigrant community leaders and historic preservationists.

Wednesday 6/4
Economics: New Life for Vacant and Abandoned Housing: The Case of the South Bronx

50 W. 17th Street, 2nd Floor, Manhattan

8:30 Registration and Coffee

9:00 - 10:30: Morning Session at AAP Center: Preservation Economics
10:30 - 12:00: Mobile Workshop
12:00 - 12:30: Box Lunch
1:00 - 4:00: Mobile Workshop Continues
4:00 - 5:00: Panel Discussion
5:00 Optional Return to AAP Center (arr: 5:45)

Instructors and Presenters: Ned Kaufman, Ted Weinstein, Joe Schilling, Roberta Lane, Jeffrey Chusid.

All over the country, historic urban centers are confronted with the problem of abandoned buildings deteriorating, burning down, or being demolished as public nuisances. Once upon a time, the South Bronx faced a similar crisis, but determined residents and public officials fought a desperate and successful battle to bring back housing and entire neighborhoods to health. From the fabled apartment buildings of the Grand Concourse to the urban activists of Banana Kelly, the Bronx is living proof that seemingly hopeless neighborhoods can be saved—and that preserving the buildings is a key part of the solution. We’ll tour the Bronx, meeting with city officials and community activists and studying diverse examples of successful revitalization projects ranging from income-assisted housing to historic districts. And we’ll hear from policy experts at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Vacant Properties Campaign about financing, development, and design techniques for renovating buildings in troubled neighborhoods and about how they contribute to bringing dying cities back to life.

Thursday 6/5 (Note: Class ends in Yonkers, near train station)
Environment: Rivers Lost, Resources Rediscovered: The Bronx and Sawmill Rivers

50 W. 17th Street, 2nd Floor, Manhattan

8:30 Registration and Coffee
9:00 - 10:30: Morning Session at AAP Center: Cultural Landscapes
10:30 - 12:00: Mobile Workshop begins
12:00 - 12:30: Box Lunch
1:00 - 4:00: Mobile Workshop Continues
4:00 - 5:00: Panel Discussion, Beczak Center

Instructors and Presenters: Ned Kaufman, Robert J. Pirani, Paul Mankiewicz, Alexei Torres-Fleming, Lee Elman, Jeffrey Chusid

Rivers are the life-blood of cities. However, in many cities, including New York, industrialization and neglect have left rivers polluted, degraded, and ugly. Restoring them can revive important cultural landscapes, bring health to underserved neighborhoods, and anchor development. We’ll study the role of rivers in regional planning and development, then focus on current efforts to restore two important rivers, the Bronx and Saw Mill. Rising in Westchester County, the Bronx River flows southward through some of New York’s most socially environmentally challenged neighborhoods before emptying into Long Island Sound. We’ll tour the river and learn from community organizers and scientists how neighborhood residents, experts, and government are cooperating to roll back a century of industrial pollution, bring back habitats for fish and wildlife, and create recreational opportunities for community residents. The Sawmill River also rises in Westchester County, then disappears into a culvert underneath long-depressed downtown Yonkers before emptying into the Hudson. Now a controversial $3 billion development plan proposes to bring daylight back to the river as a centerpiece for new housing, offices, and a stadium. We’ll meet on the site with city officials, developers, and community activists to assess the plans. The day concludes at the beautiful Hudson River headquarters of the Beczak Center for Environmental Education.

For more information and to register for the program, please visit:
http://www.preservation-shortcourse.org/

Congregation Shearith Israel Gets a "Do-Over", Community Wins to Fight Another Day

2008-04-16T11:29:00.001-04:00

From Landmark West!

At this afternoon's public hearing, the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) gave Congregation Shearith Israel yet another opportunity to get its act together. It's been over a year since Shearith Israel filed its original application for 7 zoning waivers to construct 5 floors of luxury condos on top of a new community house on the midblock of West 70th Street, well beyond what zoning allows. And now a fourth (fourth!) public hearing has been scheduled for June 24, 2008.

The good news is that the community - with help from our remarkable team of expert attorneys, architects and appraisers (many of them providing hours and hours of pro bono services) - will also get its chance to reiterate all the reasons this application falls far short of the standard for zoning variances. The bad news is that the BSA, despite months of hearings and mounds of paper submissions, does not seem inclined to reject Shearith Israel's application outright, even though Shearith Israel repeatedly fails to make the case for why this project deserves exemption from the zoning rules that govern all other development in this area (which is protected by low-rise, contextual zoning and historic district designation).

A key issue is Shearith Israel's contention that it cannot possibly construct a profitable building on the site (yes, you read that correctly and, yes, Shearith Israel is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt institution - playing the same real estate games as St. Vincent's, Ramaz, the New-York Historical Society, and [insert YOUR block here]). But at a public review session yesterday, April 14, the BSA Chair referred to certain aspects of Shearith Israel's feasibility study as "not credible" and another BSA commissioner cited the community opposition's feasibility analysis as more convincing than the applicant's.

Congregation Shearith Israel's condo project gets another "do-over" in June. Still, the community can give itself a well-earned pat on the back for showing up, meeting after meeting, and winning to fight another day. And keeping both the applicant and the BSA on their toes!

We couldn't have made it this far without significant financial and volunteer support. If you want to help us beat this thing - and send a strong signal to all of those other, similar projects waiting in the wings - please respond to this email! We'll figure out how to get you involved.

Thanks to all.

The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance Announces a Spring Walking Tour

2008-04-14T12:42:00.007-04:00

Sunnyside Gardens: Queens’ Newest Landmark District, New York’s most famous Planned Community

Saturday, May 17, 1:00–3:30 PM

Just 20 minutes from Manhattan, Sunnyside Gardens was designed by noted architects Clarence Stein and Henry Wright from 1924-28 as a “garden city” for working families. Linked by common walkways, its streets and open areas feature a combination of rowhouses and small-scale apartments, many with beautiful landscaping.

Photo: Herbert Reynolds

Highlights include:
- A walk through the Gardens at its most beautiful time of year
- A visit to one of only two private parks in New York City.
- Phipps Garden Apartments: another fascinating model development.
-The former homes of actress Judy Holliday and urban historian Lewis Mumford.

The cost of the tour is $20.00. Proceeds will benefit the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance. Reservations are required, is limited to 30 persons. The tour will meet by the flagpole in the small park at 52nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue, adjacent to the subway exit. Take a local 7 train to 52nd St/Lincoln Ave. Exit using the 52nd Street stairway.

For Reservations and Information: Please call 646-298-8669, or e-mail tonythetourguy@gmail.com.

Petitions to Protect 93rd Street

2008-04-14T12:37:00.003-04:00

From the 93rd Street Beautification Association

Please join us in supporting the effort to protect the future of this Historic NYC neighborhood and its environment by adding your name to these two (2) petitions, it just takes a second, and your support will make a really big difference. Like they say, every vote counts !!!

Here are the Petitions and their corresponding links:

1.) Petition to Extend Carnegie Hill Historic District one block so as to include Historic East 93rd Street. Please click on the link and add your name to the list (just TYPE in your name): http://www.PetitionOnline.com/CHHD93st/petition.html

2.) Petition to Co-Name East 93rd Street 'Marx Brothers Place' in honor of the extant childhood home of the Comic Icons. Please click on the link and add your name to the list (just TYPE in your name): http://www.petitiononline.com/coname/petition.html

Thanks for caring about NYC's historic neighborhoods !

A Guided Visit Inside the Old Croton Aqueduct

2008-04-14T12:19:00.009-04:00

Saturday, April 26, 2008, 1 pm. See a video and exhibit about the Aqueduct’s history, and visit the interior of the brick tunnel via a flight of stairs in the Ossining weir chamber. Allow about one to one and a half hours. Meet in Ossining’s Joseph G. Caputo Community Center/Ossining Heritage Area Visitor Center, 95 Broadway. Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct. Free. No advance registration required. Questions? Call 914-478-3961.

Driving Directions: From Highland Ave./Route 9 in Ossining, turn onto Broadway, a small side street opposite Croton Ave. (Rte. 133). The Community Center will be on your right. Northbound drivers: make the first left after Main St., at the large blue “Ossining” sign. Southbound drivers: turn right at the brown and white sign “Ossining Heritage Area Visitor Center.”

Train Directions: Take Metro-North’s Hudson Line from Grand Central to Ossining (for schedule and fares, see http://www.mta.info/). Walk uphill (allow about 20 min.) on Main St. Turn left shortly before getting to Highland Ave./Route 9 - look for special paving and a restaurant – to reach the Community Center. Best to buy your ticket beforehand; there is a $5. surcharge if you buy it on the train.