Former Landmarks says LPC "Turned Its Back" on 2 Columbus Circle

Former Landmarks Commissioner Outraged that LPC "Turned Its Back" on 2 Columbus Circle

Anthony M. Tung , a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) from 1979 to 1988, recently fired off a letter to current LPC Chair Robert B. Tierney, stating:

"Simply, in the 26 years of my involvement in preservation matters, beginning with my appointment as a commissioner by Mayor Edward I. Koch in 1979, I have never seen the commission turn its back on such a widely supported and substantive argument for a hearing."

Mr. Tung, an international preservation scholar and author of Preserving the World's Great Cities: The Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis , also pointed out that " the collective scholarly knowledge of those who defend Two Columbus Circle is far in excess of any equitable test for calendaring. In fact, a sizable percentage of the protected structures of New York, several thousand buildings, fail to have had been as thoroughly validated upon designation." (To read a full copy of his letter, click here.)

Are these architects, historians, planners, professors, critics, and engineers all blind, he muses, or is the LPC being arbitrary and capricious?

Mr. Tung has received no response as yet to his August 30, 2004, letter. Further evidence that the LPC intends to continue ignoring the public in order to facilitate a multi-million dollar institutional development that will destroy the very heritage our Landmarks Law was designed to protect. Is this democracy? Not in our book. Your elected officials need to hear from YOU - again! Urge them to take immediate action to make sure 2 Columbus Circle receives a public hearing before the LPC!

NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg,http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html, 212-788-2460 (fax)

NYC Council Member Gale A. Brewer,gale.brewer@council.nyc.ny.us, 212-513-7717 (fax)

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer,http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html, 212-486-7693 (fax)

U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton,http://clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html, 202-228-0282 (fax)

U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler,http://www.house.gov/nadler/emailform.shtml, 212-367-7356 (fax)

NYS Senator Liz Krueger,liz@lizkrueger.com, 518-426-6874 (fax)

NYS Assemblyman Richard Gottfried,gottfrr@assembly.state.ny.us, 212-243-2035 (fax)

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:

NYC Council William Perkins,perkins@council.nyc.ny.us, 212-442-2732 (fax)

U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel,http://www.house.gov/writerep/, 202-225-0816 (fax)

NYS Senator Tom Duane,DUANE@senate.state.ny.us, 212-564-1003 (fax)

NYS Assemblyman Scott Stringer,Scott@scottStringer.com, 212-873-6520(fax)

Make sure to send a copy of your letter to LANDMARK WEST! landmarkwest@landmarkwest.org, F: 212-875-0209.