CB7 Votes "No" on New-York Historical Society

COMMUNITY BOARD 7's PARKS & PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SAYS "NO" TO HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROJECT!

By an almost unanimous vote last night, Community Board 7's Parks & Preservation Committee rejected the New-York Historical Society's application to change the facade of their Triple-Crown* Landmark on Central Park West between 76th and 77th Streets.

Seeing straight through the N-YHS's claims that the "Phase 1" facade alterations and the "Phase 2" tower were two separate and distinct projects, the Committee Members expressed their disapproval in no uncertain terms. Phase 1 they called "a decimation", "troubling", and "overkill" (a Columbia art history professor raised similar concerns in his testimony and in two
letters to N-YHS - click here). Regarding the project as a whole, one member declared that "it would be a naive act of faith" for the Committee to approve it based on the information so far made public by the N-YHS. In the end, the Committee resolved to send a strong message to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (which will hold a hearing on this application in the near future - no date set): "NO" to the facade alterations, and "NO" to taking any action on this project until the N-YHS is prepared to disclose the full scheme, both Phase 1 AND Phase 2.

Big thanks to those of you who made the effort to attend recent meetings, send emails, and SPEAK OUT to defend your neighborhood. It isn't over yet, not by a long shot. Please make sure your name is included in support of "Save Our Skyline" (click here here to see the growing list). And mark your calendars for the evening of Tuesday, March 6 (exact time and location TBA), when the full Community Board 7 will meet to vote on the Parks & Preservation Committee's resolution.

*The "Triple-Crown" Landmark is so dubbed because of its three layers of Landmark and Historic District protection.