Meet the Newest Addition to LW!

My name is Melissa Doherty and I just completed my sophomore year at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. I am currently an Art Major and I have a great passion for architectural preservation and architectural history.

I grew up visiting Manhattan on a regular basis and its historic sites have always intrigued me. I was fascinated, early on, by structures in my own hometown of Roslyn, NY, that date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

I have completed courses in Islamic Art & Architecture, Architecture of Lancaster and Architectural Design. The course I completed on the architecture of Lancaster, PA truly sparked my interest of architectural history and helped me develop an enthusiasm for landmarks. Through this, I began to understand the critical nature of preservation as a means to maintain the character of a neighborhood.

I came upon LANDMARK WEST! in my research of the field of architectural preservation and it seemed like the perfect way to further explore this captivating subject. I am very excited to learn more about the historic structures of the Upper West Side and the vital advocacy process.

Designate the West End's Historic District Extensions NOW

 

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

 Question: How could this out-of-context building get built?

 

Answer: These 4 rowhouses were not designated NYC Landmarks when the then-owner of 2 Riverside Drive built on this site. The moral of the story? Please do not take your neighborhood for granted. 2 Riverside Drive is proof of what can happen. It is urgent that you tell the LPC to "Vote yes now on Manhattan's West End Historic District Extensions." The Riverside/West End Historic District Extension II and the West End Collegiate Extension--vital to Manhattan's Upper West Side Historic Districts--have been HEARD by the LPC but NOT designated.

 

Sign this petition to LPC Chair Tierney and ask for the designation NOW of these Historic District (HD) extensions. Please sign soon--sign now--then send on to a friend to sign. The LPC deserves to hear from you.

 

Approximately 194 new landmarks were added to the 2700 existing landmarked buildings when the Riverside/West End HD Extension I was designated on June 26, 2012. Take a moment to join us in relishing the pure pleasure of a job well done. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis wrote her own letter to the LPC, dated April 30, 1987 in support of designating the Riverside/West End HD. Mrs. Onassis wrote, "Your designation of [the Riverside-West End HD] will provide future generations of New Yorkers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this remarkably intact piece of our past, just as we enjoy it today."  Please sign the petition and if you wish, write your own letter and email a copy to LANDMARK WEST!

Designation is just the first step. Help us be the vigilant stewards our neighborhood still needs and deserves. Big or small, your contribution matters. Give online or call LW! at 212-496-8110 to make a financial pledge.
 

Photo above from LW!'s, My Preservation Journal, part of Keeping the Past for the Future Youth Education Program taught by Director of Education Debi Germann, M.S. Ed from the Bank Street College of Education and certified classroom teacher.

In the Spirit of Jackie-O: Designate the West End Extensions!

If Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis could do it, so can you. Please SIGN LW's PETITION to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Chair Tierney and ask for the designation of the extensions to Manhattan's West End Historic Districts (HDs). Here's why.

In 1985, when LANDMARK WEST! was founded to advocate for long overdue protection of our neighborhood's architectural heritage, the Upper West Side only had 337 designated landmarks. By 2010, the Upper West Side claimed 72 Individual Landmarks, 3 Scenic Landmarks, 7 Interior Landmarks and 9 Historic Districts, for a total of nearly 2,700 landmarks designated by the LPC. That's something like a 1,000% increase since 1985!

 

Well, hold onto your hat...approximately 194 new landmarks have been added to the West Side's noble roster when the Riverside/West End HD Extension I was designated on June 26, 2012. Take a moment to join us in relishing the pure pleasure of a job well done. Our smiles get even wider when we look back at the above prescient letter from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to the LPC, dated April 30, 1987. She wrote, "Your designation of [the Riverside-West End HD] will provide future generations of New Yorkers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this remarkably intact piece of our past, just as we enjoy it today."    

 Please, do enjoy it, but then do more. Sustain it. Don't take your neighborhood for granted-historic district Extension II & West End Collegiate Extension have been heard but NOT designated by the LPC.There is strength in numbers. Tell the LPC to "Vote Yes on Manhattan's West End HDs." 

Designation is just the first step. Help us be the vigilant stewards our neighborhood still needs and deserves. Big or small, your contribution matters. Give online or call LW! at 212-496-8110 to make a financial pledge.

 

 

 

Andy Warhol (American 1928-1987), Nine Jackies, 1964. Acrylic and silkscreen on canvas, 65 x 53 x 2 in. overall. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Halston, 1983.

From the LW! Archives...1987 Letter from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Supporting the Original Riverside/West End Historic District

In 1985, when LANDMARK WEST! was founded to advocate for more widespread protection of our neighborhood's architectural heritage, the Upper West Side only had 337 designated landmarks.

With the recent Riverside-West End HD Extension I designation, approximately 194 new landmarks have been added to the West Side's noble roster.Take a moment to join us in relishing the pure pleasure of a job well done. Our smiles get even wider when we look back at this prescient letter from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to the LPC, dated April 30, 1987.

She wrote: “Your designation of [the Riverside-West End HD] will provide future generations of New Yorkers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this remarkably intact piece of our past, just as we enjoy it today.”

The district was officially designated two years later, on December 19th, 1989. Don’t take your neighborhood for granted--extensions II & III have been heard but NOT designated. Email LPC Chair Tierney at comments@lpc.nyc.gov and tell him, “I support the designation of the Riverside-West End Extensions II & III.” Sign your name--email it soon--today, if possible. Send a copy to landmarkwest@landmarkwest.org.

LANDMARK WEST! on Roosevelt Island

LANDMARK WEST’s First Roosevelt Island Visit: FDR Four Freedoms Memorial Park



Kyle Johnson leading LW! and friends beneath the

Queensboro Bridge, en route to the Memorial

You read correctly…on Nov. 14th, 2012 LANDMARK WEST! left the Upper West Side for a sunny afternoon with friends to explore the new FDR Memorial on Roosevelt Island. Kyle Johnson, Co-Chair of the AIA NY Chapter's Architecture Tour Committee & Vice President of DOCOMOMO US-New York/Tri-State led LW! and friends via the Tram from Manhattan to Louis Kahn's only work in NYC.

 

In 1973 Mayor John Lindsay announced that a memorial park at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island for Franklin D. Roosevelt. Louis Kahn was selected as the architect and plans were completed. However, Kahn's sudden death in 1974 followed by NYC's fiscal crises of the 1970s diminished the priority of Four Freedoms Park. On October 24, 2012, the FDR Four Freedoms Park opened to the public; a project which began forty years ago.  



LW! upon arrival to the FDR Memorial

 

 "Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt. Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, 'It can't be done.'" - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1960 

The Upper West Side Roosevelt connection is the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial. The First Lady's statue rests adjacent to the Hudson River and 72^nd Street. Eleanor was a founder of the United Nations, served as head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and helped to draft the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FDR’s Four Freedoms speech, etched in Mount Airy Granite, faces the United Nations across the East River.




Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms Speech, January 6, 1941

TONIGHT, Community Meeting to Dicuss Threats to Landmarks; NEXT WEEK, Important Vote on West End Avenue

One week from today -- on Tuesday, June 26th -- the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will convene to cast their first vote concerning historic district extensions proposed for the West End Avenue neighborhood. This public meeting is open to all; if your schedule allows, please attend and lend your "silent support" of this important community effort!

              WHAT:  Public meeting of the Landmarks Preservation Commission to
                           Vote on the proposed Riverside-West End Historic District Extension I
                           (W. 79th - 87th Sts. - click here for the proposed boundary map 

             WHEN:   Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 / Time To Be Determined 
                            The LPC usually issues its agenda with approximate times three
                            days in advance of the public meeting. Stay tuned for updates! 

            WHERE:  Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)
                            1 Centre Street, 9th Floor -- Bring photo ID
                            (Click here for directions) 

                WHO:  You, your neighbors, all who support neighborhood preservation!                             Help us spread the word; let us know of others in your building or
                            on your block who are interested in learning more about this 
                            ongoing issue. Attending the public meeting is incredibly valuable,
                            but it is important to note that no public testimony will be taken.

Earlier this month, LW! looked back on the events -- starting as far back as 2010, though momentum for this issue has surely been growing since much earlier -- leading up to the first in a series of what will ultimately be three LPC votes. Click here to revisit that email. Can't make the June 26th public meeting? Write to the LPC and your local elected officials to re-enforce your support of the West End Avenue extensions and to thank them for their strong support to date.

** Before the Vote, Community Meeting to
 support the Landmarks Law**

As LW! and our colleagues in preservation have reported, landmarking -- not just on West End Avenue but throughout all five boroughs -- has recently been under attack. The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) is at the helm of a coalition that would have New Yorkers believe that landmark designation is "over-reaching" and will effectively freeze the city in amber. This "look but don't touch" mentality could not be further from the truth: the number of landmark-protected buildings on the Upper West Side and beyond continues to grow because people want preservation. Individual Landmarks and buildings within historic districts offer substantial opportunities for economic development, the revitalization of neighborhoods, the stabilization of property values, and the enhancement of the tourism industry.

JOIN WITH US TONIGHT as we participate in a community meeting, hosted by the Historic Districts Council, to discuss this attack on landmarks and how each of us can lend our support.

TONIGHT (Tuesday, June 19th) at 6PM

General Society for Mechanics & Tradesmen*

20 West 44th Street

RSVP to hdc@hdc.org

Stay tuned for updates via email, and visit http://hdc.org/historic-district-15/help-save-the-landmarks-law to learn more.

*The General Society for Mechanics & Tradesmen (also known as the Mechanic's Institute) was the subject of an October 2011 guest blog by LW! graduate intern Kate Gilmore. Learn more about this fascinating organization and handsome Lamb & Rich-designed architecture.

West End Avenue, Part I :: Hearing to consider historic district extensions approaches

West End Avenue, between 79th and 87th Streets, considered in the first of three public hearing Tell your neighbors!  Tell your friends!  In less than two weeks, we tell the LPC! On Tuesday, March 22nd, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hold the first of three public hearings to consider historic district extensions on West End Avenue.  Your neighborhood needs you!  Spread the word and let others know about this important hearing.      What you need to know: Attending the Public Hearing Contacting Your Elected Officials Report of Recent Informational Breakfast Session How to Stay Informed

Attend the Tuesday, March 22nd Public Hearing       WHEN:   Tuesday, March 22nd; Time TBD* (announced by the LPC no later than Fri., March 18th) *LW! will keep you posted!     WHERE:   Landmarks Preservation Commission; 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor The LPC needs to hear from you.  So first ... Sign the petition! Add your name to the list of those who support the West End Avenue historic district extensions.  The petition will be submitted to the LPC for the upcoming March 22nd public hearing.  Second, please plan to attend the public hearing and to share your support with the Commission.  Your support can take the form of a personal testimonial or a written statement.  Either way, your presence is incredibly important and speaks volumes, even if you choose not to speak!  Make a statement or stand as a "silent supporter" of the West End Avenue historic district extensions.    Write to Your Elected Officials

In early 2008, the West End Preservation Society (WEPS) secured a letter supporting expanded historic district protection on West End Avenue signed by elected officials within whose districts such landmarking would occur.  Please write or call their offices, thanking them for their early backing of this important issue, and requesting their continued commitment as the public hearings begin this month.  Not sure which elected officials' districts you're in?  Check here. Congressmen Jerrold Nadler and Charles Rangel Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer State Senators Thomas K. Duane, Adriano Espaillat and Bill Perkins. State Assembly Members Linda Rosenthal and Daniel O'Donnell City Council Members Gale Brewer, Inez Dickens and Melissa Mark-Viverito.  REPORT from the FIELD: Informational Breakfast Answers Many Neighbors' Questions

To help our fellow West Siders learn more about the landmark designation process, and specifically the March 22nd public hearing of the LPC, LANDMARK WEST! co-sponsored, along with a league of neighborhood groups and preservation advocates, Living with Landmarks, a neighborly Q&A informational breakfast.  For those who couldn't make the morning session, head to our YouTube channel (video coming soon!)!    LW! Executive Director Kate Wood welcomes the audience to the morning's discussion. Click here for more pictures.  Held this past Wednesday, March 9th, at 8AM, the breakfast kicked-off with welcome remarks from LW! Executive Director Kate Wood and Richard Emery, Esq., of WEPS.  Next, a lively and informative presentation by Prof. Mosette Broderick, Director of the Urban Design and Architecture Studies program at New York University, on the history and development of the Upper West Side.  Following Prof. Broderick, the audience of nearly 100 heard from residents of existing historic districts, to hear from them first-hand what living in a landmark neighborhood has meant.  Finally, breakfast co-sponsors came together for the Q&A portion of the morning. Breakfast co-sponsors include: Coalition for a Livable West Side  Community Board 7  Historic Districts Council  LANDMARK WEST! New York Landmarks Conservancy    West End Preservation Society  West 75th Street Block Association   West 80s Neighborhood Association

Stay Informed and Spread the Word! A historic district recognizing the architectural richness of West End Avenue and Riverside Drive has long been a landmark "Wish List" priority for LANDMARK WEST!  The proposed extensions would weave together five smaller, existing historic districts along West End Avenue and take in eight individual buildings that have long been on LW's "Wish List" of landmark priorities (including the First Baptist Church at 79th and Broadway and the Cliff Dwelling apartments at Riverside Drive and 96th Street). On September 15, 2010, the LPC held a community meeting at which they revealed a draft of their "West End Avenue Study Areas" (watch video of the meeting on our YouTube page).  This was the public's first look at the area the LPC is considering for landmark designation. The new historic district extensions would include nearly 800 buildings (click here for a map of the entire area). The proposed expansion is being considered at Public Hearing in three parts*: West End Avenue between 79th and 87th Streets: Public Hearing at the LPC: Tuesday, March 22 West End Avenue between 70th and 79th Streets: Public Hearing at the LPC: Tuesday, June 28 West End Avenue between 89th and 109th Streets: Public Hearing at the LPC: Tuesday, October 25 *All three areas are anchored by West End Avenue and extend to Riverside Drive and Broadway in most, but not all, locations. For specific questions about owning a home or apartment in a historic district and the regulatory process, call LANDMARK WEST! at 212-496-8110.  Our sincerest thanks go to the West End Preservation Society (WEPS) for their stalwart advocacy!

GUEST BLOG :: Preservation, the Next Generation

REPORT from the FIELD

A Guest Blog, Reported by Will Vogel

Last weekend (March 4-6) the Historic Districts Council (HDC) continued celebrating “40 years of activism” with their annual preservation conference: Looking Forward, Looking Back: Forty Years of Preserving New York City Neighborhoods. The theme of the three day conference was to explore and celebrate grassroots preservation through a comprehensive overview of how local residents have campaigned to save their neighborhoods from neglect, deterioration and over-development since 1971!

The conference kicked off with a bang Friday night with the Opening Night Reception, hosted by the General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen.  LW's Debi and Cristiana were there (as you may have heard via our Twitter feed), trading war stories with colleagues throughout the city, educating folks on our current "top priority" advocacy campaigns, and learning what other issues neighborhood groups like us are tackling.  A fun mix of business and educational pleasure!

Picking up early Saturday morning (8:30AM = dedicated to the cause!), the conference was back in full swing with preservationists coming from all over the five boroughs to St. Francis College, (just outside the heard-but-not-designated Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District in beautiful downtown Brooklyn--more here!)  Leading the charge was architectural historian extraordinaire Francis Morrone, with an informative chronicling of the political and cultural environments that has existed in New York City over the past 45 years (since the Landmarks Preservation Commission was established in 1965). 

Next to the podium was Eric Allison, chair of the Historic Preservation program at Pratt Institute, and previous president of HDC, paralleling Francis' remarks with a lecture detailing how this climate--ripe with change--set the perfect stage for the advancement of the preservation movement. To provide insight on the people behind the movement, Dr. Marjorie Pearson didn’t just monotonously list the movers and shakers name by name.  Rather, Dr. Pearson sang their praises, in true LW! fashion (seriously, we can be quite melodic when it comes to honoring the proverbial little guys who make change happen). 

From the speakers to the audience to the volunteers (many of them students!), there were many different generations of preservationists in attendance.  All agreed that while looking back at a movement that has been going strong in New York City for 45 years may bring some hard memories to the surface, the future of preservation is ultimately bright.  And who better to convey that than LW!'s own Executive Director, Kate Wood!  Read on ...

Post-lunch, two breakout sessions allowed for a more intimate conversation about what can be learned from a successful advocacy campaign in the current preservation climate. One discussion featured Andrew Berman and his efforts in Greenwich Village as Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation; the other discussion featured LW!’s 25 years of fighting "the good fight" on the Upper West Side, as recounted by our own Kate Wood (obviously yours truly sought to show support for the latter--guilty as charged!). 

The theater was filled with friends old and new as Kate wove together the past and present history of LW!. Our past: A quarter century of feisty advocacy, born from the passion of our founder, Arlene Simon, and fueled by the energies of a small (but nimble!)  staff and dedicated volunteers. Our present: A Kickstarter-funded venture into the world of mobile technology with an iPhone app. Our explanatory project video (informational and playful, wouldn't you agree?) inspired folks from across the globe to support our project and help us reach (and ultimately surpass) our goal! In December 2010, LW! launched the FIRST EVER iPhone app walking tour of Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  More than a dozen countries and 500+ downloads later, the rich history of our neighborhood continues to educate and inspire! With Kate's conclusion, an alert crowd jumped into action for a Q&A exchange.

Two additional breakout sessions--addressing the preservation of Staten Island's historic resources, and the campaign to designate Sunnyside Gardens in Queens--concluded the conference's Saturday programming.  The following day, Sunday, March 6, conference attendees found themselves exploring all five boroughs with a suite of walking tours. 
 

The 17th Annual HDC Preservation Conference offered a bit of everything, leaving no one in want.  Except for when it ended--many wanted more! Thankfully, it not need to end there. Check back here to our blog often, or subscribe to LW! email news alerts, as we keep you informed of walking tours, lectures, conferences, and other activities taking place on the Upper West Side ... and beyond!

UPDATE from the FIELD :: Fight for the Right ... to Participate!

This past Tuesday morning, the Landmarks Preservation Commission convened to review proposed amendments to their Rules and to hear public testimony on this matter.  LANDMARK WEST! was there, along with many of our preservation advocacy colleagues, representatives of community boards, neighbors’ groups, and more.

One by one, we took to the podium to comment on the impact the proposed amendments could have on landmark stewardship throughout the five boroughs.  One common theme became the mantra on many lips: the landmark review process serves the public, and the public cannot support amendments that remove it from the stewardship process.

There was no discussion among the Commissioners following public testimony—that will come at a later, “to be determined” date.  But the record remains open!  You still have the opportunity to be heard on this issue!  General Counsel Mark Silberman noted that the record on this item will be held open for 10 business days (as of Tuesday, March 1).  Forward your statement to msilberman@lpc.nyc.gov and LPC Chair Robert Tierney at rtierney@lpc.nyc.gov (please cc me at crsitianapena@landmarkwest.org!), and stay tuned for news on when the next public hearing or meeting will be!

Couldn’t make the public hearing?  Visit our YouTube page to watch the hearing and listen to the questions and concerns born from this proposal.  For LANDMARK WEST's statement on both the proposed Rules amendments, and the proposed fee increases, click here.

This report is also available on NearSay.

A Month of Landmark Love

More Than Just Slush and Cold:  Keeping Cozy with Landmark Love!

(Cupid comes from supercoloring.com; UWS from multifamilyinvestor.com)

Well my darlings, another February has come and gone, and we here at LANDMARK WEST! are so excited about the outpouring of love we saw for all of your favorite Upper West Side places and spaces (and those beyond!)! 

Your submissions ranged from some of New York's most iconic buildings to the local haunts that have become an inextricable part of our neighborhood's landscape, showing off not only the richness of the area's architectural character but also a deep appreciation for all the places that make the Upper West Side so unique. We've said it before and we'll say it again: There's a lot to love here!
 

This month has been a swoon-worthy tour of some of the most loved places in our little corner of the borough, with submissions from sweethearts cuddling in Central Park to precocious New Jersey natives getting creative to groups of friends showing their favorite neighborhood cafe some love. The age-old New York-Chicago rivalry was reignited in the name of landmark love, with a little friendly competition (thanks to the good folks at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and their enviable Twitter following [@chiarchitecture]), bringing submissions to celebrate the best of both cities.  We, the LW! staff, couldn't help but get in on the action ourselves, showing our love for local favorites like the Ansonia, IRT Powerhouse, and Broadway Fashion Building, among others. 

Of course, the love doesn't end now that February is over. We would argue that New York in the spring is perhaps even more lovable than New York in the winter, so why not take some time to see the city with fresh eyes? Take a stroll, have a picnic, go to a museum, get involved- you might see something you never noticed before, and you just might find yourself falling in love all over again.

It's been beautiful to see all your favorite spaces! Thanks for submitting, and let's make sure to keep our community wonderful for years to come! 

Love, 

Mary N. (intern, graduate student) and all the folks at LANDMARK WEST!

Love Your Landmark #18 - West-Park Presbyterian Church

 

West-Park Presbyterian Church

165 West 86th Street at Amsterdam Avenue

From Rev. Bob Brashear and the congregants of West-Park, some landmark love! 

To learn more about the congregation, visit their blog, the West-Park Press.

To learn more about the 2010 designation of the church, click here.

Love Your Landmark #17 - Master Building

Master Building

310-312 Riverside Drive

 The Master Building is one of the best Art Deco apartments on the Upper West Side. I love all the beautiful detailing!

Love,

Katherine Malishewsky
Graduate Student, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation

P.S. One of the best Art Deco apartments, you say? To learn more, read about this designated Individual Landmark on the Landmark West! database!

Love Your Landmark #16 - New York Society for Ethical Culture

New York Society for Ethical Culture

2 West 64th Street

The New York Society for Ethical Culture buildings are some of my favorites along Central Park West. I can't help but love such a beautiful school building!

Love,

Debi Germann

Landmark West! Director of Education

P.S. Learn more about the Ethical Culture buildings and other Upper West Side landmarks here!

Love Your Landmark #15 - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

51-53 Central Park West

The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is a very good example of preservation and restoration in action. In my lifetime, I've seen it go from being absolutely filthy to being covered in scaffolding to emerging as this gem that is as close to its original state as possible. I admire the beautiful rusticated stonework, and I love the contrast of the bright, detailed stone with the slender steeple!

Love,

Max Yeston

Architectural Enthusiast

P.S. Want more information? Read about the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and other great buildings on the LW! database here!

Love Your Landmark #14 - Dakota Apartments

Dakota Apartments

1 West 72nd Street

The Dakota is wonderful for two reasons: the building itself and the people that live there! Not only is the Dakota one of the most important buildings to the history of the Upper West Side, but its residents are some of the most dedicated! Inside out, attention is paid to every detail. From the care they show their building to their involvement with the preservation of the Upper West Side, it's obvious that these people really love their landmarks!

Love,

Arlene Simon

President, Landmark West!

Love Your Landmark #12 - IRT Powerhouse

IRT/ConEd Powerhouse

840 12th Avenue at 59th Street

It's hard to not feel awestruck by the IRT/ConEd Powerhouse. The scale, the architecture, the history- it's tremendous!

Love,

Kate Wood

Landmark West! Executive Director

P.S. Not close enough to see the Powerhouse in person? Not a problem! Take a virtual tour of the Powerhouse and see what Kate is talking about for yourself!

Love Your Landmark #11- Public School 166

Public School 166, The Richard Rodgers School of Arts & Technology 

132 West 89th Street

Landmark love begins early on the Upper West Side!  Here, first graders from P.S. 166 gather to show their affection for their historic school (designated a NYC Individual Landmark in 2000).  It's not hard to see the appeal--who wouldn't love learning in this castle-like gem!  These youngsters prove that age is nothing but a number when it comes to loving your landmarks! 

Love, 

First Graders at P.S. 166

Students/Landmark Aficionados-in-Training

Love Your Landmark #7 - Central Park

 Young couple from Australia, bundling up and enjoying a carriage ride

Pedicab Driver relaxing and taking in the sights

Central Park

It's not just us at the LW! office that are smitten with Central Park! This treasure is beloved by visitors and locals alike, with people from across the globe braving the February cold to spend time in this amazing New York City Scenic Landmark. Sheep's Meadow, the Ramble, Strawberry Fields, the Mall, and of course Bethesda Terrace -- what's not to love?

Love,

Everyone!

P.S. Don't let the cold keep you indoors -- the Central Park Conservancy has events all year round! It's a great way to get involved and see what all the fuss is about!

Love Your Landmark #5 - (former) Horn & Hardart Automat

(former) Horn & Hardart Automat

2710-2714 Broadway

The former Horn & Hardart Automat at 104th and Broadway is such a neat little building, with a really quirky history. It's so charming, and a piece of history that makes New York City so unique!

Love,

Lisa Carlson

Graduate Student, Columbia University Master's Program in Architecture

P.S. Never heard of an automat? Read about the story behind these buildings and LW!'s advocacy work with them here!

Love Your Landmark #4 - Broadway Fashion Building

Broadway Fashion Building

Broadway and 84th Street

With New York Fashion Week kicking off this tonight at Lincoln Center, how can I not show my love for the Broadway Fashion building?!  A stainless-steel building with its own light show?  So hip; so with it!  I love it!  It’s not an official landmark just yet, but we’re working to see that it gets the landmark protection it deserves!  Interested? Let me know!

Love,

Cristiana Peña

Landmark West! Director of Community Outreach

P.S. Read more about the Broadway Fashion Building and other LW! Wish List highlights here!