Back to School Means Farewell to Interns

LW! bids farewell to our two great high school interns, Jahmauny Monds and Jonathan Ortiz. Here, they offer us some departing words. We wish them all the best on this first day of school!

Jahmauny writes ...
I loved my time here at LANDMARK WEST!. I enjoyed being introduced to people, organizations, and history. I learned about a building's primary purpose, and discovered how influential a building can be to a neighborhood. I sat in and got involved with discussions on something new I learned through LW!: transferable development rights. I jumped into conversations about potential undesired expansions of original buildings on the Upper West Side. As promised, I joined the fight for appropriate preservation and I am glad that I was able to not only have but enjoy and benefit from this experience. My LW! staff is simply divine. I thank you all for having me and making me feel welcome. You are all great. Although this is the end of my internship with LW!, I will not say goodbye. With similar interests at heart, I thank Debi, Kate G., Cristiana, and Mrs. Arlene, till next time.

We're blushing ... thanks, Jahmauny!

Jonathan writes ...
During my time here at LANDMARK WEST! I have had so many new experiences, from observing a public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, to writing about buildings, to office work. My time here at LW! just flew by, and yet I got so much out of it. I enjoyed when I would get the task of taking pictures of certain buildings, because it made me appreciate buildings that I passed by hundreds of times but never really looked at. LW! really opened by eyes and taught me to appreciate my surroundings because that's what makes up a part of you. I will remember the people I met here and the moments I had with each of them for a long time. I am also going to miss the office itself because it is the most unique space I have ever seen! You can't look anywhere without something catching your eye, whether it be a decoration, a knick-knack, or one of the several paintings or photographs just hanging around the office. Sometimes I would have to remind myself I have a job to do when I would start to look at all the cool stuff in the office. This has been a great experience and I would not have changed anything about it.

We were incredibly lucky to have two inquisitive and industrious students with us this summer.  As much as we taught them the ropes of neighborhood preservation, we learned so much from them as well!  Look back at posts from both Jahmauny and Jonathan -- and all of this summer's interns! -- by clicking here.

An Unexpected Find On West 70th Street

A guest post by IHDF Intern Jonathan Ortiz

Last week, I went out looking at buildings, searching for something that caught my eye. As I was walking, I decided to give myself a challenge: try to find a unique row house. 

I walked past so many of them but I was having trouble finding something that really stood out. Right when I was about to start looking for another kind of building, I noticed something on a row house bay window -- a very elaborate ornament. It was a very impressive piece of work, with an elegant flower design surrounding a crest right in the middle. 

Amazed by my find, I looked at the building next to it and, sure enough, it was the same type of ornament, but with a slightly different design. This went on for about six more buildings, all with elaborate designs. 

The ones that I favor are 27, 31, 33, 37, and 41 on West 70th Street. They were designed by architect Gilbert A. Schellenger and built in 1892. If you are ever taking a stroll on this street or just have some free time, I strongly suggest you go pay these buildings a visit.

Search more buildings by architect Gilbert A. Schellenger in the LW! Online Buildings Database! 

It's "Lunch Time" at the New York Public Library

The student becomes the teacher!  Recently, LW! graduate intern Kate Gilmore took two of our summer high school interns on a trip to the New York Public Library, to share with them one of the places in New York City that, as a historic preservation student, Kate knows all too well!  But rather than burying their heads in historical prospectuses or style guides, the intern team took in the NYPL's current exhibition "Lunch Hour NYC".  Here's Kate's report ...

Via Perfectly Produce

The New York Public Library's current exhibit, "Lunch Hour NYC," is a great look back into the history of how Americans eat. While today there seems to be a plethora of lunch options, from food trucks to a "power lunch", a midday meal has not always been part of Americans' routines. To find out more, I ventured down to the NYPL with fellow interns Jonathan Ortiz and Jahmauny Monds.

"Lunch Hour NYC" examines the history of lunch as we know it today and how it has evolved over the past century. One of the highlights of the exhibit was the old images and equipment from a Horn & Hardart automat. The hands-on exhibit allowed us to operate the automat machine to retrieve popular recipes. Once ubiquitous, automats were a quick, efficient lunch option for busy office workers. Here on the Upper West Side, 170-172 West 72nd Street, was once home to a Horn & Hardart automat designed by architects F. P. Platt & Brother in 1931.  Another West Side automat is already an Individual Landmark (more here!).

On the left, the former Horn & Hardart Automat on West 72nd Street (now a Citibank). 
On the right, the Automat as pictured in 1942.

The exhibit chronicles the invention of cafeteria-style restaurants, the rise and fall of the automat, soda parlor slang and the invention of the hot dog--to name just a few of the highlights. Who knew that lunch had such a rich and interesting history!

LW! summer high school interns Jonathan Ortiz and Jahmauny Monds learn more
about how an automat functioned at the NYPL "Lunch Hour" exhibit.

In addition to the amazing exhibit, the NYPL has an amazing Menu Collection that is available online. The robust collection features menus from popular eateries all over the city, totaling 45,000. It can be an invaluable resource when documenting the location of popular restaurant chains, since the menus usually featured lists of available locations. They are also highly enjoyable to get a sense of the popular foods of the period.

So the next time you head out to your favorite lunch spot or pull out your packed lunch to heat in the microwave, just remember this American routine has not always been. It continues to evolve with the food truck craze that has changed the eating habits of city dwellers yet again.

640 West End Avenue: A Neighborhood Favorite!

A guest post by IHDF intern Jonathan Ortiz

My favorite building on the Upper West Side is 640 West End Avenue, at West 91st Street. It is my favorite because it stands out from a mile away. One side of the building is almost completely covered in ivy, which in my opinion gives it a very good, mesmerizing look. I mainly like it because it doesn't follow the standard look of buildings in the area, it has its own identity.

Because this building captured my attention, I did some research. here are some things I found interesting: The building was designed by the architecture firm Townsend, Steinle & Haskell in 1912. It has a three-story rusticated limestone base with the rest of the building being grey brick. The entrance does not have a canopy, but instead two polished granite columns and a broken pediment reveal on the second floor window above the entrance. And here's a fun fact - 640 West End Avenue was used in an episode of Seinfeld as the exterior of Mr. Pitt's apartment building.

West End Presbyterian: An intricate marvel

A guest blog by WHSAD intern Jahmauny Monds 

When I walked up to the West End Presbyterian Church, it was clear to me that this building is definitely a proud work of art.

It is detailed terrifically and precisely. I took great notice of its bold symmetrical design. I was stunned by the arch engraving. The building is absolutely impressive, with its unique brick patterns (bonds). The dazzling circle window above the arches has details that are simply exceptional. I think the aesthetics on this building are amazing; a fine church indeed.

Celebrating "Family Day" at Amsterdam Houses

Guest blog by intern Jason Crowley

For the fifth consecutive year, LANDMARK WEST! joined in the festivities at the Amsterdam Houses' annual Family Day celebration.

Saturday, August 4th, turned out to be another fun-filled day of music, BBQ and nostalgic tales of growing up at Amsterdam Houses.

Each year LW! sets up shop and spend the day sharing photographs of Amsterdam Houses dating back to the late 1940s, when the complex (an LW! "Wish List" site) was being constructed.

Featuring images of Amsterdam Houses' construction, LW's photo board
sparked many-a reminiscence among Family Day attendees

LW's Arlene Simon

Neighbors young and old huddled around our table, looking at our photos (and sharing some of their own!) while regaling us with fond memories of growing up in the community ("I've lived here for 40+ years" is not at all an uncommon thing to hear!).

 At this year's Family Day celebration, LW!'s President and founder, Arlene Simon received recognition, from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), for her years of outreach and leadership in the neighborhood.

One of the greatest experiences about attending Family Day year after year is the opportunity to speak with the residents who make Amsterdam Houses a vibrant and proud community of active and passionate neighbors. 

Intern Jason Crowley shares historic images with a Family Day attendee

LW's Cristiana Pena and Family Day celebrants

 
It was such a pleasure to meet everyone who stopped by the LW! table on Saturday; we are already looking forward to next year's Family Day! 

First Baptist Church: A West Side Romanesque stunner

A guest blog by WHSAD Intern Jahmauny Monds

I went out on a journey to find a landmark on the Upper West Side that sparked my interest. I came upon the First Baptist Church. I was captivated by the architecture of this building. Its central window especially captured my eye. I couldn't get over the complexity of the arches, with Corinthian-like capitals and the geometrical innovation of having both cylindrical and prismatic towers (which surprisingly worked well together). 

I really enjoyed the mathematical aspects of this church. There was a variety of unique circular window designs. This is one of the best examples of Romanesque-style architecture that I've ever seen. In the heart of the Upper West Side, at the corner of West 79th Street and Broadway, this gem is just another one of the neighborhood's simple pleasures.

Fun Fact: You'll notice that the building was built on a 45-degree axis; its intention was to expand, as much as possible, the church's auditorium space. 

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First Baptist Church is a landmark protected!  The church is included in the Riverside-West End Historic District Extension I, which was designated a New York City Historic District by unanimous vote of the Landmarks Preservation Commission on June 26, 2012.  Read our email recap here; then, celebrate!

West End Avenue, Then and Now #1 - Calhoun School

GUEST BLOG by LW! Interns Zack Bunin & Jason Crowley

Calhoun School 2012- Photograph by Zack Bunin

NOW ... The Calhoun School is an eight-story glass, travertine, and concrete building located on the south-west corner of West 81st Street and West End Avenue. 

Built between 1973 and 1975 and designed by architect Costas Machlouzarides, the original five-story building's most distinguishing feature was the second to fifth floors. Brown tinted glass curtain walls bow outwards and are framed by travertine cladding that arches on all four sides, giving the building the appearance of a giant television. 

In 2000, the Calhoun School hired FX Fowle, an architecture and planning firm, to design a four-story addition. Completed in 2004, it is sometimes called the “VCR” or “cable box”, to the school's TV-like appearance. The building’s 97' by 79' footprint is adjacent to a 1880s historic group of row houses and in a neighborhood of early 1900s apartment buildings.



1898 Bromley Map - NYPL

THEN ... Prior to the construction of the Calhoun School, a group of row houses occupied the corner (see historic Bromley map at left). Both the apartment building to the south and the group of row houses to the west demark the location of the late 19th Century corner development.

Even earlier, a row of five frame houses ran along 11th Avenue, later renamed West End Avenue. A rare 1894 image, seen below, depicts the modest framed houses at the corner of a paved intersection with planted trees.


1894 Wooden Dwellings on West End Ave btw 80th & 81st Streets - MCNY

Zack, who attended the Calhoun School from Pre-K to twelfth grade notes that "classes are held in 'Little Calhoun' on 160 West 74th Street until first grade. We move to 'Big Calhoun' for second grade to graduation."

Zack continues: "This building’s atypical design reflects the school’s somewhat uninhibited education. For instance, there are no walls between classrooms. As a kid between classes, the large tinted windows separate one from the surrounding apartments like a wall. Looking from the outside, this building is like a brick in an otherwise fluid neighborhood. Its design is a product of modern momentum which contrasts strongly with the historic neighborhood."

GUEST BLOG :: Meet Jonathan, LW! Summer Intern

This is the second intern introduction for the summer, following our earlier post welcoming Williamsburg High School for Architect & Design student Jahmauny.  Below, get to know Jonathan.  Then, stay tuned for posts authored by our interns!

Hi, my name is Jonathan Ortiz and I am 16 years old, going into my junior year of high school. I got involved with LW! through the “I Have A Dream” Foundation (IHDF) DeHostos-Wise Program. IHDF works to ensure that every student in the program has the opportunity to pursue a higher education. They do this by providing tutors for us, bringing us on college visits, and always preparing us for anything college-related. 

IHDF also provides mentors, internships, and opportunities to participate in programs such as LW!. I have been staying busy with IHDF and LW!, so I have been having a pretty good July, if I may say so myself! 

My favorite part of the summer so far was when I visited New York University with the IHDF. My favorite subjects in school are math and science because I like how everything is tied to those two subjects and how there is not an end to how they can be applied. 

I am planning on studying architecture in college because I find it interesting how building styles change over time. I enjoy helping people, and I feel like architecture can do that. Nice buildings can help the people in the community enjoy their surroundings and maybe even brighten up their day. If I don’t go into architecture, I want be in another profession that helps communities.

GUEST BLOG :: Interns explore West End Avenue

As guest blog by intern Jason Crowley

Intern Jason Crowley at the 2012 "Unsung Heroes" awards,
with LW! Dir. of Education Debi Germann

Last month -- on Tuesday June 26 -- the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted unanimously in favor of the Riverside-West End Historic District Extension I. This is the first of three proposed historic district extensions along West End Avenue and Riverside Drive.

LANDMARK WEST! is celebrating this milestone. Join us as we rediscover the architectural treasures of the West End neighborhood with a new guest blog series co-produced by summer interns Zack Bunin and myself, Jason Crowley. 

Zack is a returning summer intern and West Sider; and I'm Jason, the office's newest graduate intern, studying Historic Preservation at Columbia University.

Intern Zack Bunin at the 2012 "Unsung Heroes" awards,
with fellow intern Kate Gilmore.

"Then and Now", a new series
by Jason and Zack : Follow Zack and me as we wander the Avenue and its sidestreets, writing about the buildings we encounter. We'll both do a bit of historical digging and share some of our personal perspectives.  Our goal is to shine a light on the individual buildings that make the neighborhood so special -- every building will surely have an interesting story and make great conversation and lively lunch hour debate! 

Together with Zack, I'll be pealing back the layers of history along West End Avenue, which rapidly transformed from relatively high-class single-family homes to grand apartment houses in the early 20th century. This significant transformation is unique to New York's development history and it will surely be exciting to see what some of the West End's great apartment buildings replaced in this, our "Then and Now" series!

GUEST BLOG :: Meet Jahmauny, LW! Summer Intern

This is the first intern introduction for the summer, following our earlier post welcoming our new team members.  Below, get to know Jahmauny.  Then, stay tuned for intros from the rest of our interns!

What is WHSAD?

I am Jahmauny Monds, and I just completed my sophomore year at the Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design (WHSAD). With many unique aspiring architects and engineers, WHSAD has an amazing environment. Not only does this school allow me to integrate my skills such as designing and creating a 3-D model of the three main Greek columns for my English project on Greek architecture, but my school also teaches me how vital beautiful early and modern – day architecture has become.

What are some of the preservation-related courses you took this past year?

During my second year at WHSAD, I took an intricate, in-depth course in historic preservation. This class took me step-by-step through the different types of brick, brick bonds and methods to creating bricks. Then we researched the history of the infamous brick and how this invention was industrialized by the pug mill. With all of this newly developed knowledge, we then began to use Autodesk’s AutoCAD to create and plot our very own brick bonds.

What do you like best about studying architecture?

What I find the most intriguing about architecture is the amount of history that goes along with it. Architecture has power and meaning. It can show queens and kings, it can pay respect to deities of that time period, and it also shows the level of intelligence and creativity or the architects of that time. From Lady Liberty to the pyramids in Egypt, architecture is and forever will be, in my eyes, the most fascinating aspect of civilization.

What are you looking forward to doing in LW! this summer?

With my love for architecture, I have joined the LW! team this summer with the intention to preserve the history and ingenuity of New York City’s early building designs and techniques that were applied to the primary buildings of this great city. I plan to post more blogs with updates on the ongoing battle to keep these sacred buildings in their original state. I will also be a part of a specific project which is the Central Park West Skyline.

The LW! Crew, Summer 2012 Edition

The number of full-time staffers at LW! can be counted on one hand (seriously, there are three of us, plus our full-time President, Arlene Simon!).  And so every year, this quartet looks forward to the summer months, when we welcome an energetic team of student interns.  Their ages range (from high school juniors to 2nd-year graduate students), but their desire to learn about the ins and outs of preservation advocacy via the LW! model is shared among them!

Throughout the summer, LW! will introduce each of our student interns.  Then, track our blog for regular guest posts by each intern.  Meet the folks behind the organization, and get to know LW! through fresh eyes!  The Summer 2012 intern roster is:

• Jason Crowley, 2nd year graduate student in the Historic Preservation Master's Program at Columbia University;
• Jonathan Ortiz, our first summer intern from the "I Have a Dream" Foundation (though we met Jonathan last year when his summer program group, the De Hostos-Wise Dreamers, worked with LW's Dir. of Education, Debi Germann);
• Jahmauny Monds, from the innovative Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design (that's the same alma mater as Ingrid, our energetic intern from 2011)

And of course you remember:

• Kate Gilmore, 3rd year graduate student in the dual degree Urban Planning and Historic Preservation programs at Columbia University;
• Zack Bunin, a junior at the University of Rochester, joining us for his third consecutive summer (time flies!)

Enjoy their posts, all summer long!

Ribbon Cutting Celebrates New Media Room at Amsterdam Houses

This past Tuesday morning, LW! President Arlene Simon and summer intern Ingrid joined with our local Council member Gale Brewer, leadership from Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), leaders from the New York City Housing Authority (or NYCHA), the Macquarie Group, and a host of residents and friends to celebrate a new media room at Amsterdam Houses.

Cutting the ribbon to the Amsterdam Houses media room!
For a full listing of those pictured, scroll to bottom of post.

Amsterdam Houses, a New York City Housing Authority (or NYCHA) development and LW! designation "Wish List" item, is a diverse community located between West End and Amsterdam Avenues, between West 61st and 64th Streets. 

Since 2007, Residents Association President  Margarita Curet (a 2011 LW! "Unsung Hero" award winner!), has advocated for the residents of Amsterdam Houses.  On the goal of technology access for her fellow tenants, Margarita's efforts were matched by those of local Council member Gale Brewer.  As former chair of the City Council's Committee on Technology, improved access to technology for constituents of all ages is one of Council member Brewer's core objectives.

Victor Gonzalez (center, standing) speaks to Amsterdam Houses residents eager
to learn about the features of the new media room.

The Amsterdam Houses media room is a wonderful example of public-private partnership: NYCHA donated the building space, outfitted with computers from the Macquarie Group, and OATS will provide instructional classes for residents from throughout the NYCHA developments, with priority for seniors from the local Amsterdam Houses and Amsterdam Addition.

For her third contribution to the blog (here's her second!), LW! intern Ingrid reports back on the wonderful sense of accomplishment and excitement to learn new media skills at the ribbon cutting ceremony:

Everybody at the event was so thrilled. As the President of the Amsterdam Houses Residents Association, nothing has stopped Margarita Curet from achieving the goal of getting computers set up in the Amsterdam Houses community room, so that seniors can not only learn to use them but also move forward and learn new technology.

But she couldn’t do it by herself, so Margarita got in contact with other people. After working for several months with NYCHA and local elected officials like Gale Brewer, who I met for the first time, their hard work has paid off.  Amsterdam Houses now has a computer lab, but they’re not stopping there. I hope more equipment will come for the great people at Amsterdam Houses. 

I got to meet some of the seniors that will be learning to use computers, and I think that the whole project is a great way to bring the community closer together.  After all, everybody should have a chance to connect with other people on the internet.

LW! congratulates the collaborative efforts of all who supported this project and helped it to become a reality!  And we look forward to continuing our close relationship with Margarita Curet and her Amsterdam Houses "family".  Next on the calendar: the annual Family Day celebration, on Sunday, August 3rd.  Come by and discover this spirited community and this landmark-worthy architecture for yourself (details to follow via email)!

PHOTO (from left to right): Council member Gale Brewer; Melanie Schmidt, Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center; Thomas Kamber, OATS; a representative from the Macquarie Group; Victor Gonzalez, Resident Association President of Wise Towers and NYCHA's first Resident Board Member; Doris McDonald, Vice-President of Amsterdam Houses Resident Association; Margarita Curet, President of Amsterdam Houses Resident Association.  Back row, between Doris McDonald and Margarita Curet: Clarence Gordon, Amsterdam Houses Resident Manager.

Photo credit: Office of Council member Gale Brewer.

Down at the Archives :: Interns team up for building research, share their findings

REPORT from the FIELD

Jointly reported by interns Kate and Ingrid

Kate writes ...

Design review: the definition of advocacy in action!

As we've blogged before, our Certificate of Appropriateness (C of A) design review committee analyzes all projects on the Upper West Side that go through the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) public hearing process. That is, projects seeking approval for modifications beyond the scope of the LPC's Rules such as a rooftop or rear yard addition, the restoration of a stoop, the replacement of windows, you name it! To take effective and informed action requires a lot of research! So here's a little insight as to how we prepare and research every project.

Both historical and contemporary research always inform conscientious landmark stewardship. For every project, we complete the following steps:

1. Visit and document the current condition of the building
2. Obtain historic tax photos
3. Review the architectural plans for proposed modifications

The Municipal Archives are house in the Surrogate's Court building.

For historical research, the Municipal Archives (located just north of City Hall) is a treasure trove of information.

On July 15, 2011, I asked fellow intern Ingrid to join me as I ventured to the archives in search of historic tax photos. Historic tax photos are an important visual record of a building's original characteristics. Between 1939 and 1940, the city took a photograph of every single building in New York City's five boroughs and then repeated this process again in the 1980s. (For more information, click here.) For one item on our C of A agenda, I was particularly eager to see an historic image of the building, since we were trying to determine the original window configuration.

So, Ingrid and I ventured into the archives to see what we could find.

Tax photo research, Ingrid's take ...

Adventure outside the office- as I would call it.

Sample Sanborn tax map.

When Kate G. and I went down to the Municipal Archives it was my first time there- very exciting! The mosaics they have up on the ceiling in the lobby are amazing. Our mission was to get a picture from the 1940s of two certain buildings. On July 14th, we visited 163 West 87th Street and 327 Central Park West and took pictures of the way the buildings look now. As we took photographs, we discussed the way each building was back before the changes and the way the architect wants to change the building now. For example, at 327 Central Park West, they currently have one-over-one double hung windows, but originally in the 1940s the windows, as seen in the tax photo, were six-over-six double hung windows.

But back to the municipal archives... first, we had to use the Sanborn tax maps to confirm the block and lot of the buildings we were looking for- kind of hard because they had a lot of information on one building . Next, once we had the blocks and lot numbers we had to look inside the Manhattan photograph index book for the microfilm numbers, and once we had everything, we sat down at a microfilm scanner.

A microfilm reader, just like the
ones used for research at
the Municipal Archives.

I had seen many in movies, but never in my lifetime did I imagine I would get to use it and see the way it actually works. I can say my favorite part was learning and watching Kate try to explain how to use it- very funny!

Kate brings it all together ...

With our archival research, we were able to confirm that the original windows at 327 Central Park West were in fact six-over-six double hung windows. We will use this photo documentation to bolster our argument that any master plan for the building's windows should aim to return the building to the original fenestration planned by the architect.

GUEST BLOG :: From East Side to West Side, newsracks making headlines

REPORT from the FIELD

A guest blog by intern Kate Gilmore

Ever seen these along the street?

From Municipal Art Society Photo Competition, "Nasty Newsracks"
Southwest corner of 1st Avenue and 51st Street

Newsracks--a common piece of New York City street furniture--often blend into the background of our experiences in the City. But newsracks have become such an eyesore that many neighborhoods are saying enough is enough!

Newsracks are just one of the many factors affecting the quality of our city's streets.  Communities throughout New York City have tackled issues including commercial signage, storefronts, bus shelters and newsstands through streetscape improvement initiatives. This past semester I worked with Community Board 9 to brainstorm how they might create and administer their own streetscape improvement project. While researching precedents, Landmark West!'s innovative Retail Assistance Program Pilot launched in 1997 was a key example I reviewed for insight.  Community Board 9, Landmark West! and CIVITAS are all engaged in promoting sensitively designed and well-maintained streetscapes. Since I was already familiar with many current streetscape challenges, I wanted to learn more about CIVITAS' efforts to clean up newsracks.

So, I wanted to learn more. To do so I attended a presentation by CIVITAS at a joint meeting of Community Board 7's Transportation and Parks Committees on July 12, 2011. CIVITAS is a non-profit that works on quality of life issues on the Upper East Side and East Harlem. They have been working on the issue of newsracks for years, with the goal of improving compliance with the current newsrack law and advocating for more stringent regulations that would standardize newsrack design.

Rita Hirsh, Chair of CIVITAS streetscape committee, and Tali Cantor, Associate Director, presented a series of slides on the history and current conditions of newsracks from their UES and East Harlem neighborhood. The first newsracks appeared on the streets of Manhattan in 1984, and since then their numbers have multiplied. Each publication's newsrack uses a bright, unique color to attract the attention of a passing pedestrian.

Photo: LANDMARK WEST!

As seen in the images, newsracks are prone to vandalism and often sit empty. According to CIVITAS, many newsracks do not comply with the current laws governing their placement and upkeep. For example, if you ever see newsracks attached to subway entrances- that's illegal! The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for all street furniture, including newsracks; however, due to weakened legislation they are not able to issue violations to publishers that do not maintain their newsracks. Publishers self-inspect and self-report to the DOT.

CIVITAS asks: What is the solution? Could New York standardize newsracks like the one seen below on Madison Avenue? Or is enforcement the key, allowing publishers to keep their colorful newsracks, but impose stricter adherence to required upkeep?

Photo: Madison Avenue Business Improvement District
Photo source, click here.

There was a lively discussion among Transportation and Parks committee members and the public, some encouraging stricter design guidelines and standardization and others celebrating the the newsracks colorful punctuations along the concrete streetscape. The discussion also considered whether publishers should pay a permitting fee to place a newsrack on the street, since the current system allows publishers to first, place a newsrack on the sidewalk and second, notify the DOT.

CIVITAS asked that CB 7 renew their resolution (originally passed in 2006), supporting CIVITAS' efforts and recommending that the DOT's ability regulate newsrack upkeep be strengthened. They also asked that CB7 request that Council Member James Vacca (Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee) hold an oversight hearing. Ultimately, CIVITAS wants to clean up the chaos created by newsracks littering the streetscape.

To learn more about newsracks on city sidewalks, visit CIVITAS' website.  Once there, be sure to sign the petition!

GUEST BLOG :: Meet Ingrid, our summer high school intern

Introducing the newest addition to the LW! intern team
A Guest Blog, by Ingrid

I'm a new student at Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design (WHSAD), but I have a lot of great things to say about it. WHSAD is like a new door full with experiences that can take you far beyond your imagination.  Not only are the experiences good but also the opportunities the school offers.  To me, many schools try to teach you only one way; at WHSAD, you have the option to decide your own future.  WHSAD is a small united high school where students who are interested in architecture come together to expand their knowledge and show the world what they have to offer.  To learn more about WHSAD, click here.

This year (which was my junior year at WHSAD), I took a class in science called Preservation Arts.  It was my first time ever and it was very different from any other science class I have ever taken.  I learned things like knowing the reason a building looks the way it does after a few years.  This was something very new to me but a great experience all at once.

After my classes indoors, learning about building vocabulary and what we were going to see on a building, we finally had the chance to go outdoors.  Once we were outside, during the spring and summer time, we would take pictures of a building and answer a sheet our teacher would give us.  It asked questions about the way the building had been damaged and what would happen if nothing was done to stop the damages. And the way we can repair the problem without having to replace the whole building. More like a restoration, not a whole new change.

What I like most about studying architecture is the way there’s so many different levels to it.  From the style it can be created in, to the end design, even the cement or bricks architects can use to give those final touches.  Not only that but also the way a historical building can be preserved and kept the same way it was.  Not every architect does the same thing.  After all, everybody does have a different point of view.

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For the past year, LANDMARK WEST! has partnered with the Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design, hosting interns during the spring and summer.  Ingrid is the third intern we have welcomed to our team from this innovative public high school.  We look forward to sharing with her the history of the Upper West Side, and to learning from her fresh perspective on architecture and preservation!

GUEST BLOG :: The Future of Development on the Upper West Side

An Intern's Perspective
As reported by Kate Gilmore (more on Kate below!)

The NYC Dept. of City Planning Zoning Handbook

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the New York City zoning resolution. The last comprehensive resolution was adopted in 1961, and since then the document has been tweaked and expanded from the original 81 pages to nearly 1,000 pages!  It is a complex patchwork of regulations that only a few city planning veterans understand, yet it governs the shape of our beloved city. What to do?


This past semester I participated in a graduate level, urban planning studio led by Elliott Sclar, Professor of Urban Planning and the Director of the Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD).  We examined the impact of the current zoning on an iconic New York City neighborhood, the Upper West Side. The studio grappled with the difficult question of how to balance preservation and development.

Photo: LANDMARK WEST!

The studio of nine students began by focusing on the iconic Central Park West skyline and used the skyline as a lens to understand the forces that have impacted the Upper West Side. As seen in the timeline below, the skyline has been shaped by different theories of urbanism and government interventions over time.

Click to view this image in enlarged PDF format.
Image: From Columbia studio final report; graphic by Alex Wallach

Using history to understand where the UWS has been, the studio was better able to plan for where it is going. Putting the case study of the UWS into the larger framework of New York City, the studio analyzed how institutional decisions impact the character of the City’s neighborhoods. Ultimately, the studio developed an integrated approach that considers community input and regulatory recommendations in order to proactively shape future growth that is sensitive to neighborhood character.

Tying proposed solutions back to original problems.
Image: Columbia Studio final report

On June 23, 2011, an informal gathering of some of the leading thinkers in the fields of planning, preservation, law and real estate convened to hear the studio's final presentation. The presentation led to a lively discussion and debate.  Re-occurring themes emerged including the opacity of the as-of-right development process, the need to re-evaluate our current set of planning tools, and much more! The studio's hope is that this meeting is the first of many that will lead to an ongoing dialogue in preparation for a Zoning symposium this Fall at Columbia University.  Access the full report via the Columbia Univ. website (click here); stay tuned to LW's YouTube channel for video of the June presentation!

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Kate Gilmore is a second year graduate student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.  She is completing a dual degree in Urban Planning and Historic Preservation. Before coming to LW!, Kate has been hard at work finishing her first year of coursework in Urban Planning. She loves exploring the forces that shape different New York City neighborhoods (zoning, historic districts, development, etc.) and has spent a lot of time attending community boards meetings this past year to see how community input factors into the planning and preservation process.

Look forward to more from Kate throughout the summer here on the LW! blog.

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!