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 #13 - Central Park West Skyline

Central Park West Skyline
Central Park West, as seen from Central Park

It's impossible not to love the Central Park West skyline! It's as iconic an image of New York City as Grand Central Station or the Statue of Liberty. Made up of such landmarks as the Dakota Apartments, the American Museum of Natural History, and the soaring twin-towered apartment buildings of the 1920s and 1930s, the Central Park West skyline showcases some of the best architecture in the city, and is one of its most breathtaking sights. 

Love, 

Polly F.
West Sider and lover of landmarks

P.S. Click here to read about Landmark West!'s efforts to preserve the amazing Central Park West skyline!  New York without the Central Park West skyline? Not if we can help it!